Fall Sports Preview 2017

PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY MATTHEW CONLEY | THE CHRONICLE

the chronicle august 30, 2017

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2 | WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 30, 2017

The Chronicle

VOLLEYBALL

Co-captains move into important roles on defense Winston Lindqwister The Chronicle Although the Blue Devils fell just short of an NCAA tournament berth in 2016, Duke still had a standout back row to keep it in the conversation near the top of the ACC standings.

But that was last year, and that old core defensive line has left, leaving a void that head coach Jolene Nagel and her team must fill if they want to have a chance at the national spotlight.

The Blue Devil defense was nothing to take lightly last fall. Boasting 18.3 digs per set—the best mark in the ACC—as well as 2.4 blocks per set, Duke was a nightmare for teams looking to avoid long rallies. Libero Sasha Karelov was the core of this bulwark, averaging 5.4 digs per set and notching an astonishing 634 digs in her final season.

Supplementing the Raleigh, N.C., native in the back row were senior Chloe DiPasquale, with 278 digs to her name last year, and the freshmen duo of setter Cindy Marina and outside hitter Jamie Stivers—both of whom

boasted more than 2.5 digs per set.

All four of those players are gone.

Karelov and DiPasquale graduated, Stivers left the team and Marina transferred to Southern California. The only real defensive experience the Blue Devils can count on this season comes from senior co-captains Nicole Elattrache and Emma Paradiso, neither of whom were frequent starters in 2016.

“We lost two very vocal leaders—Sasha and Jordan [Tucker]—but Nicole and I complement each other in different ways and we are approachable to the team,” Paradiso said. “We’re trying to get everyone on the same page and create a culture that can be passed on.”

Elattrache returns as the only defensive specialist averaging more than 2.5 digs per set, but only started five matches last season.

However, the Los Angeles native’s 104 sets played last year make her the third-most experienced returning player just behind juniors Leah Meyer and Jessi Bartholomew.

Paradiso is the bigger question mark in Duke’s back row. In 2015, Paradiso started in four matches and delivered 107 assists—4.7

per frame. However, the setter spent most of 2016 on the bench, only playing in eight sets all season. Now, as one of the most tenured players on the team, Paradiso must rise to the challenge on and off the court. “[The seniors] lead in their own way and they walk the walk,” Nagel said. “They have everyone’s best interests in mind and they have our team’s best interests in mind. They can help make sure that that’s the focus of our team—that it’s about our team—and that’s how we need to work every day.”

Although both of the Blue Devils’ seniors will make up the core of the defense, the duo will need to rely on far more than each other if Duke can hope to match last year’s defensive efficiency. Luckily for the Blue Devils, their weekend sweep in Colorado showed some promise.

Senior outside hitter Cadie Bates—who is already emerging as an efficient point-scorer for Duke—posted an impressive 32 digs over Sanjeev Dasgupta | Chronicle File Photo the course of three games, even surpassing Elattrache in digs in a five-set thriller Saturday Senior setter Emma Paradiso will play a big part See VOLLEYBALL on Page 7

Beat’sTake

The Scoop: After failing for the second straight year to reach the NCAA tournament last fall, the Blue Devils hope to make it back to the big stage this season and move up the ACC standings.

To do that, head coach Jolene Nagel’s team needs to replace the key players it lost in the offseason in graduates Jordan Tucker and Sasha Karelov and transfer Cindy Marina.

Key Players: Middle blocker Leah Meyer: Meyer was named first team AllACC last season and is the Blue Devils’ only preseason All-ACC selection this fall. The junior was second on the team in hitting percentage last year, posting double-digit kills 19 times.

Chronicle File Photo Nicole Elattrache is beginning her first season as a regular starter and co-captain and recorded 44 digs in the Blue Devils’ weekend sweep in Colorado.

Outside hitter Samantha Amos: As a freshman last season, Amos made an

in replacing the production of Cindy Marina, who transferred to Southern California.

immediate impact and finished third on the team in kills per set behind veterans Tucker and Meyer.

Libero/defensive specialist Nicole Elattrache: Now a senior co-captain, Elattrache will have to provide some consistency as she becomes a regular starter for the first time of her career.

Elattrache picked up double-digit digs in 14 matches last season and posted a .966 clip on service returns without errors.

Games to Watch: Oct. 6 at No. 16 North Carolina; Oct. 15 vs. No. 15 Florida State; Oct. 27 at Georgia Tech; Nov. 12 at Pittsburgh Prediction: Fifth in ACC, NCAA tournament first round -Emily Davis

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ACC Football Preview Friday, September 1

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WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 30, 2017 | 3

FIELD HOCKEY

Seniors motivated for last chance at postseason success Riley Pfaff The Chronicle When the final whistle blew last November at Jack Katz Stadium, the home team stood in shock. The topranked Blue Devils had been upset

by Delaware in overtime in the NCAA quarterfinals, a stunning end to a game in which Duke outshot the Blue Hens 23-13 and led 2-0 with fewer than 10 minutes to play in regulation.

