The first time it was a surprise. The second time it was anticipated. By their third consecutive appearance in the NCAA championship game last fall, the No. 3 Blue Devils had firmly established the dominance of head coach Beth Bozman's program.
Despite ultimately losing the title game to Maryland last year-the team's third straight loss in the national championship game-the Blue Devils have come back this year with even stronger determination.
"Last year's loss in the championship game had the biggest impact of any loss that this team has experienced," Bozman said. "I think it changed the program forever in a really positive way. It cut very deep, and they took from it a new hunger."
A combination of a veteran midfield and one of the strongest recruiting classes in the nation will provide the means for overcoming the loss of Duke's top two scorers from last season, Nicole Dudek and Katie Grant, who graduated in the spring.
The Blue Devils return 11 letter winners, including six regular starters. Bozman said she expects to have three freshmen starters for the season, but Duke's backbone will be its midfield-led by the senior trio of Hilary Linton, Cara-Lynn Lopresti and Amy Stopford.
Bozman emphasized the crucial role that the midfield will play this season in mobilizing the attack.
"We need to score," she said. "We're losing two key scorers, and we need to find a way to get the ball in the cage. Across the board we're strong, and one of the things we've always done is score a lot of goals."
A lot might be an understatement. In the 2003 and 2004 seasons, the women set new school scoring records, with 106 and 112 goals scored, respectively. But the four-game absence of Grant, Stopford, Lopresti, and Linton, who were representing Canada and the United States at the Junior World Cup, contributed to a drop down to 85 goals last season. Duke hopes to get back to its record-breaking numbers this season with the assistance of its veteran midfield.
An increase in goals may be necessary as the defense also adjusts to the loss of key contributors. The Blue Devils graduated Kirsten Bostrom, who anchored a defense that recorded seven shutouts last year, and goalkeeper Christy Morgan, who played in 14 games while splitting time with current goalie Caitlin Williams.
Although the expectations are high, the Blue Devils will be challenged to maintain their focus each game in their characteristically difficult schedule. Duke will face 12 teams that finished the year ranked in the top 20 of the STX/NFHCA National Coaches Poll, as well as seven teams that reached last year's NCAA Tournament.
"You have to play and beat the best to be the best," Bozman said. "That will always be our philosophy."
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