Duke grateful for Monday night game after Saturday setback
Duke had just two days to contemplate its second two-game losing skid of the season, but that was just fine for the Blue Devils, who rebounded from Saturday’s 12-9 loss to No. 4 Denver with a 18-6 pasting of Presbyterian on Monday night.
Coach John Danowski said the lack of down time prevented the players from wallowing in despair or pity.
“We loved the quick turnaround,” he said. “It was great. It was just what we needed. Thirty-eight guys got into the game, and 15 different players scored goals. We played the right way and unselfishly. It was good to get out again and get back on the field.”
No. 5 Duke (9-4) has played its last two contests with junior midfielder Justin Turri, who has been sidelined by a sprained ankle. Danowski said he is holding out hope that Turri, who has started 10 of the 11 games he’s played, can return for Saturday’s home game against No. 8 Virginia, but it doesn’t look good.
“It’s the old ‘one day at a time’ approach,” Danowski said. “But I think in the long run, we would say no. Why play this week when he can be 100 percent the week after?”
Turri, who ranks fourth on the team in points (18), has been replaced by sophomore David Lawson, who has recorded two goals and one assist in Turri’s absence. Danowski said he has no worries about a first midfield composed of junior Robert Rotanz, sophomore Jake Tripucka and Lawson.
“We don’t think it impacts us at all,” Danowski said of Turri’s absence. “We had 42 shots against Denver the other day, and we scored nine goals and their goalie made 16 saves. We were 1-for-3 on man-up [chances]. So in terms of production, maybe some guys bore down and accepted their roles. We certainly never want to lose a player of Justin’s experience and ability, but the next guy’s got to step up and we thought the guys did that the other day.”
The Blue Devils would get the top seed in the Atlantic Coast Conference with a victory over the Cavaliers (8-3), who have lost junior defenseman Matt Lovejoy to shoulder surgery. Danowski said Duke will have to prepare for a re-tooled Virginia, which displayed a zone defense in Saturday’s 11-10 overtime win against No. 6 North Carolina.
“So that’s the big question: will they play zone against us?” Danowski asked rhetorically. “So we’ve got to prepare for both. We’ve got to prepare for zone, we’ve got to prepare for man, and I think that’s a challenge for us. While a lot of teams have played a little bit of zone this year and we have played a zone offense against teams like Dartmouth and Georgetown, if we were to see a steady diet [from Virginia], that would certainly be a different look than we’re used to.”