Even more troubling, it marked the end of an era for seven departing seniors and graduate students who oversaw a revival of the program under head coach Pam Bustin.

Now, the team is in the hands of a new group of seniors led by the highpowered duo of Alyssa Chillano and Ashley Kristen, the program’s top two returners in points from last season.

And despite the heartbreak of a season ago, Duke returns in 2017 with even higher expectations as the preseason

Beat’sTake The Scoop: After a 2016 campaign that saw the Blue Devils notch their first regularseason ACC championship and spend multiple weeks atop the national rankings, an NCAA quarterfinal loss to eventual champion Delaware will act as motivation as preseason No. 2 Duke chases its first national title. The Blue Devils lost two of their top three leaders in points from last season, but still return a strong core.

Key Players: Center back Alyssa Chillano: In addition to being one of the team’s most tenacious defenders and a senior captain, Chillano packs an offensive punch—she led the Blue Devils in both goals and points last season.

Forward Ashley Kristen: Losing attackers Aisling Naughton and Heather Morris to graduation ensures that Kristen,

No. 2 team in the nation. “[The seniors] have always been very good leaders—they don’t need to be seniors to have that impact. However, because they are such strong leaders, and they’ve had leadership roles and input throughout their four years, it seems like a real natural place for them to be now,” Bustin said. “This is kind of the team that they’ve put together over the years, so it’s nice to see them so comfortable and have such ownership of the team.”

The loss to Delaware was the latest in a series of near-misses in the postseason

for the Blue Devils’ Class of 2018, which has otherwise enjoyed steady success in the regular season. When Kristen and Chillano were freshmen in 2014, Duke fell twice to top-ranked North Carolina in the postseason, first in the ACC tournament quarterfinals and then in the second round of the NCAA tournament.

As sophomores, the Blue Devils fell again in the ACC quarterfinals, this time to Virginia, before getting knocked out of the NCAA tournament by the Tar Heels for See F. HOCKEY on Page 6

who tallied 21 points last season, will play a larger role up front in the Blue Devil offense.

It will be important for Duke to maintain its offensive prowess and aim to replicate last season’s 3.4 goals per game average.

Goalkeeper Sammi Steele: Steele performed admirably last season, starting every game for the Blue Devils after sitting out for a year behind All-American Lauren Blazing. It will be crucial to the season’s success for the Eagleville, Pa., native to avoid a sophomore slump.

Games to Watch: Sept. 1 vs. No. 6 Maryland, Sept. 15 vs. No. 9 Louisville, Oct. 7 vs.

No. 5 Syracuse, Oct. 20 at No. 1 North Carolina Prediction: Second in ACC, NCAA tournament runner-up -Alex Sanfilippo

Carolyn Chang | Chronicle File Photo Alyssa Chillano led the team in both goals and points last season and also anchors the Blue Devil back line.

Labor Day Weekend Athletic Events Thursday, September 1 • Volleyball vs. UNC at 6:30 p.m. in Cameron Indoor Stadium

Friday, September 2 • Cross Country Alumni Meet at 5:30 p.m.

• Volleyball vs. TCU at 6:30 p.m. in Cameron Indoor Stadium • Women’s Soccer vs. UNC at 7:30 p.m. in Koskinen Stadium

Saturday, September 3 • Football vs. NCCU at 6 p.m. in Wallace Wade Stadium

Sunday, September 4 • Women’s Soccer vs. Minnesota at 2:30 p.m. in Koskinen Stadium

4 | WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 30, 2017

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WOMEN’S SOCCER

‘THE ATL GIRLS’

The Chronicle WOMEN’S SOCCER

Heinsohn, Proctor provide depth in goal Pranksters Stevens and Carlson carry childhood friendship into college for Blue Devils Jack Dolgin

Meredith Cash

The Chronicle

The Chronicle

Four years ago, a teenager tweeted, “I hate how people judge when they really don’t know anything.”

That person was Emma Carlson, who has grown to be a member of the Duke women’s soccer team and is now a sophomore. She and her best friend, teammate and classmate Ella Stevens, have made it particularly easy to get to know them by keeping a digital log of some of their exchanges over the years.

The two grew up in the outskirts of Atlanta and played club soccer for many years on the same team before facing off as rivals in high school. The Tweets and Vines tell a story of two people who are more than just soccer players.

Not just ‘weird,’ as they would say.

Really weird. Okay with the world to see them for who they are.

There was that time Ella pondered whether or not to one day have a child.

