The Blue Devils will find out if seven truly is a luck number Friday.
With almost one week to prepare its second ACC home game, No. 5 Duke will play host to Virginia Tech Friday at 5 p.m. at Koskinen Stadium. The game will be an opportunity for the squad to continue and asset its dominance, as it is off to its best start since the team won nine straight games to open the 2005-06 season.
“Our game on Friday is our next most important game,” head coach Kerstin Kimel said Saturday. “For us, it’s not only about Virginia Tech but also about how we can get better.”
The Blue Devils (6-0, 1-0 in the ACC) crushed No. 16 Notre Dame 17-3 Sunday at the West Campus turf fields in their conference opener. The solid victory against the Fighting Irish might have signaled a successful open to what could be a special year for Duke, but the Blue Devils are still focused on what is directly ahead of them.
“We want to win and we want to win as much as we can,” senior midfielder Katie Trees said after Duke’s victory. “One practice at a time, one game at a time, trying not to look too far away, we just want to keep going and play awesome lacrosse.”
The San Diego, Calif., native stole the spotlight against the Fighting Irish as the veteran delivered a career-high five goals.
Trees struggled with injuries for almost two years and even had a surgery in the summer of 2014. But as she returned to action this season, the midfielder is leading the team in scoring with 15 goals in six contests.
After the game against Notre Dame, Kimel lauded Trees’ standout performance, tough personality and leadership.
“Katie Trees is something else,” Kimel said. “She’s on a different planet in so many ways and I mean it as a compliment. We always joke that we’ll never coach anybody like her. We just love our crazy California kid.”
The senior midfielder is just one of the eight veterans leading the team this year.
Attack Kerrin Maurer and midfielder Taylor Trimble have combined for 24 goals and 17 assists this season. The duo was included in the 2015 Tewaaraton Award watch list, an award honoring the top men and female players of the year. Another attacker, Brigid Smith, scored four goals Saturday, and midfielder Chelsea Landon has totaled seven in six games.
“In the ACC, you need strong seniors to be a top team and we have them this year,” Kimel said. “They make good decisions with the ball, and provide leadership and experience to the team.”
The Blue Devils not only have a strong offense but also dominate the defensive side of the game.
Duke held Notre Dame scoreless for 16 minutes in the opening half and only allowed three goals against a squad that entered averaging 14.3 goals per game. Junior goalkeeper Kelsey Duryea registered eight saves against the Fighting Irish and totals 41 this season. Her standout performance kept the momentum for the team and gave security to the defense, Trees said Saturday.
Averaging 11.86 goals per contest, Virginia Tech (4-3, 0-0) seems to be a less complicated rival than Notre Dame. The Hokies, however, took down Gardner-Webb 20-1 Sunday, coming only 3:22 away from notching a shutout. Sophomore defender Tarah Feehan tailed a hat trick against the Runnin’ Bulldogs, and senior attackers Megan Will and Meg Bartley have combined for 37 goals in seven games.
After hosting the Hokies, the Blue Devils will travel to Washington to play a nonconference game against Georgetown Wednesday, March 11.
Get The Chronicle straight to your inbox
Signup for our weekly newsletter. Cancel at any time.