GAME 9
Rhode Island (2-3-3 | 0-0-0 A10) vs. Duquesne (3-4-1 | 0-0-0 A10)
Saturday, Sept. 19 | 4:00 p.m.
Rooney Field | Pittsburgh, Pa.
 
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From The Pitch

- The Duquesne University women's soccer team opens its 2026 Atlantic 10 schedule Saturday at 4:00 p.m. against Rhode Island at Rooney Field. It's the first game of a soccer doubleheader on the Bluff, as the Duquesne men's team will also host URI for its A10 lidlifter at 7:00 p.m.

- The Dukes wrapped up their non-conference slate with a 2-1 setback against Ohio (9/13) at Rooney Field. The Bobcats grabbed a 2-0 edge before freshman Molly Kinsella collected her first career NCAA Division I goal on a header at 52:25.

- Duquesne outshot Ohio, 17-13, and over its last two games has fired 42 shots, an average of 21.0 per game. In contrast, the Dukes finished with 41 shots in their first six contests of the year, an average of 6.83 per game.

- Despite yielding a pair of goals in the loss to Ohio, senior goalkeeper Ali Hughes finished with five saves, marking the sixth consecutive game she has registered at least five saves in a contest. Hughes enters Saturday's Atlantic 10 opener ranked third in the Atlantic 10 in save percentage (.833) and fourth in saves per game (5.63).

- Prior to its loss to Ohio, the Dukes earned a 1-1 draw at Youngstown State (9/10). Freshman Claire Beasley gave Duquesne an early 1-0 advantage at 4:31 with her first career NCAA Division I goal before the Penguins garnered the equalizer at 87:50. The Dukes posted a season-high 25 shots against YSU.

- The Dukes are led by second-year head coach Jessica Giegucz, who guided Duquesne to an overall mark of 12-5-2 (.654) last year, including a mark of 7-3 (.700) in the Atlantic 10. Duquesne, which tied a program record for victories, hosted its first Atlantic 10 Championship game since 2017.

- Giegucz was named the sixth head coach in program history at Duquesne Dec. 20, 2024. In 10 seasons as head coach at Slippery Rock, Giegucz compiled an overall record of 104-48-24 (.659). She began her coaching career in Ashland, Wisc., at NCAA Division III Northland College, where she posted a mark of 11-9-1 (.548) in 2014 prior to being tabbed the head coach at Slippery Rock.

- Duquesne's win at Mercyhurst (8/24/25) marked the 200th game for Jessica Giegucz as a head coach in stints at Northland College, Slippery Rock and Duquesne. In 13 seasons as a head coach, Giegucz owns an overall record of 130-66-28 (.643).

- The Dukes take to the road after hosting the Rams for a pair of games in Richmond, Va., against Atlantic 10 foes. Duquesne takes on Richmond Thursday, Sept. 24, at 5:00 p.m. before a 1:00 p.m. match against VCU Sunday, Sept. 27, in a game that will be played at City Stadium.

Scouting the Rams – Located in Kingston, R.I. … URI has compiled an overall record of 2-3-3 (.438) during the 2026 season and is coming off back-to-back draws, including 1-1 at Bryant (9/3) and 1-1 vs. Brown (9/10) … Nine different players have registered on the scoresheet for the Rams this season, with senior forward Nika Jacobs, a transfer from Iowa State, owning a pair of goals to lead the squad … Jacobs scored in a 1-0 win at Central Connecticut State (8/30) and also owns the game-winning goal in a 1-0 win over Maine (8/12) that opened the 2026 campaign for Rhode Island … In her 10th season as head coach at URI is Megan Jessee (Connecticut '05), who guided the Rams to the Atlantic 10 Championship final for the first time in 20 years last season as URI closed the 2025 campaign at 13-5-3 (.690) overall … Duquesne and Rhode Island meet for the 24th time in the all-time series Saturday, with the Rams owning a 12-7-4 (.609) advantage … The last meeting between the two programs came Sept. 26, 2024, a 1-0 victory for the Dukes at Rooney Field as former midfielder Mackenzie Muir (2022-25) scored the lone goal of the contest on a penalty kick at 67:25 … Duquesne has won three consecutive games over the Rams in the all-time series.

Tally-Ho – Through the end of the non-conference season for Duquesne, a span of eight games, a total of eight different players have scored a goal for the Dukes. Of those eight student-athletes to find the back of the net, six have scored their first career NCAA Division I goal. Freshman forward Molly Kinsella was the latest to get in on the act, as her header accounted for Duquesne's only score in the non-conference finale against Ohio (9/13) at Rooney Field. Of the six players to notch their first career NCAA Division I goal this season, three are true freshmen (Kinsella, Allison Bechtel and Claire Beasley).

Dodge Ram – Sophomore Brynn Ramsey came off the bench in Duquesne's 2026 season opener at Eastern Michigan but has been a steady presence in the starting lineup since, and she's produced. In collecting her fourth assist of the year against Ohio (9/13) in the 2026 non-conference finale, Ramsey owns six points in her seven starts this season. She also fired a career-high six shots in a 1-1 draw at Youngstown State (9/10), including a pair on frame, while logging a career-high 79 minutes. Ramsey ranks second in the Atlantic 10 with four assists this season, three behind Ella Cadigan of La Salle, who owns seven.

Moving Up – While sophomore Brynn Ramsey has produced as a starter for the Dukes, senior Kayla Leseck continues to be in the middle of rallies for Duquesne. She provided a header in a 1-1 tie at Youngstown State (9/10) that led to the first career NCAA Division I goal for freshman Claire Beasley. It marked her second assist of the campaign as well as the 12th of her career, helping Leseck continue her climb in the career record book in the category. Leseck is tied for sixth all-time on the Bluff with Katie Schwager (2001-04), just one behind former teammate Mackenzie Muir (2022-25).

Hardware – Senior goalkeeper Ali Hughes was named the Atlantic 10 Defensive Player of the Week (8/31) thanks to a pair of clean sheets in the first two home games of the 2026 season at Rooney Field. In wins over Akron (8/27) and Kent State (8/30), Hughes finished with 16 saves, including a career-high nine in the win over the Golden Flashes. It marks the second career weekly honor for Hughes from the Atlantic 10, who enters Saturday's game against Rhode Island with with three shutouts this season and 10 over the last two years.

Lineup Stalwart – Senior Jayden Sharpless has been a steady presence for the Dukes in the midfield throughout her career, as she is the only player for Duquesne to have started all 64 games dating to the beginning of the 2023 campaign. Sharpless owns career totals of two goals and two assists on 61 shots, 23 of which have been on frame. Sharpless was also the only field player for the Dukes last year to have played 1,730 out of a possible 1,730 minutes, and she has logged a full 90 in each of the first eight games of 2026 for Duquesne. Sharpless has logged a full game in 60.9 percent (39-of-64) of her career contests, which includes a career-high 110 minutes against Fordham in the quarterfinals of the 2025 Atlantic 10 Championship.

Captain O Captain – Serving as team captains for Duquesne in 2026 are seniors Jayden Sharpless and Anna Bundy. Bundy started all 19 games for the Dukes last season and has appeared in 62 contests throughout her career on the Bluff, registering four goals and 10 points. She was named to the 2023 Atlantic 10 All-Rookie Team.

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