PITTSBURGH - The Duquesne women's soccer team commences the 2021 spring season with a short trip to Oakland to take on crosstown foe Pitt on Sunday, March 7 at 1 p.m. at Ambrose Urbanic Field.

THE SPRING SEASON

• This is the lone nonconference match of the spring campaign for the Dukes, who will play an abbreviated eight-game Atlantic 10 schedule. 
• Duquesne is slated to play three games against St. Bonaventure, three against Saint Louis and two against Dayton. 
• The Dukes were picked to finish ninth out of 14 teams in the A-10 Preseason Coaches' Poll. 
• The Dukes are 10-14-2 all-time in season openers. 

THE SERIES

• Duquesne is 4-9-0 all-time against the Panthers. 
• Pitt won the teams' last meeting on Sept. 6, 2018 by a score of 2-0. 
• The Panthers have won two straight over the Dukes after Duquesne earned two victories in a row in 2014 (1-0) and 2016 (2-0). 
• Head coach Al Alvine is 2-4-0 against Pitt. 

SCOUTING THE DUKES

• Duquesne returns a veteran squad which posted a  6-8-3 mark in 2019.
• The Dukes, who graduated just one player from last season, welcome back their entire offense of 22 goals, 15 assists and 59 points.
• Atlantic 10 Second Team selection Deena DeBaldo returns for Duquesne after tallying nine goals. Her 22 points in a single season marked the fourth-most in program history.    
• Jaimi Araujo finished with 10 points on the season including four goals. 
• Megan Virgin returns after starting all 17 games in net for Duquesne last season. 
• Head coach Al Alvine enters his ninth season at the helm in 2021, helping the Dukes to an A-10 postseason appearance in four of the last five seasons. 

SCOUTING THE PANTHERS 

• Pitt (9-5-0), led by head coach Randy Waldrum, played 14 games during the fall season. The Panthers need just one win to tie a program record for victories in a season.
• Pitt ranks third in the country in scoring offense (2.31 goals per game), 11th in shots per game (14.62), 13th in shots on goal per game (7.00) and 20th in corner kicks per game (5.54).
• Amanda West paces the Panthers with 30 points on the season, including a team-high 13 goals. 

NEXT UP 
Duquesne opens A-10 play and the home portion of the Dukes' schedule hosting Dayton next Sunday, March 14 at noon at Arthur J. Rooney Field.