Duke’s final conference game of the season could be one of its easiest.
The Blue Devils will host a Virginia Tech team that is winless on the road and is currently in last place in the ACC Friday at 7 p.m. at Koskinen Stadium. The Hokies (4-10-2, 1-4-1 in the ACC) have played very close games, however, including seven that went into extra time, four of which were double overtime.
“[Virginia Tech has] performed well in the ACC,” Duke head coach John Kerr said. “They’ve beaten North Carolina, just this last weekend tied Virginia at home, and all their other games have been one goal losses in overtime at BC, at Wake, and at NC State.”
The Blue Devils (8-6-1, 3-3-1) boast the nation’s fifth highest scoring offense and will look to attack early and often.
“The goal [is] to get pressure on them and adjust the ball well and move the ball around,” Kerr said.
The team will have to beat Hokies goalkeeper Kyle Renfro, who leads the ACC with 86 saves and a .811 save percentage. He recorded five saves in Virginia Tech’s 2-1 loss to Radford last Tuesday.
Duke’s defense will play without Sebastien Ibeagha, who will have to sit out after receiving his fifth yellow card of the season.
“We’re certainly going to miss him,” Kerr said. “He’s a great player for us and a big time leader, but we have other guys that will step up and it will be a great challenge for our guys.”
For the Blue Devils, a win would give the team a chance at a high seed in the ACC tournament.
“It’s a big game for us,” Kerr said. “If we win, we put ourselves in a good spot to potentially host in the first round of the ACC…. We’re really trying to achieve the maximum three points tomorrow night because I think that will give us a chance to get one of the top four seeds.”
Get The Chronicle straight to your inbox
Signup for our weekly newsletter. Cancel at any time.