Duquesne (7-1-2, 2-0-1), tied for first in the Atlantic 10 with seven points, returns home for the first time since Sept. 17 to take on Saint Joseph's (2-4-4, 1-1-1) on Wednesday, Oct. 5 at 7:00 p.m. (ESPN+).
The Dukes, who came away with four points from three consecutive road games (0-0 tie at UMass and a 2-1 win at GW sandwiched around a 0-1 non-conference loss at No. 25 Akron), are undefeated in their past 11 home games (10-0-1, 3-0 this year).
DU, which set a new school record for most games without a loss to open a season (eight) moved into the
United Soccer Coaches Top 25 for the first time since November of 2005 on Sept. 20. The Dukes were ranked for two weeks - reaching a high of No. 24 - prior to dropping out of the poll this week (ARV/28th).
Saint Joseph's comes to Pittsburgh looking for its first road win (0-1-4). The Hawks are coming off a 3-1 home victory over Davidson on Saturday.
Duquesne, which has surrendered five goals on the season (first in the A-10, tied for fifth nationally), has posted five shutouts. Saint Joe's, which has nine goals on the year, scored one-third of its season goal total vs. Davidson.
Following Wednesday's game, the Dukes will head to Fairfax, Va. to face George Mason on Saturday, Oct. 8 at 1:00 p.m. (ESPN+).
THE SERIES VS. SAINT JOSEPH'S
- Duquesne leads the series 15-7-1, including a 5-3-1 edge in games on Rooney Field.
- DU is 9-1-1 vs. the Hawks in the past 11 meetings.
- Last year the two split, with SJU taking a 3-1 regular-season decision in Philly. DU gained a measure of revenge by scoring twice in the final 5:06 to defeat the Hawks 2-1 in the first round of the Atlantic 10 Championship also on the Hawks' home field.
- DU is 4-0-1 vs. SJU in the past five meetings in Pittsburgh. Saint Joe's last win on Rooney Field was on Oct. 7, 2001 (0-1).
LAST GAME
- Jacob Casha (43') and Maxi Hopfer (63') helped the Dukes rally from a 1-0 deficit to defeat GW, 2-1, Saturday afternoon in a wet Washington, D.C.
- Ask Ekeland assisted on Casha's score, while Hopfer headed in a ball out of a scrum in front of the Colonials' let for the game-winner.
- Domenic Nascimben had four saves for the Dukes.
- DU, which held GW to one shot in the second half, outshot the Colonials 17-7.
- The win was Duquesne's fourth on the road this season.
TEAM NOTES
- Duquesne entered the Untied Soccer Coaches Top 25 for the first time since November of 2005 on Sept. 20. The Dukes moved up from No. 25 to No. 24 on Sept 27 and dropped out of the poll on Oct. 4.
- DU got off to the first 5-0 start in program history.
- Duquesne set a new school record for most games without a loss (eight) to open a season. The previous mark was seven by two teams.
- DU is undefeated in its past 11 home games (10-0-1, 3-0 this year). The last home loss occurred during the pandemic-related spring season on Mar. 27, 2021 (2-0 to St. Bonaventure).
- Duquesne opened with three consecutive road games (all wins) for the first time in program history.
- Duquesne's three-straight road wins to start the season were one shy of the school record for consecutive road victories (accomplished three times).
- This is just the second time in the past 16 seasons that the Dukes have four road wins. DU was 2-7-1 on the road last season.
- Duquesne's season-opening 1-0 win at Michigan was the program's first victory over a Power 5 team since 2003.
- DU's seven goals in the 7-0 win over Howard tied the third-highest single-game goal total in program history. The seven scores were the most since a school record 10 in a 10-0 win over Fordham in 2002.
- DU's game at No. 25 Akron (L, 0-1) marked the first time in program history that the Dukes faced a ranked team while ranked.
- DU (10-7-2 last year) is looking to post back-to-back double-digit win seasons for the first time since 2005 & 2006.
- Duquesne's captains for 2022 are M Nate Dragisich, F Maxi Hopfer, GK Domenic Nascimben and D Torge Witteborg.
PRESEASON HONORS
- Maxi Hopfer and Nate Dragisich were both named to the 12-man A-10 Preseason All-Conference Team.
- Hopfer was also named as one of United Soccer Coaches' 30 Division I "Forwards to Watch."
- Duquesne was picked to finish 7th of 14 teams in the Atlantic 10 preseason coaches poll. The top eight regular season finishers qualify for the Atlantic 10 Championship.
QUICK HITS
- Duquesne is in its tenth season under head coach Chase Brooks. Brooks has led the Dukes to four Atlantic 10 Conference tournament appearances (2013, 2015, 2016 & 2021), including an A-10 Championship game appearance - the program's first since 2002 - last season.
- DU has 16 newcomers - including 10 freshmen - on the 2021 roster.
- Incoming transfers include: D Anthony Harding (Pitt), Tate Mohney (Elizabethtown), Jesper Moksnes (Virginia), Cameron Territo (Western Illinois) and Christoffer Vie Angell (UAB). All five have played significant early-season roles.
