Getting defensive: Duke women's soccer stifling opponents down the stretch

Last Thursday, Pittsburgh finally did something no team had done against Duke in 325 minutes of game action.

The Panthers scored.

The Blue Devils shook off the early 1-0 deficit, riding two goals and an assist by sophomore Ashton Miller for a 3-1 win. But after a key injury left Duke looking for answers on the back line, the Blue Devil defense has locked down opponents down the stretch of ACC play.

With one conference game to play before the end of the season, the Blue Devils have allowed 13 goals, only 56.5 percent of last year’s total. With a new starter between the pipes in sophomore E.J. Proctor, the Blue Devils have also registered 10 shutouts—the most by a Duke squad since 2011, when the Blue Devils advanced to the NCAA championship game.

“Every one has a role to do and everyone has a role to play,” junior captain Christina Gibbons said. “We’re trying to emphasize being in your spot early, doing the work as soon as the ball is turned over, getting yourself in a good defensive position and not giving up on the play. Even if the ball has past you, you’ve got to get back and cover for someone else. That’s what we mean by work ethic.”

Throughout the fall, head coach Robbie Church has highlighted the work his squad has put in this year to strengthen its back line. But the emphasis has stretched throughout the rest of the field as well—Duke is now defending not with four players but 10, with three forwards always putting pressure on their opponents.

Church said that his team employed a high pressure strategy last year, but it was not sustainable for a full 90-minute contest. This season, forwards are frequently stepping back and helping midfielders to double opposing players around midfield. The shift has allowed the Blue Devils to pounce on turnovers and start counter-attack plays 40 to 50 yards away from the other team’s goal.

“We probably ask more work out of the forwards than anybody else,” Church said. “We’ve got to get them back and defend. They’re our first line of defense for us and they’re really important. When they’re defending and getting every back behind the ball, we’re really top to play down.”

At the beginning of the year, Church had a clear plan for his four starting defenders. Gibbons would defend the left flank of Duke’s outside back line and sophomore Morgan Reid would occupy the other side of the pitch. Sophomore Schuyler DeBree—who played as a left defender in 2014—and junior Rebecca Quinn formed the center-back duo.

But those plans changed abruptly Sept. 24. In the 41st minute of a 1-1 draw at Boston College Sept. 24, DeBree was forced out of the game due to a knee injury. A few days later, medical exams confirmed that the Fair Haven, N.J., native had torn her ACL, sidelining her for the rest of the season.

“Everyone definitely knew that [DeBree’s injury] was going to affect us,” Proctor said. “Schuyler is a key player, a great voice to have in the back. But we had to turn that into motivation and find a way to play for her. She’s such a vocal leader and now that’s even more crucial from the sideline. To have someone that has experience sitting there and talking to the backs and keeping everyone in check is a lot more effective than what people realize.”

Without DeBree in its defensive third, Duke dropped two consecutive conference matchups—a 1-0 defeat on the road against 2014 national runner-up Virginia Sept. 27 and a 4-2 home loss against Virginia Tech a week later. Church’s squad had only allowed six goals prior to the two-game skid, but the debacle against the Hokies proved to be a turning point for the Blue Devils.

Church said that the team learned to be greedier after the disappointing defeat against Virginia Tech and that the Blue Devils improved the way they handled physical opponents moving forward.

“The biggest thing [after the loss against Virginia Tech] was that we had to trust our abilities and our talent,” Proctor said. “We weren’t as competitive as we should’ve been on the ball because they threw a high pressure on us. [Staying composed] has been a big improvement from Virginia Tech and something we have definitely focused on since then.”

The Blue Devils learned their lesson and bounced back, winning three conference matches before Sunday’s 1-0 loss to then-No. 15 Notre Dame.

Duke also registered three consecutive shutouts after the loss against the Hokies, including a historic 1-0 victory against Tobacco Road rival and then-No. 7 North Carolina in Chapel Hill Oct. 16.

Against the Tar Heels, Church decided to shuffle some pieces in his formation once again. Freshman Chelsea Burns made her second career start as Duke’s right defender, Gibbons played as center-back—a position she was familiar with due to her club soccer experience—for the first time as a Blue Devil. The experiment was successful and the junior captain received ACC Defensive Player of the Week honors that weekend.

“She can play anywhere—she’s just a soccer player,” Church said.

The season-long process of tinkering with the starting back line might continue Sunday against N.C. State, as Quinn might not be available for the Blue Devils’ last home ACC game. The Canadian defender suffered from a concussion during Duke’s win against North Carolina and did not play against the Fighting Irish.

But as they have done all season, Church and the Blue Devils will look to make the necessary adjustments to start a new shutout streak heading into the postseason.