PREVIEW: @DuqMSoccer vs. Canisius

Dukes return home to face Golden Griffins on Wednesday night

PITTSBURGH - Duquesne (3-2) returns to Rooney Field for the first time this month to host Canisius (0-2-2) on Wednesday, Sept. 15 at 7:00 p.m. on ESPN+.

The Dukes, who saw their three-game win streak snapped at No. 17 Kentucky on Sunday, are 2-0 at home with wins over Robert Morris (3-2 2OT) and Saint Francis U (4-3 OT).

DU's two losses have come on the road to nationally-ranked teams (the other was at No. 3 Pitt in the season opener on August 29).

Duquesne's season goal total of 10 goals - all of which have come in the past four matches - has doubled its total (5) in seven 2021 spring matches. The Dukes were just the second team to score against Kentucky this season.

This is the second road game for Canisius, which tied Atlantic 10 member St. Bonaventure 2-2 (2OT) in Olean on Sept. 3.

The Golden Griffins are coming off a 3-1 loss at Binghamton on Saturday.

THE SERIES VS. CANISIUS

Duquesne leads the series 5-4, including a 4-1 advantage in matches in Pittsburgh.
This is the first meeting since a 1-0 OT Duquesne win on Sept. 11, 2016 in the Duquesne Invitational.
DU, which has won three of the past four meetings, is 1-0 vs. the Golden Griffins under Chase Brooks.
Canisius' opponents are averaging 19.0 shots/g. on the young season.
The Golden Griffins' five goals have come off the foot of five different players.

LAST GAME

Duquesne became just the second team to score on No. 17 Kentucky this season (Ryan Goodhew 27'), but was unable to build on its 1-0 lead in a 3-1 defeat.
UK tied it on a PK in the 43rd minute and broke the game open with a pair of goals in a three-minute span (60' & 63') of the second half.
Duquesne keeper Domenic Nascimben finished with seven saves.
Nine of UK's 10 shots on goal came in the second half.

AN AMBITIOUS SCHEDULE
Duquesne's two losses have come on the road to nationally-ranked teams (at No. 3 Pitt and at No. 17 Kentucky). In addition to the Panthers and Wildcats, DU is facing two other teams who were among those also receiving votes in the United Soccer Coaches Preseason Top 25 (Dayton & UMass). DU also has a third Power Five road game on the schedule (Sept. 21 at Michigan State).

THIS YEAR

Duquesne's 10 goals are its most in a four-game span since 2015.
The 10 goal total has doubled the team's total (5) in its seven 2021 spring matches.
Maxi Hopfer, a member of the 2020 Atlantic 10 All-Rookie Team, leads the Dukes with eight points - all of which have come in the Dukes' past three matches (a pair of goals and assist on the game-winner vs. Saint Francis, a goal in the 53rd minute at Howard and an assist in DU's lone score at Kentucky).
Hopfer leads the Dukes in points (8), goals (3), shots (17) and shots on goal (8).
Six players have accounted for the Dukes' nine goals with Hopfer (3), Ryan Goodhew (2) and Ryan Landry (2) as multiple goal scorers.
Nine players have registered at least one assist for DU.
Junior Domenic Nascimben played every minute in net in the spring for the Dukes. Nascimben, a native of Sydney, Australia, stopped 34 shots in seven games. His 4.86 saves per game ranked 11th nationally. Nascimben had six saves in the opener at No. 3 Pitt, a career high-tying nine in the 4-3 win over Saint Francis U and seven at No. 17 Kentucky. He also registered his first career point with a secondary assist on the game-winning goal vs. SFU.
DU's 2021 captains are #1 Domenic Nascimben (GK) and #17 Ryan Landry (D/M).

PROGRAM NOTES

Duquesne is in its ninth season under head coach Chase Brooks. Brooks has led the Dukes to three Atlantic 10 Conference tournament appearances (2013, 2015 & 2016).
The Dukes return 10 of 11 starters from the 2021 spring roster including M/F Ade Akinjogbin, M Rodrigo Albayeros, D Jacob Benintendi, M/F Nate Dragisich, F Maxi Hopfer, D/M Ryan Landry, D Kendall Newman, D Eric Zech and GK Domenic Nascimben. In addition, D Jaime Borjas started all four games he played in the spring.
A total of 15 players made their Duquesne debut in the spring.
DU returns just six players from its 2019 roster.
Fifth-year defender/midfielder Ryan Landry leads all returnees in career games played (57) and career starts (51). Kendall Newman (34 games), Nate Dragisich (29 games) and Eric Zech (27 games) are the only other field players who entered the season with more than seven games of experience in a Duquesne uniform.
The Dukes have eight transfers in junior M/F Ade Akinjogbin (Wofford), sophomore M Rodrigo Albayeros (Florida Atlantic), sophomore D Jacob Benintendi (Xavier), junior D Jaime Borjas (Graceland U.), sophomore M Harper Cook (American), freshman F Jayden Da (Washington & Jefferson), junior M Logan Muck (Evansville) and sophomore D Torge Witteborg (Ottawa University-Arizona). Cook and Da joined the team this summer, the other six participated in the spring season.
Duquesne has produced the 14th-most Men's Soccer Academic All-Americas (11) over the past 20 years.
DU has been recognized by the United Soccer Coaches for its outstanding academic performance with a Team Academic Award (minimum 3.0 team GPA) 19 times in the past 22 years. No other Atlantic 10 men's soccer program has been recognized more than Duquesne since the award was instituted in 1996.
Duquesne produced at least one Atlantic 10 All-Rookie Team member in seven of the past eight years including current roster members Ryan Landry (2016), Nate Dragisich (2019) and Maxi Hopfer (2020).