- Duquesne's 18 goals have come from 10 players. Freshman Ask Ekeland and junior Torge Witteborg lead the team with three scores each.
- Maxi Hopfer, a United Soccer Coaches Second Team All-Southeast Region and First Team All-Atlantic 10 performer in 2021, leads the Dukes with 15 career goals (two this season). The Styria, Austria native, who made the A-10 All-Rookie team as a freshman, led the Dukes in points (28) and goals (11) last season.
- Fourth-year junior M/F Nate Dragisich, who earned Second Team All-A-10 honors as well as a spot on the A-10 All-Championship Team in 2021, leads all returnees in career games played (53) and started (52). Dragisich has posted a point in six of 10 games, including a streak of five in a row snapped at UMass. His six assists are tied for the lead the Atlantic 10 and ranked tied for eighth nationally through Sunday. Dragisich's 18 career assists rank third on DU's all-time list.
- Graduate student Domenic Nascimben has played every minute in net for the Dukes for the past two-plus seasons (includes the abbreviated 2021 spring campaign). Nascimben, a native of Sydney, Australia, has posted five shutouts this season. He turned away a career-high 11 shots - including penalty kicks in the 82nd and 87th minute - in the 7-0 win over Howard.
- Through Sunday's games, Nascimben ranked tied for 6th nationally in shutouts (5), 2nd in save percentage (.902) and tied for 7th in goals against average (.500). He leads the A-10 in every goalkeeping statistical category.
- DU has been recognized by the United Soccer Coaches for its outstanding academic performance with a Team Academic Award (minimum 3.0 team GPA) 20 times in the past 23 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 eight of the past nine years including current roster members Nate Dragisich (2019), Maxi Hopfer (2020) & Jack Emanuel (2021).
DUQUESNE'S ALL-TIME ASSIST LEADERS
28 |
Derek MacKenzie |
2001-04 |
27 |
Simon Gomez |
2010-13 |
18 |
Nate Dragisich |
2019-current |
CAREER LEADERS
(at Duquesne only)
Goals
Maxi Hopfer (15),
Nate Dragisich (8),
Zach Mowka (5),
Ryan Goodhew (5),
Logan Muck (4),
Ask Ekeland (3),
Torge Witteborg (3),
Jacob Casha (2), Cam Territo (2),
Tom Tzabari (2),
Christoffer Vie Angell (2),
Jayden Da (1),
Jack Emanuel (1),
Tate Mohney (1)
Assists
Nate Dragisich (18),
Ryan Goodhew (7),
Maxi Hopfer (7),
Zach Mowka (6),
Logan Muck (2),
Ade Akinjogbin (2),
Jesper Moksnes (2),
Ben Bacdayan (1),
Harper Cook (1),
Jayden Da (1),
Jack Emanuel (1),
Ask Ekeland (1),
Anthony Harding (1),
Tate Mohney (1),
Domenic Nascimben (1),
Cameron Territo (1),
Tom Tzabari (1)
Points  Â
Maxi Hopfer (37),
Nate Dragisich (34),
Ryan Goodhew (17),Â
Zach Mowka (16),
Logan Muck (10),
Ask Ekeland (7),
Torge Witteborg (6),
Cameron Territo (5),
Tom Tzabari (5),
Jacob Casha (4),
Christoffer Vie Angell (4),
Jayden Da (3),
Jack Emanuel (3),
Tate Mohney (3)), Jesper Mosksnes (2),
Ade Akinjogbin (2),
Ben Bacdayan (1),
Harper Cook (1),
Anthony Harding (1),
Domenic Nascimben (1)
Games  Â
Nate Dragisich (53),
Domenic Nascimben (42),
Kendall Newman (40),
Maxi Hopfer (34),
Logan Muck (33),
Zach Mowka (32),
Harper Cook (29)
Logan Muck (69/28) played in 36 games with 21 starts at Evansville
Cameron Territo (54/48) played in 44 games with 38 starts at Western Illinois
Ade Akinjogbin (42/23) played in 20 games with 14 starts at Wofford
Harper Cook (41/26) played in 12 games with two starts at American
2022 ATLANTIC 10 AWARD WINNERS
Aug. 28 -
Torge Witteborg - Defensive Player of the Week
Sept. 12 -
Domenic Nascimben - Defensive Player of the Week
Sept. 12 -
Ask Ekeland - co-Rookie of the Week
Sept. 19 -
Domenic Nascimben - Defensive Player of the Week
2022 NATIONAL AWARD WINNERS
Aug. 29 -
Domenic Nascimben - College Soccer News National Team of the Week
Sept. 13 -
Domenic Nascimben - Top Drawer Soccer National Team of the Week
UNITED SOCCER COACHES TOP 25
September 6 - ARV (tied 30th)
September 13 - ARV (tied 30th)
September 20 - No. 25 (tie)*
September 27 - No. 24
October 4 -ARV (28th)
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