Two steps forward, one step back. That’s the story for the Dayton Flyers this year as they struggle to hit on all cylinders as the regular seasons progresses. The good news Sunday afternoon is that Dayton — despite playing their most disorganized home game of the year — managed to beat Duquesne for their ninth win of the season and maintain a share of the lead in the Atlantic-10 conference at 9-4 (4-1). Any time a team can play poorly and still find ways to win is a complement indeed, but sooner or later the team must step up and take the bull by the horns. We’re still waiting.

To Duquesne’s credit, the Dukes helped make things difficult for Dayton as they sold out on loose balls, headers, and 50/50 tackles to win the trench war while Dayton tried to keep their uniforms clean. Duquesne had the edge in hustle while Dayton had the edge in overall talent, and both polar opposites fought it out for the entire first half with neither side owning a decisive advantage. When Dayton had possession of the ball, there was space to make things happen, but bad touches or a lack of urgency kept them from exploiting the free space that Duquesne left unguarded. In short, the Flyers were not quick enough, and Head Coach Mike Tucker’s voice grew frustrated on the sidelines as Duquesne kept moving while the Flyers were ball-watching.

Duquesne’s best chance to score came off a cross into the box that found a Duke forehead that was redirected with a major league header that caromed off the crossbar and out of the goalie box. UD goalkeeper Stephanie Weisenfeld’s best friend — the pipes she closely guards — saved her and her teammates from an otherwise certain goal. Dayton had a few chances as well, including a Missy Gregg worm-burner from 30yds out that hugged the grass and nearly found the corner of the net, but halftime came and went with the game scoreless.

Dayton picked things up in the second half and began putting more pressure on the ball, especially as Duquesne tried to counter-attack up the midfield. While Dayton got pushed off the ball religiously in the first half, the Flyers finally showed some toughness and started winning the trench war. When teams win the hustle stats, scoring opportunities usually follow and that’s exactly what happened as the Flyers started creating chances for themselves on the offensive end. Dayton pressed hard in the final 20 minutes and had Duquesne on their heels, but each time the Dukes came up large — but no larger than a defensive clear off a Showtime Gregg missile by a Duquesne defender who was guarding the far post.

Chances were still developing however and Gregg finally had room on the left side to wind up in her wheelhouse for a far post blast from 10yds out that proved to be the only scoring of the game. Dayton thwarted a few remaining chances by Duquesne and escaped with the win.

Defensively, the Flyer back line struggled on Sunday to find quality touches on the ball. Duquesne took advantage of several hospital balls and shaky mistouches that might have been disastrous, but having said that, Dayton’s strength remains in the backfield and should continue to be the case throughout the rest of the season. The freshmen trio of Erin Showalter, Beth McHugh, and Nina DiGuardi — along with the help of Weisenfeld in goal — posted their fifth shutout in six games. That’s extraordinary.

While the competition in those contests hasn’t been top flight, shutouts — especially conference shutouts — are easier said than done. Nina DiGuardi played particularly well and remains the toughest player on the team. While she’s not the strongest, DiGuardi backs down from no one and is willing to bust a player’s chops for loose balls and defensive takeaways. Walk-ons like DiGuardi shouldn’t be leaders in this department, but until someone else steps up and gets downright mean, it’s her badge to wear. One of the real bright spots on Sunday, DiGuardi earns her first UDPride Player of the Game this season.

If the Flyers continue to hold teams scoreless, it’s inevitable that Dayton will win most of the remaining games this season. The midfielders and strikers must find more ways to score however and show a greater sense of urgency on the field. More balls must be placed to Gregg while she’s on the run and players must take a proactive approach on the field. Overlapping runs, slants, and give-and-go’s must happen before the play has overdeveloped. A key to the Flyer gameplan all season, Dayton remains the best team in the entire conference at switching the ball from the strong side to the weak side of the field — especially in the backfield. If Dayton can play quicker into the free space it creates, the Flyers will create havoc for opposing teams.

By and large, the weekend was a success. Two victories over conference foes and a share of the A-10 lead. Bigger fish lie on the horizon however and the margin of error is nearly nonexistent. Xavier is once again putting on a late-season run to challenge Dayton, Rhode Island, and UMass, and though the Flyers own the head-to-head advantage against the Muskies, there’s no time to hang your hat on it. LaSalle is making a strong statement as well, and already have a victory over the Flyers. It’s a wide open league race and the team that shows up with a blue-collar mentality will probably win it all.

Dayton is among the youngest teams in the A-10. Nine of the 14 players who saw action on Sunday were freshmen or sophomores. It’s only a matter of time before the Flyers learn how to win convincingly, especially against teams like Duquesne who are 2-10-1 (1-4).