That time she did not like her lunch schedule. Or when Emma really wanted chicken. And one of their worst ideas, running into each other with two bouncy balls and then suffering the wrath of kinetic energy.

Ella also proudly shared one of her favorite pranks, when she ‘whaled’ the bathroom floor while Emma was showering.

“I got out so gingerly,” Emma said, knowing Ella had spread the floor with butter. “And I still just completely wiped out on the ground.

“And it was so bad because we were at the beach. And so there’s obviously a lot of sand on the ground, so I’m trying to get up and I’m rolling around in butter and sand on the ground. And so I get back into the shower to clean it off. And when I got out again, I fell again, it was so slippery.”

Emma and Ella are like a fantastic duo from a movie. First, it’s like the director chose two similar names, each four letters, beginning with ‘E’, ending with ‘A’, and having two of the same consonants in between. The similarity of their names has prompted them to refer to each other on social media as ‘Yella’ and ‘Yemma.’

Next, the personalities. Yes, they are gregarious, and have the kind of humor that results in their loving The Office. “[It’s] like a Dwight-and-Jim relationship,” Ella said.

Ella described Emma as the more quick-witted of the two and Ella as the laugher. It also seems like Ella is the prankster more of the time. Asked if she

Senior captain and two-year starting goalkeeper EJ Proctor owns the second- and third-best single-season goals-against averages in Duke’s program history. She boasts a 0.79 career save percentage and her 21 shutouts entering the 2017 season place her fourth on the Blue Devils’ all-time charts.

The 5-foot-8 veteran has allowed only five goals in her 10 NCAA tournament appearances and made two key saves in penalty kicks against top-seeded Stanford in the Elite Eight in 2015, helping Duke make a run to the finals for the second time in head coach Robbie Church’s 15-year tenure.

On any other team or in any other year, these accolades would be more than enough for the Wilson, N.C., native to secure the starting role between the pipes.

Enter Brooke Heinsohn.

“That battle is going to be ongoing all year,” Church said. “We’re not in a position to say we have a starter for the year. We may have a starter for the game or for the weekend, but I’m not quite sure we’re going to be in a position to say we have a starter for the year, because both are just such highquality goalkeepers.”

Standing at 6-foot-1, Heinsohn joins the Blue Devils for her first season after delaying her freshman year to compete at the U20 World Cup in Papua New Guinea with the U.S. U20 National Team. After the team finished fourth last December, the Norfolk, Mass., native had the unique opportunity to enroll at Duke and begin practicing with the Blue Devils in January.

With high-level international experience under her belt and significant time to get acclimated with the team, the redshirt freshman could be in the rare position to dethrone Proctor as Duke’s starting netminder.

Through the first five games of the season, Proctor and Heinsohn have split time in net.

They each played one half in the Blue Devils’ exhibition contest at Clemson, in which Heinsohn allowed the Tigers’ lone goal in the 34th minute. Proctor earned the starting nod and played all 93:17 against North Carolina August 18, giving up two goals and making two saves in Duke’s 2-1 overtime loss to its Tobacco Road rival.

Courtesy of @stevens_ella/Twitter Stevens and Carlson often share awkward photos of each other on social media.

Sanjeev Dasgupta and Carolyn Chang | The Chronicle Sophomores Ella Stevens and Emma Carlson grew up playing together in Georgia and are now best friends and teammates at Duke.

ever got revenge on Ella for the whaling episode, Emma responded, “I’ve never really done an actual prank like that, it’s more of an Ella thing.”

Do they just act weirdly in private?

No, they say. They said if this story published old, cringeworthy social media posts that their teammates saw, there would be few surprises in store.

“Once one of us starts quoting the movie [Madea], we’ll just like go back and forth,” Carlson said, referring to this kind of communication as their own language of sorts. “And then it just spirals out of control to the point where it’s really not funny anymore. But we’re just laughing so hard, and we don’t even really know what we’re saying anymore. And so no one thinks it’s funny except us.”

In front of head coach Robbie Church, they say they have not revealed as much embarrassing content, but they think he knows they’re kind of weird. Granted, this is talking about a man who buys a Diet Coke before every game as a superstition.

Emma explained, using a deep voice to impersonate Church, how he refers to them as “the ATL girls.” And Carlson, with a knack for comedic timing evident even over the phone during the 20-minute joint interview for this story, said that they respond, “... hey,” emphasizing the uncertainty in their response to him as a sign of the awkwardness.

They both love Church, they said.

And after saying he is a nice guy, Emma whimsically added, ‘Put that in [the story].’

They will tell you, though, that their relationship is not just immature. Of course, there may never be enough maturity to make up for the time they played with their food inside the concession stand during a soccer tournament in high school.

