Pittsburgh, Pa. – The Duquesne University women's soccer team closed out a two-game swing through Richmond, Va., Sunday with a 2-1 triumph over VCU in a game played at City Stadium, home of the Richmond Kickers of USL League One. The victory improves the Dukes to 5-4-2 (.545) overall during the 2026 season, including 2-0-1 (.833) in the Atlantic 10.
POINTS OF EMPHASIS
VCU grabbed the equalizer in the second half thanks to Monique McEnhimer, who was able to take possession after two-on-one pressure deep, turn and slip a shot past senior goalkeeper
Ali Hughes for her fifth goal of the campaign at 65:12 to tie the contest, 1-1. The Dukes kept working, and it paid off with just under six minutes to go. A scrum in the box led to a handball on the Rams, with Duquesne earning a penalty kick for the third consecutive game. This time it was freshman forward
Molly Kinsella who got the call, and on her shot from the spot she connected at 84:04, driving the ball into the bottom right corner after VCU keeper Mia Pongratz dove to her right. The goal proved to the be the game winner.
ENGINEERING
Duquesne was able to strike first, collecting a 1-0 lead in the first half. Senior forward
Kayla Leseck laced a ball down field that freshman
Emma Sanderow was able to chase down. She drove toward the end line before tapping a pass to senior
Paige Kuisis, who was perched in the top corner of the box. Similar to her redirect that hit the near post and led to an assist at Richmond (9/24), this time Kuisis found the back of the net, as she connected with her left foot to get it past Pongratz at 28:26. The goal was the first of the season for Kuisis, who became the 10th different player this season for Duquesne to convert.
NOTES
Sanderow registered on the scoresheet for the first time in her NCAA Division I career thanks to the assist on the goal from Kuisis, becoming the 12th different player this year to score … Hughes matched a career high with nine saves in the victory and now owns 62 in 11 games, an average of 5.64 saves per game … Duquesne is unbeaten through its first three Atlantic 10 matches for the first time since 2023, when the Dukes opened conference play 3-0-4 (.556) … The goal for Kinsella was her second of the year … Seniors
Reagan Basehore,
Anna Bundy and
Jayden Sharpless and freshman
Lily De Jesus played a full 90 minutes … VCU (1-7-3 | 1-2-0 Atlantic 10) owned an 18-7 cushion in shots, including 10-4 in shots on frame … Duquesne led in corner kicks, 9-2 ... The contest featured 29 fouls, including 15 for the Rams.
UP NEXT
Duquesne returns home for its next two games, beginning Sunday, Oct. 4, at 1:00 p.m. against George Washington for Youth Day.
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