GAME 2
Duquesne (1-0-0) vs. No. 7 Pitt (0-0-1)
Sunday, August 18, 2024 | 3:00 p.m.
Highmark Stadium | Pittsburgh, Pa.
 
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From The Pitch

- The Duquesne University women's soccer team continues its non-conference schedule Sunday, August 18, with a 3:00 p.m. contest against No. 7 Pitt at Highmark Stadium.

- The Dukes opened its 2024 campaign on Thursday night, securing a 6-2 victory over Mercyhurst in non-conference action at Arthur J. Rooney Field. Duquesne improved to 5-2 (.714) in home openers under head coach Al Alvine while capturing its third season-opening win in the last four years.

- The Dukes were led by junior Margey Brown, who recorded her first career hat-trick and just the 11^th in program history while being the first since Deena Debaldo in 2019. She totaled seven points on the night, tallying three scores and one assist on six total shots. Sophomore Hailey Longwell recorded a pair of scores while placing three shots on goal and junior Lindsay Krafchick found the back of the net once.

- Senior Mackenzie Leeder and juniors Eva LaVecchia and Mackenzie Muir all tallied an assist in the win. The Dukes dominated the stat sheet, outshooting the Lakers 35-3 while holding a 19-2 advantage in shots on goal and a 7-2 lead in corner kicks.

- The six goals by Duquesne were the second most scores in a season opener in program history - behind the 1995 team - where the Dukes were in their first season being a Division I program, defeating RMU 9-1.

- The six markers are the most goals in a game since the 2019 campaign and most in a home opener since the 2005 season. In 13 years under Alvine, the Dukes tied for the most goals in a competition under his tutelage and scored the most in a season opener.

- Duquesne returns back to action on Sunday, August 25, when it hosts Bowling Green at Rooney Field for a 3:00 p.m. kick-off.

Scouting the Panthers – Come Sunday afternoon, it'll be the 17^th meeting between Duquesne and Pitt as the Panthers hold a 12-4 advantage in the all-time series. The Dukes are looking for their first win against Pitt since 2016 as the Panthers have won the last four meetings. Pitt comes into the contest with an 0-0-1 record after battling to a 0-0 draw at No. 15 George on Thursday night. The Panthers are coming off their most historic season a year ago, where they made their first-ever Elite Eight appearance in the NCAA Tournament as well as their first time competing in the ACC Championship Semifinals. Pitt ended the 2023 season at No. 6 in the United Soccer Coaches rankings with a 17-win season, finishing 17-6-1 with a 6-3-1 ACC mark.

Lakers Leftovers - Duquesne came out firing in the opening five minutes as it registered three shots, two being blocked and one put on goal to open the contest. The Dukes got on the board first at the 10:23 mark as sophomore Hailey Longwell netted the opening goal of the 2024 season, on an assist from junior Margey Brown. Less than two and half minutes later, Duquesne doubled its lead as Brown corralled a rebound off a shot from junior Mackenzie Muir and found the left corner of the net to give the Dukes an early 2-0 advantage. Mercyhurst would trim the deficit later in the half before junior Lindsay Krafchick would intercept a pass and find the top left corner of the net from 25-yards out to increase the Dukes advantage, 3-1. Seven different Dukes registered a shot while six placed at least one on goal during the win.

Veteran Presence – The Dukes return nine starters from a season ago, including each of its top three goal scorers. Junior Maya Matesa paced Duquesne in 2023, totaling 15 points on seven goals and one assist. She recorded three games with two scores while her team leading seven goals tied for fifth in the A-10. Classmate Brianna Moore returns for the Dukes after tallying 11 points a year ago. She netted five goals and one assist while tallying 21 total shots, with 11 coming on net. Sophomore Anna Bundy is the last top scoring Duke as she registered three scores last season while only placing four shots on goal.  

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