With both Georgia Schweitzer and Krista Gingrich out of the lineup for Duke against the Russian National Team, the Blue Devils' formerly deep arsenal of guards looked a lot less deep and a lot more young and inexperienced.
But youth and inexperience turned into heavy offensive production and poise, as freshmen guards Sheana Mosch and Michele Matyasovsky proudly introduced themselves to the Cameron Indoor Stadium crowd.
Despite the 77-65 loss in Duke's first preseason game, the two freshmen, starting in place of Schweitzer, out with a hip flexor injury, and Gingrich, nursing a nagging ankle sprain, provided impressive performances that bode well for the rest of the season. Mosch led the Blue Devils with 22 points, 34 minutes and four steals. Not far behind was Matyasovsky, who tallied 14 points in 33 minutes.
"I think they did very well," coach Gail Goestenkors said. "I was very proud of them. They were playing without the leadership of Georgia Schweitzer and Krista Gingrich, and I think they handled the pressure. They made some mistakes, but they played hard with a lot of confidence."
Mosch, a 5-foot-10 point guard from tiny Clearfield, Pa., controlled Duke's offense for much of the game and showed that she can penetrate and create her own shot. With the game on the line in the final minutes, the ball found itself in Mosch's young hands.
With 51 seconds left in the game, the ACC's preseason rookie of the year hit a running jumper to bring the Blue Devils within six points at 73-67. Then, with 25 seconds left and the game slipping away, it was again Mosch who penetrated, got fouled and made two key free throws.
Being the go-to player at the end of the game is a role Mosch is comfortable with, even if she did not anticipate earning it so soon into her college career.
"I wanted to come in and contribute right away," Mosch said. "I didn't set a number of points that I wanted to contribute. As long as I try my hardest, whatever I give each day, if it's my best, then that is my goal.
"In high school, I was always the person with the ball in my hands. When it comes down to that time in the game, I want the ball in my hands, I feel most comfortable with it and I want to take those shots."
Matyasovsky, who along with Mosch and Olga Gvozdenovic ranked among the nation's top 25 high school seniors, admits to being nervous about starting, even if the nerves did not show up on the floor. At 6-1, Matyasovsky is tall for a guard, much like teammate Schweitzer, and she also possesses Schweitzer's effective outside shot.
"[Starting] was good for me to just get it out of the way," Matyasovsky said. "We got the nerves out. Our teammates gave us a lot of support, because we were both very nervous."
With about six minutes left in the game, the Blue Devils trailed by a single point, 61-60. Bringing the ball up the court, Mosch passed to Matyasovsky, who drained a three from the baseline.
If Saturday night's performances are any indication, it's a connection that Duke fans are likely going to get used to.
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