Stevens led the team in goals as a freshman last year with 10 scores, earning All-ACC Third Team and AllACC Freshman honors. Her finesse on the ball has led her to score a goal that earned national recognition and cross up defenders like she did against North Carolina two weeks ago in the season opener.

Carlson, on the other hand, has struggled to earn playing time so far.

The sophomore has logged just 44

minutes of action in conference play without sustaining major injuries. She said when she came to Duke, the Blue Devils already had a stout back line of one senior, one redshirt junior, two juniors and a sophomore.

Here’s the maturity, though. When asked whether she was the leading goal scorer last year, Ella did not have a chance to respond. Emma bursted in, “Yes she did. 10 goals.”

“I definitely feel like I am Ella’s number one fan no matter what,” Carlson said. “It’s not like I’m jealous at all toward what she gets—’cause she’s worked so hard for it.”

The two are also now more open with each other than they were in high school, they said. Although they have known each other since they played U-10 soccer at age seven, they are roommates this year for the second time in a row.

“If I go somewhere, it’s not like Ella’s like, ‘Hey, where’d you’d go?’ Like we just kind of do our own thing, and then, at the end of the day, we come back to each other,” Emma said. “It’s a really good relationship.”

A really good relationship, one might add, with some great entertainment value so far.

Beat’sTake The Scoop: Duke can say for the second time in as many years that it returns almost all of its starters—last year it returned 10, and this year it will be back with all but Christina Gibbons and Lizzy Raben. The Blue Devils never reached their nationalchampionship potential last year, but with Kayla McCoy, Rebecca Quinn and Taylor Racioppi back from season-ending injuries, this year’s team may resemble the 2015 national runner-up team even more than last year’s so long as it can stay healthy. Expect the offense to be improved from last season, when Duke struggled finishing near the net, and the defense to be slightly less stringent.

Key Players: Forward Imani Dorsey: The senior has brought her A-game so far this year, with three scores and an assist through four games and a point in each contest. Her speed is key to winning

See W. SOCCER on Page 7

breakaways, and her shot is powerful enough to intimidate any goalkeeper in the country.

Midfielder Taylor Racioppi: The junior struggled last year before her season-ending lower-leg injury, as she totaled just two goals and two assists in her last 10 games of 2016. But the potential for Racioppi is there—she is the former No. 2 recruit in the country, and she scored seven goals and added six assists as a freshman.

Defender Schuyler DeBree: The defense has looked shaky so far, and without Raben, DeBree will need to anchor the back four, which she has the experience and talent to do.

Prediction: Third in ACC, NCAA quarterfinals —Jack Dolgin

The Chronicle MEN’S SOCCER

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WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 30, 2017 | 5

MEN’S SOCCER

FEELING BULLISH

Brian White set for senior year after MVP summer with U23 New York Red Bulls

Will Pulisic brings international experience to Duke

Andrew Donohue

Liz Finny

The Chronicle

The Chronicle

College soccer has always occupied a strange place in the US Soccer Development program.

For many players growing up, the ultimate end goal is a college scholarship and the opportunity to play at the Division I level. However, this stands in sharp contrast to other countries around the world, where it is common for top players to sign contracts with professional teams at a young age and then grow up playing in that club’s academies.

Major League Soccer teams have slowly begun to adopt this model, as every team now operates an academy and has started to invest more resources in youth development in hopes of unearthing the next star. This has created tension between college soccer advocates who still believe college is the best place for development both on and off the field and academy supporters who think that is hindering the progress of top players.

Duke will be able to take advantage of both paths to the next level this fall, as senior midfielder Brian White spent his summer playing with the New York Red Bulls U23 team and earned Premier Development League MVP honors before returning to Durham for his last season of college.

White was already a mainstay in the starting lineup during a stellar junior year, when he was named the team’s offensive MVP and earned second-team All ACC recognition after notching five goals and four assists, including the game-winner that lifted the Blue Devils past thenNo. 9 UCLA. He used this success as a springboard to continue developing his game during the summer and to learn more about how to operate as a striker, a position he transitioned into toward the end of last season.

“I was the lone striker, playing out mobile,” White said. “A lot of my responsibility was holding the ball up to combine with the midfielders and spreading the ball wide. I think it’s something we did a couple times [at Duke], but I think it’s something we need to continue to work on.

The senior from Flemington, N.J., was

and preparing for the next opponent.

“It was a very professional environment,” White said. “We got to train against the first team, train against the second team, see what they bring every day to the training pitch and how they approach games.”

White also believes that his experience over the summer will pay dividends for the Blue Devils come the fall season.

He has seen how professionals carry themselves and wants to demonstrate that to the younger Duke players who are still adjusting to the increased demands of the college game.

