WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. —After the women’s soccer team voted Casey McCluskey captain last season, big things were expected out of her. More than halfway through the season, however, most would not have predicted she would be tied for the ACC lead with 11 goals scored.
McCluskey poured in four more scores this weekend as 18th-ranked Duke (8-2, 1-0 in the ACC) won contests against Davidson (5-4) and No. 19 Wake Forest (6-3-1, 0-2). McCluskey is now tied for second on Duke’s all-time goals list.
In its ACC opener Sunday, Duke was aggressive and two first-half goals were enough for a 2-0 victory. The scoring began with a McCluskey goal 13 minutes into the first half. Darby Kroyer found McCluskey around midfield, and she dribbled the ball through a thin Wake Forest defense before firing a shot into the top left-hand corner of the net.
“Their defense just kind of stepped back,” McCluskey said. “They maybe thought I was going to dribble it, and instead, I just took an early shot and caught the goalie off guard.”
During the first half the Blue Devils exerted pressure as they have throughout their current six-game win streak.
“We’re getting into the attack really fast,” McCluskey said. “We have a real scoring mentality right now that we have not always had in the past.”
Already up one goal, McCluskey led the attack again when she found teammate Rebecca Moros streaking down the opposite side of the field. McCluskey sent a pass that hit Moros in stride. With no one to beat except the goalie, the sophomore connected on a low shot that hit off the left post and ricocheted into the back of the net.
“I thought in the first half we had two really good looks and we scored on both of them,” head coach Robbie Church said.
Although Duke kept the Demon Deacons off the scoreboard in the second half, the team did not exhibit the same type of dominating play it had in the first half.
On one of its best scoring chances, Wake Forest’s Melanie Schneider had the ball along the end line just outside the goalie’s box. Blue Devil freshman keeper Allison Lipsher tried to make a play on the ball, but Schneider found teammate Sarah Kozey, who kicked the ball well over the top of the net.
Just 10 minutes later, Schneider hit a bending shot to the top right corner of the net, but Lipsher jumped to deflect it away for her only save on the night.
With a lead late in the game, Duke seemed to be falling into the same trap that it did against Tennessee in the first game of the season, when the Blue Devils blew a three-goal lead late in the game. Duke’s offensive aggressiveness, however, reemerged in the latter portions of the half to seal the victory.
“I think we learned from the [Tennessee] situation,” Church said. “There are going to be times when a game swings one way and then swings back another way. I really thought we did a great job. It’s a big win for us.”
The Blue Devils’ defense was incredible again as it recorded its eighth shutout of the season. Duke has yet to allow a goal in a victory this year.
“Our defense is just really solid,” McCluskey said. “They just don’t make any mistakes, which is exactly what the defense is supposed to do.”
Friday night Duke cruised to a 8-0 win over in-state rival Davidson. Although the Blue Devils scored just one goal in the first half, they responded well after the break, when McCluskey recorded her first career hat trick. It was the fourth consecutive game in which she had recorded at least two goals.
“We attacked well and scored goals on our opportunities, and I think we broke their spirits,” Church said.
Duke has the week off before facing Florida State Friday night at home. At the start of the ACC season, Church is excited with what he has seen from his players.
“When you have those opportunities you have to score on them because we will have no more 25, 30 [shot games] on people because we’re out of that type of competition,” Church said. “We’re back in the ACC.”
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