Women's Soccer
From staff reports
The women's soccer team kicks off its biggest weekend yet tonight when it hosts the Richmond Spiders, two days before squaring off with the No. 3 UCLA Bruins, one of the nation's most consistent programs.
Indeed, the Bruins (4-0-2) are at a level of competitiveness to which the Blue Devils aspire.
"This year I think everyone on the team knows we can not only win but dominate [UCLA]," said Carolyn Riggs, who leads Duke with nine points. "This is a great opportunity to prove that we didn't just get lucky against [then-No. 4] Texas; that we really are one of the best teams in the nation."
The Blue Devils have been surprisingly dominant this season, despite being overloaded with youth--16 freshman and sophomores highlight the lineup. Still, Duke managed to drop its first game last Sunday against an unranked Washington State team, a letdown Duke does not intend to allow to occur Friday against Richmond--and particularly not against the Bruins, according to Carolyn Ford.
"As long as we play our game, we will be successsful."
Men's Soccer
by Sarah Kwaks
After a somewhat disheartening 1-1 tie against Campbell on Wednesday, the men's soccer team is looking to prove that it can not only dominate, but win. And they're ready to finish the job against none other than ACC-rival Maryland Sunday afternoon.
Maryland, ranked at the top of the NSCAA polls, boasts an impressive 6-1 record, including a win over the former top-team UCLA. However, Duke remains optimistic and unintimidated by the Terrapins.
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"In the ACC, it's always competitive on any given day," senior forward Danny Wymer said. "Any team can beat anybody. Maryland beat NC State by only one and NC State is last in the ACC. Any team can pull off an upset."
Since their first ACC game against Clemson, the Blue Devils have worked on putting pressure on their opponents at all times and minimizing their scoring opportunities. They've been working on getting the ball and moving it forward quicker.
"We've been able to play a good 20 or 30 minutes in bits and pieces, but we're really concentrating on playing well for the whole 90 minutes," co-captain Matt Ahumada said. "We've also been working on team shape and transition during the game. It's a win-win situation playing Maryland at home. Hopefully we'll come out with the right attitude and pull out a win."
Senior forward Jordan Cila expressed similar expectations. The team is looking to regain its early season momentum and even up their ACC record to 1-1. With games against UNC and Harvard coming up, the Blue Devils are hoping for a positive outcome Sunday to carry them through the next few weeks.
"[Sunday's game] will be a really good opportunity to show everyone that we are a much better team than our record shows," Wymer said.