“It’s just trying to keep the level high and trying to keep them motivated no matter what their aspirations after this season or after their college careers,” White said.

The senior has increased expectations for himself following his star turn this summer. White was voted the No. 1 prospect on the PDL circuit by scouts, head coaches and technical directors, which makes a path to a professional career for him seem realistic.

“I was able to have a very successful summer and put a little attention on me, so hopefully I can continue scoring goals,” White said. “And then carry that into the combine and the draft coming up after college.”

White’s strong performances are presenting Blue Devil head coach John

Freshman Will Pulisic has big shoes to fill this season following former goalkeeper Robert Moewes’ departure.

Moewes—a graduate transfer from Binghamton—started all 17 games for the Blue Devils in 2016 and was named the team’s Most Valuable Player in the 2016 season, leaving a void that four different goalkeepers vied to step into in the preseason, with Pulisic emerging from the competition as the starter.

He will be Duke’s first freshman starting in goal since Joe Ohaus in 2014. Now a senior, Ohaus is the only Blue Devil netminder in 2016 that appears on the roster again this fall, but graduate transfer Erik Hanson and freshman Michael Reis join Pulisic as newcomers.

“This is the first time we’ve had this much depth, and also the first time we’ve had so many guys,” Ohaus said.

Ohaus was eclipsed the last two years as a starter by graduate students, with Mitchell Kupstas and Wilson Fisher splitting time in 2015 before giving way to Moewes last year.

Moewes was the America East Goalkeeper of the Year in both 2014 and 2015 and posted a goals-against average of 1.4 and a .736 save percentage after arriving at Duke.

The Dortmund, Germany, native made seven stops in a 2-1 double-overtime upset against then-No. 4 Notre Dame, including three point-blank saves in the second overtime.

After the stellar season, Moewes was drafted in the third round of the MLS Draft by Toronto FC, leaving Duke without a goalkeeper.

“We’ve been lucky with the goalkeeper position with graduate students coming in from out-of-area places,” Blue Devil head coach John Kerr said. “They bring a different perspective to the team and the position itself.”

Although the Duke did add another graduate student in Hanson from Brown, Kerr elected to hand the keys to his highlytouted freshman right away.

Pulisic—the cousin of U.S. Men’s National Team star Christian Pulisic—started in the U17 World Cup in 2015 for the U.S. U17 National Team, and he has also played for the U19 National Team. Instead of attending college right after high school, he took a gap year to compete with Borussia Dortmund’s U19 team in Germany, and Pulisic has won Golden Glove awards as the top goalkeeper in tournaments in France and Turkey.

“I learned so much in Germany, and

See WHITE on Page 7

See PULISIC on Page 7

Beat’sTake

The Scoop: After a disappointing end to a season that started with promise and a talented graduate-student goalkeeper, the Blue Devils hope that a new and experienced freshman goalie can fill the hole left by their 2016 MVP and help them to their first NCAA tournament berth since 2011. With a new 3-4-3 formation and a pair of attacking veterans in Brian White and Cameron Moseley, Duke is off to a 2-0 start to the regular season.

Key Players: Goalkeeper Will Pulisic: The freshman newcomer is no stranger to high-level play—he was part of the U.S. U17 and U19 National Teams and competed with the Borussia Dortmund U19 squad during a gap year before enrolling at Duke.

Pulisic recorded shutouts in the first two matches of the fall.

Defender Carter Manley: A starter in all 17 games in the 2016 season, the senior

Juan Bermudez | The Chronicle Brian White scored 17 goals in 14 games this summer and carried that success to Duke, where he scored twice in the first weekend of the season.

an instant success in the Big Apple. He scored 17 goals in just 14 games to win the Golden Boot, helping to lead the Red Bulls to the PDL regular-season championship and the Mid-Atlantic Division title.

White thrived in the ultra-competitive atmosphere of the PDL, where many players are close to taking the next step and competing in the MLS or other professional leagues and are solely focused on soccer. It was a different environment than what White and summer teammate Marcus Fjortoft are used to on the Duke team, having to juggle both academics and their careers on the pitch.

“At Red Bulls, most [of] those guys have aspirations to go pro,” White said.

“I mean, a lot of the guys [at Duke] do, but at the same time a lot of them are very concerned with life after college and not soccer, [which is] just the reality of the trajectory of their careers.”

The mentality of academy teams is similar in some ways to minor-league baseball, with developing individual players a more important priority than trying to win games. This creates the opportunity for rapid skill development, since players can focus on training and individual work every day instead of spending most of practice on formations

was voted the team’s co-Most Valuable Defensive Player in 2016. Manley has picked up where he left off and was named to the All-Tournament team last weekend at the John Rennie Nike Invitational, suggesting he is a leader for the Blue Devil defense that has been absent in the past.

