For the men's soccer team, it is hard to celebrate an underdog ACC Championship when there is still so much to be done.
Fresh off its first ACC title in six years, Duke now has a bigger battle ahead of it-the NCAA Tournament. The bracket for the 48-team field was announced Monday, with Duke (12-4-3) receiving the sixth overall seed. The high seed gives the team a first-round bye and a home game to kick off its run for a national title.
The winner of Creighton (12-4-3) and Lafayette (13-4-2) will travel to Koskinen Stadium Nov. 22 to face the rolling Blue Devils.
After playing three difficult games in just five days to win the ACC, Duke considers itself fortunate for the time off before it begins the NCAAs.
"I was very happy we get a bye because we need the rest," head coach John Rennie said. "I am also glad we get to play at home."
Coming off three upset victories over top-ten teams en route to its ACC Championship, Duke has drastically improved its standing as one of the country's best teams. It has increased the Blue Devils' morale for the tournament ahead.
"Beating the consensus No.1 [Maryland] and UNC, it gives us an element of confidence," goalkeeper Justin Papadakis said. "But still, we know we have three hard games ahead of us [to reach the College Cup]."
Despite surviving the arduous trek on its way to the ACC Championship, Duke will not have it any easier in its quest for its second NCAA crown. If the Blue Devils, who were bounced from the College Cup in the semifinals last year, advance past the second round, they are projected to meet a formidable 11th-seeded Penn State team (12-6-2).
The Nittany Lions recently upset the two-time defending national champion Indiana to take the Big Ten title. A win over Penn State would send the Blue Devils further into the heart of the Midwest with a projected matchup against third-seeded Indiana (13-2-6).
Duke hopes to ride its momentum from the ACC Championship but knows it will have to continue at a high level of intensity the whole way through the tournament to reach the College Cup.
"We're extremely proud [of the ACC Championship]," said midfielder Blake Camp, the tournament's Most Valuable Player. "But that same amount of effort is going to be needed to win any game from here on out. Everyone is going to be fueled with a new passion and a new desire. This is really like a clean slate for everybody."
Duke was joined in the field by seven of the other eight ACC teams. Having played these teams already, the Blue Devils have a firm grasp on the level of competition that lies ahead of them.
"I think that speaks to the strength of the ACC," Papadakis said. "We feel confident that during the season we had a tough schedule and we feel good about that.... The level of play has stayed high consistently all year, so we're not going to be surprised by any team."
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