After two tough away matches against UNC-Greensboro and Furman, the Duke men’s soccer team will be playing at Koskinen Stadium for the first time this season this weekend. The Blue Devils (1-1) host No. 9 UC-Santa Barbara (1-0) and No. 17 SMU (0-1) in this weekend’s Duke/Nike Classic.
Reflecting on the season’s first matches, head coach John Kerr expressed optimism in his young team. “Going to Indiana,” he said, in reference to the team’s exhibition matchup against the 17th-ranked Hoosiers, “playing in that environment and then having two tough away games to start the season, it’s a good test of character and also propels us to improve more quickly than we would normally.”
While that may be true, the Blue Devils still have to address a number of lingering concerns if they hope to come away with victories this weekend. Most notably, the team will have to maintain better ball control and avoid the slow starts that have characterized their previous matches; UNC-Greensboro managed three quick goals in the first half, while Furman created many dangerous chances and had five shots on goal to Duke’s one after 45 minutes of play.
“Obviously, our first game of the year shows a little lack of maturity,” junior co-captain Andrew Wenger said, “coming out and not playing very well in the first half.”
Also disconcerting is the one-game suspension of sophomore defender Sebastien Ibeagha. He was red carded in the Monday night’s match, and will serve the mandatory suspension Friday night. Since Wenger, the reigning ACC Defensive Player of the Year, moved from the back line to striker last spring, Ibeagha has been a vital part of Duke’s still-developing defense, and also scored the lone goal in his team’s win earlier this week. Despite an influx of freshmen talent, Ibeagha’s absence will be felt against the Gauchos.
UC-Santa Barbara opens the season ranked ninth in the nation, coming off a 14-win season and returning all three top scorers from last year—sophomore David Opoku, junior Sam Garza, and senior Luis Silva. Opoku scored twice in the Gauchos’ season opener, a 3-1 win over Seattle University. Last season, UC-Santa Barbara upset a 19th-ranked Duke squad 2-0 in Santa Barbara.
Ranked just eight spots lower, SMU will also prove to be a tough matchup for the Blue Devils. The Mustangs put together an outstanding 2010 season, with a 16-2-2 record and an appearance in the NCAA Elite Eight. They were upset in their season opener this year, however, by William & Mary. SMU understands what Duke is going through in trying to incorporate a talented freshmen class: Mustang rookies Devin Cook, Edu Aranda, and Chance Bergen are getting significant playing time early in their careers.
Despite these difficult matches, Kerr seemed confident, and is encouraged to be playing these two tough matches on his home field.
“The home record for Duke is exceptional,” he said, “and playing in front of our home crowd will motivate us to start the first half in fifth gear. And if we have to go into the sixth gear, we will.”
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