Midfielder Suniel Veerakone: As an ACC All-Freshman selection in 2016, Veerakone led all rookies on the team in scoring with three goals to go along with five assists. The midfielder will hope to build on his success as one of the league’s top underclassmen.

Games to Watch: Sept. 16 at No. 3 North Carolina; Sept. 22 at No. 8 Syracuse; Sept. 30 vs. No. 11 Louisville; Oct. 13 vs. No. 5 Clemson Prediction: Sixth in the ACC, NCAA tournament second round —Liz Finny

Juan Bermudez | The Chronicle Will Pulisic took a gap year between high school and college to play for Borussia Dortmund’s U19 team in Germany.

6 | WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 30, 2017

The Chronicle

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CROSS COUNTRY

Riley prepares for second year with young team Sameer Pandhare The Chronicle Head coach Rhonda Riley took the helm a year ago looking to mold a Blue Devil team full of freshmen and sophomores.

Entering her second year, Riley once again sports a roster without a senior presence. But this time, Duke has a core group of runners that have been through a whole season together and are looking to make major strides up the ACC standings.

“I didn’t have juniors or seniors last year,” Riley said. “I had just freshman and sophomores, so I just had underclassmen and I think that was the biggest challenge, not having that sense of leadership I have this year.”

Juniors Liz Lansing and Olivia Gwynn will provide much of this leadership as the Blue Devils’ captains. As a whole, Duke will have a number of familiar faces on the course, as the Blue Devils lost only one runner from last season and return all six runners that raced in the ACC cross country championships last year.

The effort to build team camaraderie is already under way after a trip last weekend to Zap Fitness in the heart of the Blue Ridge Mountains in Blowing Rock, N.C. In addition to training on the trails, the trip provided Riley and volunteer assistant coach Daniel Goetz the opportunity to spend time with their group before the start of classes.

But perhaps the biggest plus for Duke this season will be its depth after the program received six commitments in Riley’s first recruiting class.

“We have a lot more depth than we had last year,” Riley said. “We only had 11 girls running and I have 16 right now, so the approach is definitely to pack up more into a team into that mentality, which I wasn’t really able to do last year.”

The incoming class is highlighted in particular by Michaela Reinhart and Amanda Beach—who placed 12th at the 2016 Cross Country Foot Locker

F. HOCKEY from page 3 the second year in a row. The postseason futility culminated in the loss to Delaware a season ago, which came on the heels of yet another loss to North Carolina in the semifinals of the ACC tournament.

“It definitely fueled our spring season. [Those losses] were at the end of the season, and that’s when they really matter and they really count the most,” Chillano said. “We have to be able to push all the way through to make it to our ultimate goal at the end. The losses definitely bring you together, and it was good to learn together and work in the offseason in the spring and in the summer to kick butt our final year, and do it together.”

Indeed, doing things together will again be key for a Duke team that averaged the third-most assists in the nation a year ago. Kristen and Chillano were the beneficiaries on a number of those assists, as the duo combined to score 20 goals, nearly a third of the team’s total for the season. The pair also dished out 13 assists and represent two of four double-digit point scorers who are returning for the Blue Devils this year.

In addition to leading the team in points and goals last season with 32 and 13, respectively, Chillano is also the

National meet. Samantha Peterman, Sara Platek, Leigha Torino and Helen Williams round out the rest of the class for the Blue Devils.

Duke will also welcome back AllACC performer Sophia Parvizi-Wayne following a strong freshman season.

The sophomore is looking to rebound after back spasms prevented her from finishing the 6,000-meter race at the NCAA Southeast Regional a year ago.

The London native will look to build on her 15th place finish in the ACC cross country championships and qualify for the NCAA championship this fall.

“My two freshman Michaela Reinhart and Amanda Beach, those are two girls that are going to make a huge impact right away,” Riley said. “From the returners, Sophia Parvizi-Wayne, she was my number one last year and she’s in great shape, so she’s going to be another huge person for us.”

With all of their major contributors from last season returning, the Blue Devils are hoping that strong finishes to the year from Gabrielle Richichi and Lindsay Billings will carry over in 201718. Richichi finished her sophomore year with a personal best in the 6,000 meters to earn a top-50 finish, along with Billings, in the NCAA Southeast Regional.

After failing to crack the top 10 in the ACC championship a year ago, Duke once again faces stiff competition at the top of the conference. But this time, the Blue Devils are in store for fewer surprises, as both Riley and her captains have seen the ups-and-downs of a whole season together.

“Definitely improving on last year’s finish at ACCs is a goal,” Riley said.

“Realistically, if we were to throw out numbers, we would be really happy with top five, so that’s kind of a goal we’re shooting for.”

