Ryan Finley delivered when Duke needed him most Tuesday. The Blue Devils hope that he can put on a repeat performance tonight when they face off against Clemson at 7 p.m. in Clemson, S.C.
Finley scored twice in Duke’s victory over High Point Tuesday night, including the overtime winner off a cross from freshman Jonathan Aguirre. Head coach John Kerr stressed, though, that while the junior finished both goals well, he and the rest of the offense must continue to be active around the net.
“I’m still asking for him and Cole [Grossman] and Chris [Tweed-Kent] to be more active in the final third,” Kerr said. “We’re trying to create even more openings and be even more dangerous because as the games go deeper into the end of the season and the ACC Tournament, we’re going to have to be a little bit more dynamic with our movement.”
Tonight’s game provides No. 24 Duke (6-3-4, 1-2-2 in the ACC) with a great opportunity to move up in the ACC. Kerr’s squad currently sits sixth in the conference and needs a victory to get back into the top half of the league. Clemson (3-7-3, 0-3-2), meanwhile, is still searching for its first ACC victory, and Kerr knows the Tigers will be desperate for a win.
“They’re fighting for their lives,” Kerr said. “If they do beat us, they’re going to leapfrog us in the standings on a head-to-head basis, so it’s a very important game for them, and it’s a very important game [for us] as well.”
If the Blue Devils want to prevent Clemson from walking away with a victory and overtaking them in the standings, they are going to have to find a way to score in road games. Duke has been shut out in its past three away games and is scoreless on the road in ACC play.
To fix the Blue Devils’ inconsistent offense, Kerr tinkered with using Wenger as a forward earlier this season. Injuries to the backline, though, have kept Wenger on defense, and he will stay there against the Tigers.
“With Sebastien [Ibeagha] and Andrew back there, we’re solid,” Kerr said. “Our first objective is to make sure that we don’t give away any silly goals and unnecessary goals. I don’t want to change something that’s working well.”
The Blue Devils have played a hectic schedule in recent weeks, with four of their past six games away from Koskinen Stadium, including a long trip to Santa Barbara, Calif. And while the results have not always been exactly what Duke has been looking for, Kerr expressed satisfaction with his team’s performances through the travels.
“I’m very proud of how we’ve done so far, and I think Friday is a big test, [but it is] a big opportunity for us as well.”
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