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Game commentary

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Women's soccer lacks emotion on field**

Two wins, eight goals scored, none conceded. Thirty-six shots taken by Duke, 11 by opponents. The women's soccer team improved to 8-4 and emerged from the weekend's games with some fine numbers.

Beyond those numbers though, questions about this team still abound.

The Blue Devils, who began the season ranked No. 4 in the nation, played two teams with a combined total of seven wins. Honestly, a pair of victories last weekend should never have been in doubt. And they never were. But the importance of winning those games was larger than it should have been.

Duke, which entered the Duke-adidas Soccer Classic with a 6-4 record, was expected to be at least 8-2. All season long, it has struggled to play with the inspiration to match its ability on paper.

"Some of the older players have forgotten what it takes to get here," Hempen said. "Not the younger ones--they don't know any better than to go all out every time."

Apparently, Duke's lack of spirit is more obvious during games. According to Hempen, practices remain at a high level.

"I told [the players] that I used to enjoy watching them even when they lost, when they were tackling and sliding all over the field," Hempen said. "Now even when we win, I don't enjoy watching them."

Hempen has ample reason to complain. After reaching the national championship game three years ago, Duke has since failed to play with a similar sense of purpose.

That 1992 team, which finished 17-5-2, did not even have a winning record in its regular season conference schedule. But it was still fun to watch that squad because its effort was evident in its play.

Part of the reason for that was that the 1992 team was hungry. Four prior years of being on the NCAA tournament bubble ensured that. Unlike the Blue Devils today, that Duke squad was not expected to win or win big.

The players' chemistry was also different. The 1992 Blue Devils had four invaluable seniors who were desperate for success they deserved: All-American Jennifer Lewis, Caitlin Connolly, Heidi Mauger and Jennifer Moore. None possessed outstanding flair or the talent to win games by themselves. But all of them showed up every game and appeared to be everywhere on the field during those games.

Those four seniors provided leadership for five precocious and skillful freshmen starters that year, whose rookie enthusiasm was harnessed to near perfection.

Walbert, Katherine Remy, Cara Lyons, Missy Durham and Melissa Carr are now the seniors. Duke's success has helped Hempen in recruiting, and the incoming classes have gotten better and better.

To win like they did in their freshman year, those five players may have to look back and see how they were inspired by the senior players then.

Because Duke should definitely be better than 8-4. And it should have more than a good chance against Notre Dame.