Although the goal seems lofty on paper, Duke will hope that its young team can continue to build the foundation of an ACC contender this season regardless of results. anchor for a defensive unit that finished 12th in the nation in goals-against average in 2016. The All-American center back from Phoenixville, Pa., was also recognized with a place on the preseason All-ACC team in 2017.

“Alyssa has a great impact on this team, on and off the field. She’s a great teammate, she’s an intense competitor and she’s very good, but still has a level of humility about herself and about her play that allows her to continue to be coached,” Bustin said. “She just keeps getting better, and she really cares.

That’s one of the best qualities about Alyssa—that she really does care about her teammates, about the program and about what she brings every day.”

Kristen, Chillano’s counterpart on the other end of the field, is both productive— she scored seven times last year—and efficient, boasting a .304 shot conversion percentage. She also notched seven assists, good for second behind team-leader Margaux Paolino, and was recognized with an NFHCA All-South Region selection to the second team.

Although their contributions on the field will be key, the leadership and experience that Duke’s group of six seniors brings will be just as critical for the Blue Devils, who currently have 14 opponents on the schedule who were ranked in the preseason.

The progress from last season has been notable already in the fall, as the

Bre Bradham | Chronicle File Photo Sophomore Sophia Parvizi-Wayne was an All-ACC performer last fall, but did not finish her race at the NCAA Southeast Regional due to back spasms.

Beat’sTake The Scoop: The Blue Devils will look to improve on both the men’s and women’s side with an emphasis on building depth. Head coach Norm Ogilvie brings in five new distance runners in one of his strongest recruiting classes, while women’s coach Rhonda Riley will have the opportunity to continue shaping the program in her second year at the helm.

this season as Duke’s top runner and has a chance to qualify for NCAAs if she can make strides on her freshman year.

Key Players: Sophia ParviziWayne: After finishing 15th in the ACC Cross Country Championships, Parvizi-Wayne was unable to finish the 6,000-meter race at the NCAA Southeast Regional a year ago due to back spasms. The sophomore enters

Races to Watch: Bull City Classic Sept. 1, ECU Pirates Invite Oct. 13

Blue Devils picked up their first win of the season with a 5-0 shutout against William and Mary last Friday after a strong showing against the Tar Heels in a preseason scrimmage.

“We worked really well together. We were working on what we worked on in the spring and this preseason. We’ve

Liz Lansing & Olivia Gwynn: The junior captains will play a major role for a young Blue Devil team. With a couple years of experience under their belt, the duo should be instrumental to paving the road for Duke’s six incoming freshmen.

Prediction: Women: 8th in the ACC Men: 10th in the ACC -Sameer Pandhare

been really trying to focus on attacking, moving together as a unit up the field, and I think we all did really well,” Kristen said after the scrimmage. “As seniors, we all strive to lead together. It’s going to be an exciting year.”

Hank Tucker contributed reporting.

Carolyn Chang | Chronicle File Photo Ashley Kristen scored seven goals last season and will take on a more important role for Duke’s attack following the departures of Heather Morris and Aisling Naughton.

The Chronicle

dukechronicle.com

PULISIC from page 5 Borussia Dortmund has produced so many great players.” Pulisic said. “That’s another year of experience I had at such a high level, so the more situations you see, the less pressure you’re going to feel.”

Pulisic did not give up a goal last weekend to help the Blue Devils to their fifth straight John Rennie Nike Invitational title, handing Duke its first season-opening shutout since 2010 Friday against Central Florida and repeating the feat Sunday against Fordham.

“I jut try to be sharp and focus on everything,” Pulisic said. “I felt good on the field.... It’s just about going out every day, learning something new, and trying to apply that to your game” But if anything happens to Pulisic as the starter, the Blue Devils have a few capable options behind him.

Hanson started 15 games in 2016 at Brown and was third in the Ivy League with a 1.0 goals against average, posting four shutouts.

W. SOCCER from page 4 Two days later, Heinsohn played the entirety of the Blue Devils’ contest against Xavier, allowing one goal and notching one save in Duke’s 3-1 win. The two goalkeepers once again split halves in the Blue Devils’ first shutout of the season against Bucknell Friday, and Proctor allowed one goal while playing all 90 minutes of Duke’s 3-1 road victory against Old Dominion Sunday afternoon.

“Right now, we’re just evaluating practices and games,” Church said. “I’m not saying we’re also going to alternate every weekend, either. We’re going to make that decision as we get closer to game time. We’re so fortunate to have both of them in our program and

“Erik brings another dimension to our team, raising the level and keeping it high,” Kerr said. “He’s got a great attitude and appreciated the opportunity here at Duke.”

Ohaus is another veteran at the college level, though he has not seen any game action since his freshman year, when the New Jersey native started 13 games with a 2.0 goals-against average and a .634 save percentage.

