NOTE:  United Soccer Coaches Top 25

No. 24 Duquesne (6-0-2, 1-0-1) takes a break from Atlantic 10 play to face No. 25 Akron (4-2-2) in Akron on Wednesday, Sept. 28 at 7:00 p.m. (Zips Digital Network).

DU, which set a new school record for most games without a loss to open a season with its 0-0 draw at UMass on Saturday, moved into the United Soccer Coaches Top 25 for the first time since November of 2005  on Sept. 20. The Dukes moved from No. 25 to No. 24 this week.

This is the first time a Duquesne team will take on a ranked team - while ranked itself - in program history.

The Dukes, who are 3-0-2 on the road, have already exceeded last year's road win total (2-7-1).

Akron, which is 3-0-1 at home, is coming off a 1-0 defeat at No. 18 Penn State on Sunday. The Zips are 1-2-2 against ranked teams this season. Duquesne is the fifth-straight ranked opponent for Akron.

Duquesne, which began the week leading the nation in save percentage (.929), has posted five shutouts in eight games, while Akron has scored three or more five times in eight games.

DU returns to A-10 play when it completes its three-game road stretch at George Washington on Saturday, Oct. 1 at 1:00 p.m. (ESPN+).


THE SERIES VS. AKRON

• This is just the second match-up between the Dukes and Zips.
• The two played to a 1-1 (OT) draw at Akron on Sept. 8, 1996.

VS. RANKED TEAMS

• Duquesne is 1-7-1 all-time vs. ranked teams (0-5 on the road).
• Head coach Chase Brooks led the Dukes to their lone win, 3-1 over No. 23 Rhode Island on Oct. 20, 2018.
• The is the first time DU will be facing a ranked team while ranked.
• The Dukes are 7-3-2 all-time while ranked (4-1 on the road).

LAST GAME

• Domenic Nascimben stopped five shots in registering his fifth shutout of the season in a 0-0 draw at UMass on Saturday.
• DU, which was outshot 19-7, doubled UMass in corner kicks (10-5).
• Anthony Harding led Duquesne with a pair of shots, including one of DU's two shots on goal.

TEAM NOTES

• Duquense 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 this week.
• Duquesne has broken the school record for most games without a loss (previously seven) to open a season.
• Duquesne opened with three consecutive road games (all wins) for the first time in program history.
• DU got off to the first 5-0 start 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). DU was 2-7-1 on the road last season.
• 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'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 (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.
   

DUQUESNE MOST GAMES WITHOUT A LOSS TO OPEN A SEASON

8	6-0-2 in 2022*
7	6-0-1 in 2019*
7	5-0-2 in 2002

* - under head coach Chase Brooks


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 16 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 14 career goals (one 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.
• Hopfer led the Atlantic 10 in shots and shots on goal per game. His 11 goals ranked second in the conference.
• 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 (51) and started (50). Dragisich has posted a point in six of eight games, including a streak of five in a row snapped at UMass. His six assists lead the Atlantic 10 and rank tied for fifth 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 in DU's eight games. 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 1st nationally in shutouts (5), 2nd in save percentage (.927) and tied for 3rd in goals against average (.375). 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 (14), Nate Dragisich (8), Zach Mowka (5), Ryan Goodhew (5), Logan Muck (4), Ask Ekeland (3), Torge Witteborg (3), Cam Territo (2), Tom Tzabari (2), Christoffer Vie Angell (2), Jacob Casha (1), 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), Anthony Harding (1), Tate Mohney (1), Domenic Nascimben (1), Cameron Territo (1), Tom Tzabari (1)
Points    
Maxi Hopfer (35), Nate Dragisich (34), Ryan Goodhew (17),  Zach Mowka (16), Logan Muck (10), Ask Ekeland (6), Torge Witteborg (6), Cameron Territo (5), Tom Tzabari (5), Christoffer Vie Angell (4), Jayden Da (3), Jack Emanuel (3), Tate Mohney (3), Jacob Casha (2), Jesper Mosksnes (2), Ade Akinjogbin (2), Ben Bacdayan (1), Harper Cook (1), Anthony Harding (1), Domenic Nascimben (1)
Games    
Nate Dragisich (51), Domenic Nascimben (40, Kendall Newman (40)), Maxi Hopfer (32), Logan Muck (32), Zach Mowka (30), Harper Cook (27)

Logan Muck (68/28) played in 36 games with 21 starts at Evansville
Cameron Territo (52/46) played in 44 games with 38 starts at Western Illinois
Ade Akinjogbin (40/23) played in 20 games with 14 starts at Wofford
Harper Cook (39/24) 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
* - first national ranking since Nov. 8, 2005