Duquesne (2-6-2, 0-1-1) returns home to take on Atlantic 10 preseason favorite Fordham (5-2-3, 1-1-0) at 7:00 p.m. on Wednesday on Rooney Field. Fordham was nationally ranked prior to tying Stony Brook (0-0) and dropping a 3-2 overtime decision at Saint Joseph's on Saturday. Duquesne is coming off a 2-0 defeat at league-leading VCU on Saturday.  

THE SERIES VS. FORDHAM

• Fordham, which has won six of the past eight meetings (in addition to one tie), leads the series 10-8-1.
• In matches at Pittsburgh, Duquesne leads 6-4-0.
• Fordham has won the past three meetings, including a 4-0 decision in the last match between the two, in the first round of the 2016 Atlantic 10 Championship in Davidson, N.C.
• Fordham has outscored DU 9-0 in the past two meetings.
• This is the Rams' first visit to Pittsburgh since a 2-1 Fordham win on Oct. 10, 2015.
• Fordham was ranked 22nd in the United Soccer Coaches Top 25 prior to a home draw with Stony Brook and loss at Saint Joseph's last week.
• Fordham has held seven of its 10 opponents under two goals (Saint Joseph's three goals on Saturday are the high by a Rams foe).
• Duquesne is 2-2-2 at home and Fordham is 2-2-2 on the road this season.

QUICK HITS

• DU is 0-1-1 Atlantic 10 play with a 2-2 tie vs. Saint Joseph's and 2-0 loss at VCU. The Dukes have outshot their conference opponents 38-16, including 19-6 on goal, in the two matches.
• Duquesne ranked first nationally in corner kicks per game through Sunday (currently at 8.1, 81 in 10 games). DU had 16 corners - one shy of the school record - in its 3-0 win over Detroit Mercy on Sept. 2. The Dukes have had nine or more corners in a game five times, including 12 vs. Saint Joseph's.
• DU ranks 10th nationally in shots per game (16.0) and 18th in shots on goal per game (6.9).
• Duquesne has started at least six freshmen in all 10 matches this season (DU has started seven freshmen five times). Manel Busquets (Spain), Nathan Dossantos (Canada), Rob Dymond (New Zealand), Moritz Kappelsberger (Germany), Domenic Nascimben (Australia), Kendall Newman, Gylfi Stefansson (Iceland) and Eric Zech (Germany) have all started at least once. Of the eight freshmen who have started, seven are international players.
• Overall, DU has 10 international players, including returners seniors Noah Mehta (Canada) and Olav Hovstad (Norway).
• The Dukes have 15 first-year players on the 2018 roster including 14 freshmen and junior Pitt transfer M Alec Anselmo. Anselmo played in 30 matches with 16 starts in two seasons with the Panthers. Anselmo made his first career start as a Duke at Wright State.
• Busquets and Dymond lead the Dukes in goals (3). Busquets is tied with Mehta for the team lead in assists (3).Busquets leads the team with nine points, followed by Dymond and Mehta with seven points each.
• Mehta, who entered this season with two career points, has six in his past six games.
• DU's 13 goals this season have come from seven players: Rob Dymond (3), Manel Busquets (3),  Ian Larson (2), Noah Mehta (2), Zion Beaton (1), Zach Hall (1) and Gylfi Stefansson (1).
• Junior Zach Hall (15 points, 6 goals) and senior Ian Larson (16 points, 6 goals) are DU's top current career point-getters and goal scorers.
• Busquets and Dymond lead the team in shots with 21 each. Busquets and Dymond have sent the most shots on goal with 12 and 10 respectively.
• Mehta leads the team in career games with 55. Larson is second with 49.

UP NEXT

• 10/13 at George Mason
• 10/17 at Saint Louis
• 10/20 vs. Rhode Island (Senior Day)