With Reis as the team’s youngest goalkeeper, he lacks in some of the experience that the other three may have, but started all 20 games for the FC Golden State Academy Team last year.

“All four goalkeepers are showing well in training, so if Will happens to go down with an injury or a red card, we have another three goalkeepers to choose from,” Kerr said. “We’re really pleased with that depth in that position.”

It is hard to improve at a position immediately after losing a player like Moewes, but the Blue Devils may have done just that, which could set the stage for their first NCAA tournament appearance in six years come November. they’ve both worked really hard, and they both have their strengths and they both have their weaknesses.”

One area where the Blue Devil veteran boasts the upper hand is in organizing and communicating with her teammates from the back of the field. With three years of experience and chemistry built with the back line, Proctor feels comfortable commanding the team and uses that comfort—combined with her field vision— to lead the team from behind.

Although her rookie competitor has come a long way with communicating effectively since arriving on campus in January, Heinsohn readily admits that she still has room for improvement in that department.

After a fall playing in a different formation with the U-20 National Team, a learning

Sanjeev Dasgupta | Chronicle File Photo Senior EJ Proctor started every Duke game for the last two years and fourth in program history with 21 career shutouts.

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 30, 2017 | 7

WHITE from page 5

VOLLEYBALL from page 2

Kerr with different options with how to use the senior. White will likely be the focal point of the Duke attack, which looked impressive in its two victories last weekend in the John Rennie Nike Invitational.

In Sunday’s 3-0 win against Fordham, White’s second goal of the match was one of the national highlights of the season’s first weekend, as he bent a shot from outside the box into the top left corner of the net. “[Brian] did great this summer,” Kerr said. “Scored a lot of goals, got a lot of reps. He’s a great player for us cause he can play in a number of positions. He can play as the high target player, he can play underneath, he can play wide. So it’s a great option for us depending on what we want to take advantage of.”

against Central Florida.

Meyer and sophomore outside hitter Samantha Amos can also help on defense in the front row. Meyer contributed 10 block assists and Amos had eight in the Blue Devils’ dramatic win at Colorado State, helping to keep the Rams’ hitters at bay.

Paradiso and Elattrache appear to have also grown into their roles to start the season, with Elattrache tallying 44 digs during the weekend and Paradiso leading the way in assists with 77.

If Duke’s seniors can keep their relatively new team together, the Blue Devils may have the potential to make a run to their first NCAA tournament since 2014.

“Our goal is to make it to the NCAA tournament—there are no options—and top three in the ACC,” Elattrache said, “We want to be the best Duke volleyball team and the best team we can be.”

Hank Tucker contributed reporting.

Hank Tucker contributed reporting.

curve was expected.

“I still had to get used to some of the language that the team uses,” Heinsohn said. “I tried to introduce some of the terms that I like to use and there have been a couple of bumps in the road, but I feel like me communicating with the backs and somewhat with the midfielders has gone pretty smoothly so far.”

Where Proctor may cover more of the field with her voice, Heinsohn can cover more of the net with her body. The top goalkeeper in the 2017 recruiting class holds a five-inch height advantage on Proctor and a significantly longer wingspan to go along with it.

Heinsohn’s extra length may be a difference maker in some crucial situations. It may have been enough to save the Tar Heels’ first goal in that overtime victory August 18—a free-kick blast over Proctor’s outstretched hands which ricocheted off the crossbar and into the back of the net.

“She’s a lot taller than I am, so there are things that she can do that I can’t because of that,” Proctor said. “I have to position myself a bit differently, but besides that we’re pretty neck-in-neck with a lot of things, so it’s just challenging and keeps each other sharp. It just kind of makes us better in areas we’re not so good at.”

For all of the pressure that comes along with competing for the starting role, Proctor and Heinsohn have still managed to cultivate a mentor-mentee relationship in the past seven months. They both look to each other for confirmation and advice, even finding each other to discuss the starter’s play at halftime and delivering constructive criticism during practices.

Their shared commitment to making each other stronger stems from a belief that

Carolyn Chang | The Chronicle Heinsohn played for the U.S. in the 2016 U20 Women’s World Cup before coming to Duke.

their roles extend beyond the individual level. Regardless of which goalkeeper finally gets the starting nod between the pipes, they know that both will contribute to the team’s ultimate success.

“It’s a privilege to come out of the group and represent us with the starting 11,” goalkeeper coach Lane Davis said.

“We’re fortunate to have difficult choices, even though on a personal level they may be wishing the choices were easier. At the same time, it’s all about our group and it’s who we promote to be the goalkeeper for that team.The honorable thing to do is to help prepare that person who is playing to step into that role because that is what is best for the team.”

Jack Dolgin contributed reporting.

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