The Blue Devils knew they would have to rely a bit more on their stifling defense this season with a largely inexperienced attacking group taking over for last year's departed veteran core.
The defense sure is doing its part. Since dropping an 11-5 West coast affair to then-No.19 Southern California, Duke has not surrendered more than 10 goals in a game, including contests against No. 17 Pennsylvania, No. 5 Louisville and No. 18 Virginia. As a result, the Blue Devils are riding high as winners of four straight games, the last one coming via an 11-8 victory against the Cavaliers last weekend.
But No. 13 Duke’s vaunted defense may face its greatest test yet Sunday afternoon on the road against No. 4 Syracuse at the Carrier Dome in Syracuse, N.Y. The Orange enter the contest averaging 13.3 goals per game and exploded for 17 against Connecticut in their most recent contest, tying a season-high.
"Syracuse’s offense is just awesome," Duke head coach Kerstin Kimel said. "They’re clearly one of the most prolific and dangerous offenses in Division I right now. The good thing is that we return a lot of our defense and they return a lot of their offense and I thought in both contests last year we did well against them. Hopefully we have an idea of what they’re looking for and looking to create"
Goalkeeper Kelsey Duryea has led the charge for Duke (8-4, 3-0 in the ACC) and heads to upstate New York fresh off a 12-save outing against Virginia that resulted in co-ACC Defensive Player of the Week honors. The senior has been a staple for the Blue Devil defense since her freshman year, but this may be Duryea’s best season yet. The Beverly, Mass., native is currently leading the nation in save percentage at 56.2 percent, and has bailed out the rest of her team on numerous occasions.
Even the box score cannot properly measure Duryea’s value to this season’s squad. Against the Cavaliers, Duryea single-handedly changed the momentum of the game right after Virginia scored two second-half goals to claw back within striking distance. After a strong first half, Duke struggled out of halftime, but Duryea stopped the next Virginia shot and the Blue Devils quickly rediscovered their shooting touch—all set up by the goalkeeper's key save on the defensive end of the field.
"Given how she’s performed against some of the top opponents in the country where she’s been better than 50 percent, that’s a great save percentage," Kimel said. "To be above 50 percent against the opponents we’ve played is great. To be where she is, is another level."
Duryea has had plenty of help in front of her. Duke's streak of holding opponents to single-digits started with the return of veteran defenders Claire Scarrone and Izzy Montagne, both of whom missed the first five games of the season due to injury. Scarrone—a member of the preseason Tewaaraton Award Watch List—leads all field players in groundballs since returning to play. Along with an unsung hero in Maura Schwitter, the two Blue Devils captains makes up one of the nation’s best defenses, clearing the path in front of Duryea and forcing attackers into low-percentage shots.
But Scarrone, Montagne and Schwitter will have their hands full against Syracuse (9-3, 2-1). The Orange boast four players who have registered 30 or more points, and each member of that quartet—Kayla Treanor, Halle Majorana, Riley Donahue and Nicole Levy—has at least 20 goals this season.
Against a pick-your-poison offense, the entire Blue Devil defense will need to continue their strong play to make another statement in front of one of the nation’s best goalkeepers.
Duke's schedule is backloaded—the Blue Devils will round out ACC play with four straight games against higher-ranked opponents. After emerging unscathed against Louisville and Virginia, the Blue Devils will need to rely on their suffocating defense to pick up another key conference victory and maintain their undefeated conference record. In a game pitting strength against strength—Syracuse’s offense matched up with Duke’s defense—the Blue Devils are confident in their veteran back line.
“When it comes to any ACC game, there’s a lot of threats," Montagne said. "It will be our challenge to really work together as a team all over the field. Offensively, we need to be on the same page. Defensively, we need to be working together as a group and in doing so we have a good game plan moving forward and we’re ready to execute."
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