It's payback time for the Blue Devils.
Taking on first-seeded Maryland in the ACC Championship semifinal game, the men's soccer team hopes to avenge its Oct. 7 loss to the Terrapins tonight at the SAS Complex in Cary, N.C.
"Maryland's a very good team," goalkeeper Justin Papadakis said. "They have a lot of talent. And since we played them a couple weeks ago, we're expecting a battle, to be honest."
The 3-1 loss to Maryland was a turning point in the team's season, Papadakis said. Since then, the Blue Devils have turned their focus to team defense, emphasizing the importance for all players to concentrate on regaining possession.
"Everyone from our forwards back to our defenders- everyone has to be pitching in," said Papadakis, a sophomore who has started each of the Blue Devils' 17 games this season. "At their end and our end, everyone has to contribute to the defensive effort."
Although Duke has done well defensively in the first half of games-the team has allowed only two goals before the break-its opponents have outscored them in the second period, 16-18.
Last year's team, which began the season with seven shutouts, boasted a .91 goals against average. This season, however, Duke ranks seventh in the conference allowing 1.09 goals per game.
"A win against Maryland will give us the confidence and help us in the tournament," Papadakis said. "It might put us high in the rankings.... It'll be a milestone for the program."
First-seeded Maryland (14-3-1) holds the lead in the overall series with Duke (10-4-2), but in the the ACC Championships the Blue Devils hold a 2-1 record, last beating the Terrapins in 2000. That game marked the most recent time Duke advanced to the second round of the championships.
The Blue Devils' scoring offense, ranked 12th nationally, is led by junior Chris Loftus, senior Blake Camp and sophomore Spencer Wadsworth. Together, the trio has scored more than half of the team's goals.
Maryland, however, has the conference's best offense, scoring nearly three goals per contest. The team's offense is led by senior Jason Garey and sophomore Stephen King. On the other end of the field, the Terps' defense has allowed only 13 goals this season, shutting out nine opponents.
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