When the final whistle blew on Duke’s 2023 season, it could be defined by one word: disappointing.
The talented team struggled to convert in front of the net, on the doorstep of wins but seemingly never the victors. Thursday night’s 2024 season opener at Ohio State gave the Blue Devils the perfect opportunity to kick off a redemption tour. However, after 90 minutes of play, they failed to turn the page on last year’s shortcomings.
No. 24 Duke fell to the unranked Buckeyes in a narrow 1-0 defeat under the lights at Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium, despite outshooting its opponents 21-9. Ohio State’s Kailyn Dudukovich scored the lone goal for her squad off a second-half defensive error from the Blue Devils. The loss puts a damper on Duke’s attempt to start the season off on the right foot, even though the team looked promising toward the end of the contest.
“It’s disappointing because I think we controlled the whole game… with the stats on our side,” head coach Robbie Church said. “We had good opportunities. We [just] didn’t strike them well.”
The deciding goal came 54 minutes into the match. Both teams looked solid, but neither squad was able to cash in on any opportunities. Baleigh Bruster had the ball in the defensive half and turned to pass back to Duke goalie Leah Freeman, a routine maneuver for any center back.
Then, disaster struck.
Bruster’s pass failed to hit its mark and instead found the feet of Dudukovich, who was lurking just outside of the 18-yard box. Freeman reacted quickly and came out to stop the charging striker, but the senior easily evaded the keeper and put the ball in the back of the net. Just like that, it was 1-0 Buckeyes.
“I thought the defenders played well and stepped forward [and] won balls, but there were mistakes made,” Church said. “Unfortunately, it cost us.”
It was not the first time Ohio State looked threatening in front of the Blue Devils’ net over the course of the match. Less than 15 minutes in, the Buckeyes nearly converted on a golden opportunity. Freshman Jadin Bonham went streaking up the right sideline, getting ahead of defender Nicky Chico before firing a shot off the right goalpost. Center back Cameron Roller failed to clear the ball out of the box, leaving a bobbling ball for Dudukovich to pounce on. She fired it toward Duke’s goal, but Freeman made easy work of it.
Despite the one-goal deficit early into the second half, the Blue Devils responded with gusto. The team started playing more direct and aggressive, putting Ohio State on its toes with shots and crosses galore. Duke’s offense began to look dangerous with a quicker pace of play as the equalizer seemed within reach.
“I thought we had some really good build up and really good possessions,” Church said. “I think we found our wide players, [and] I thought all our wide players played pretty well.”
The shift in the Blue Devils’ tempo was spearheaded by sophomore Mia Oliaro, a transfer from North Carolina. She was everywhere on the right side of the pitch for Duke, attacking the Buckeyes’ back line with speed. The Chapel Hill native nearly earned her first goal of the season in the 62nd minute, curling a ball in from the edge of the box that ricocheted off the left post.
Oliaro wasn’t the only Blue Devil vying to find the tying tally. Junior midfielder Carina Lageyre had several quality chances. Her best look came with under 30 minutes left to play, after junior Kat Rader lost the ball in front of the net on a solid defensive play from Ohio State. The ball wasn’t cleared cleanly and bobbled its way to Lageyre’s feet at the top of the 18-yard box. The Cooper City, Fla., native shot a low rocket at goalie Molly Pritchard, but the junior easily made the save.
Rader got an opportunity of her own minutes later. Oliaro’s cross in from the right side of the field found the feet of the junior in front of goal. The 2022 ACC Freshman of the Year spun and shot, but Pritchard once again stymied Duke’s comeback attempt. As was the story all game, the Blue Devils just couldn’t find the back of the net.
“We have to get in. We couldn’t come up with…the last pass,” Church said. “[But] we will bounce back…this game will not define us.”
Duke will look to rebound on the road again as it takes on Nebraska Aug. 22 for the program’s first win of the season.
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Mackenzie Sheehy is a Trinity junior and associate editor for The Chronicle's 120th volume.