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No. 13 Blue Devils Head to Syracuse to Open ACC Play
9/15/2018 12:51:00 PM | Women's Soccer
DURHAM, N.C. – After capping their non-conference slate on a five-game winning streak, the No. 13 Duke Blue Devils (6-1-1) hit the road to open the 2018 ACC slate against the Syracuse Orange (3-5-0) Sunday, Sept. 16 at the SU Soccer Stadium.
The match is set for a 1 p.m. ET start and will be broadcast on ACC Network Extra. Fans can access the broadcast through WatchESPN.com or the ESPN app.
Duke owns a 2-0-1 advantage in the series, having won the last two meetings. Last year, the Blue Devils took a 2-0 decision in Syracuse behind Kayla McCoy's fourth-career multi-goal performance, giving them their ninth ACC win of the year, which broke the school record for single-season conference wins.
The Blue Devils' are coming off a 1-0 victory against Old Dominion last week to give them their longest winning streak since the program-record 19-straight wins last year. During the winning streak, Duke has outscored its opponents, 11-2, with seven different players tallying goals. Leading the way for the Blue Devils offensively has been Mackenzie Pluck and Taylor Racioppi, who each have three goals, while McCoy tops the team with eight points (two goals, four assists). Duke has also posted a trio of shutouts in that stretch behind the leadership of goalkeeper Brooke Heinsohn, who stands tied for second in the ACC and seventh in the nation with four clean sheets.
After Sunday's ACC opener, Duke will remain on the road to take on the Miami Hurricanes on Thursday, Sept. 20 at 7 p.m. ET. That match will be broadcast on the ACC Network Extra.
No. 13 Duke Blue Devils (6-1-1)
Roster | Coaches | Statistics | Schedule & Results | Game Notes
Syracuse Orange (3-5-0)
Roster | Coaches | Statistics | Schedule & Results | Game Notes
Game Day Info…
Sunday, September 16
No. 13 Duke at Syracuse – 1:00 p.m. ET
ACC Network Extra
Live Stats
Syracuse, N.Y.
SU Soccer Stadium
Live Broadcast…
Sunday's contest between the Blue Devils and the Orange will be broadcast on ACC Network Extra, which can be accessed by clicking the link below, going to WatchESPN.com or using the ESPN app.
No. 13 Duke at Syracuse ACC Network Extra Broadcast
Live Stats…
Syracuse will provide live statistics for Sunday's matchup. Live stats can be found by clicking the link below.
No. 13 Duke at Syracuse Live Stats
Ticket Information…
There is free admission to all fans looking to watch the No. 13 Blue Devils take on Syracuse in person at the SU Soccer Stadium on Sunday, Sept. 16.
Weather…
Sunday, September 16 – High 84, Low 64; Mostly Sunny (10%)
Last Time Out…
Trailing 1-0 at the half, the Blue Devils rallied for their first comeback win of the year to defeat Nebraska, 1-0. Tess Boade scored the equalizer, with Kayla McCoy and Delaney Graham contributing the assists. Karlie Paschall put in the next two goals via penalty kicks. Both Boade and Paschall scored for the first time this season, while Graham picked up the first point of her career.
The Blue Devils finished off non-conference play and a five-game home stand with a 1-0 victory against Old Dominion, using an early goal from McCoy and stellar defense the final 88 minutes to secure the win. Duke has now won five-straight games entering ACC play.
Thursday, September 6
No. 14 Duke def. Nebraska, 3-1 (Recap | Stats)
Sunday, September 9
No. 14 Duke def. Old Dominion, 1-0 (Recap | Stats | Photos)
A Blue Devil Win Would…
- Improve their all-time record against Syracuse to 3-0-1.
- Be the program's sixth-straight win, the longest since the program-record 19-game winning streak set last season (Aug. 20 - Nov. 3, 2017).
- Improve their ACC regular season winning streak to 11-straight games. Their last ACC regular season loss came against Clemson on Oct. 27, 2016 (0-1).
- Mark the first road win of the 2018 season (0-0-1).
- Give them three-straight wins against the Orange.
- Be the second-straight year they have started ACC play with a win and sixth-straight season they have started without a loss (3-0-2).
- Be the 388th victory in program history, moving them 12 away from reaching the 400 mark.
In the Rankings...
Duke
United Soccer Coaches: 13th
Soccer America: 16th
TopDrawerSoccer: 8th
Syracuse
United Soccer Coaches: NR
Soccer America: NR
TopDrawerSoccer: NR
2018 Blue Devil Leaders...
Points: Kayla McCoy, 8
Goals: Mackenzie Pluck & Taylor Racioppi, 3
Assists: Ella Stevens, 5
Shots: Marykate McGuire, 21
Shots On Goal: Kayla McCoy, 12
Game-Winning Goals: Kayla McCoy & Mackenzie Pluck, 2
Goals Against Average: Brooke Heinsohn, 0.49
Saves: Brooke Heinsohn, 26
Save Percentage: Brooke Heinsohn, .867
2018 Blue Devil Goal Tracker…
- Mackenzie Pluck (Unassisted) vs. No. 23 Ohio State – Aug. 16, 2018 (47:02)
- Taylor Racioppi (Ella Stevens) vs. No. 23 Ohio State – Aug. 16, 2018 (80:25)
- Taylor Racioppi (Kayla McCoy) vs. Illinois – Aug. 19 (15:06)
- Kayla McCoy (Taylor Mitchell) vs. Elon – Aug. 26 (33:21)
- Mackenzie Pluck (Ella Stevens; Kayla McCoy) vs. Elon – Aug. 26 (69:24)
- Marykate McGuire (Ella Stevens) vs. Elon – Aug. 26 (82:05)
- Mackenzie Pluck (Ella Stevens) vs. Marquette – Aug. 30 (67:29)
- Ella Stevens (Marykate McGuire) vs. Marquette – Aug. 30 (72:06)
- Taylor Racioppi (Ella Stevens; Kayla McCoy) vs. Providence – Sept. 2 (23:17)
- Marykate McGuire (Karlie Paschall) vs. Providence – Sept. 2 (36:08)
- Tess Boade (Kayla McCoy & Delaney Graham) vs. Nebraska – Sept. 6 (58:34)
- Karlie Paschall (Penalty Kick) vs. Nebraska – Sept. 6 (62:21)
- Karlie Paschall (Penalty Kick) vs. Nebraska – Sept. 6 (82:20)
- Kayla McCoy (Marykate McGuire) vs. Old Dominion – Sept. 9 (2:01)
Scouting the Orange...
Syracuse enters Sunday's ACC opener looking to snap a three-game losing streak. Kate Hostage leads the Orange with four goals on the year, which is tied for ninth in the league. Jordan Harris has been the main goalkeeper for SU, starting seven matches and playing 475:30 minutes, allowing seven goals while making 24 saves.
The Series with Syracuse...
Overall: Duke leads, 2-0-1
In Syracuse: Duke leads, 1-0-1
First Meeting: Duke tied Syracuse, 2-2 [2OT] (Sept. 22, 2013 in Syracuse, N.Y.)
Last Meeting: Duke def. Syracuse, 2-0 (Oct. 22, 2017 in Syracuse, N.Y.)
Current Streak: Duke, +2
The Hurricane Florence Impact…
Due to the inclement weather from Hurricane Florence, Duke Athletics either cancelled or postponed scheduled home events for this week and weekend. The incoming hurricane also altered the Blue Devil women's soccer team's travel plans, as they departed for Syracuse, N.Y., on Thursday morning. DWS traveled to Gettysburg, Pa., practiced at Gettysburg College and then made the rest of the trip on Friday.
Another Day, Another W…
Duke has been on a roll as of late, piecing together five-straight wins heading into conference play. The stretch is the longest since their program-record 19-game winning streak last season, which spanned from Aug. 20 – Nov. 3, 2017. All five wins came during the Blue Devils' five-game home stand, the longest such stretch of their season.
It was a slow start to the year for Duke, only tallying three goals, giving up three and going 1-1-1 in the first three matches. That tide has turned in the last five contests, as the Blue Devils have outscored foes 11-2. Since allowing two goals to Illinois, the Blue Devils have elevated their defense to one of the nation's best. Duke's five shutouts are tied for third in the ACC and its .625 shutout percentage is third in the conference. It's save percentage stands at .875, which is good for third in the league and 25th in the NCAA.
Brooke Heinsohn has been key behind that defensive surge, standing tied for second in the ACC and seventh in the nation with five shutouts. She is also fifth in the league and 29th nationally with a 0.49 GAA.
Stevens Among the DWS Assists Elite...
With her team-high five assists so far, Ella Stevens has cracked the top five on Duke's all-time assists list. She now has 22 for her career, which ties her for fifth in DWS history with Imani Dorsey (2014-17), Carolyn Ford (2002-05) and Laura Weinberg (2010-13). She now sits one away from tying Kelly Walbert (1992-95) for fourth place and seven from tying Mollie Pathman (2010-13) for third. Andi Melde (1994-97) holds the all-time record at Duke with 42.
McCoy Also Making Moves in the Record Book…
Stevens isn't the only Blue Devil making waves in the record books, as senior Kayla McCoy has cracked the top 10 in all-time goals while continuing her climb up the career game-winning goals list. She currently has 28 goals over her career, tying former Blue Devils Caitlin Connolly (1989-92), Carolyn Riggs (2002-05) and Kaitlyn Kerr (2010-13) for 10th all-time. Her next score will tie Imani Dorsey (2014-17) and Kim DeCesare (2010-13) for sixth.
McCoy's two game-winning goals this season has her career total now up to 12, putting her along at fourth on the DWS all-time list. She's two shy of Elizabeth Redmond (2006-09) for third place and eight behind the record holder Kelly Walbert (1992-95), who has 20.
Paschall Shines from the Spot…
The first two penalty attempts of the season came up against Nebraska and Blue Devil sophomore Karlie Paschall made each one count to help Duke secure a 3-1 win. Tied at 1-1, Paschall put away Duke's first PK of the season and then added a second minutes later to give the squad a little bit of insurance.
The two conversions were the first PK attempts of Paschall's career outside of a shootout. The Brentwood, Tenn., native converted her PK attempt during the shootout against UCLA in the 2017 NCAA College Cup Semifinals.
Pluck Growing into an Offensive Threat…
On one of the most youthful squads in Duke history, it only seems right that a freshman is making an early impact. Freshman Mackenzie Pluck is tied for the team lead with three goals in 2018, two of those being game winners. Her trio of scores stand top 15 in the ACC, while the two game-winning goals are tied for tops in the ACC and stand 35th in the country.
Next Up…
The Blue Devils remain on the road as they enter the second week of ACC play, heading to Miami to take on the Hurricanes on Thursday, Sept. 20. The contest, which is set for a 7 p.m. ET start, will be broadcast on ACC Network Extra. Fans can access the broadcast through WatchESPN.com or the ESPN app.
Social Media…
Fans can keep up with all things Duke women's soccer by following the program on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram by searching for “DukeWSoc”. Behind-the-scenes content of women's soccer and all Duke athletic programs can be found on Snapchat by following “dukeathletics”.
#GoDuke
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