No. 1 Blue Devils Host No. 12 Hokies Saturday with NCAA College Bid on Line

Saturday, November 30

Durham, N.C.

6 p.m.

Duke University

Virginia Tech

Buy Tickets

Photo by: Duke Athletics

No. 1 Blue Devils Host No. 12 Hokies Saturday with NCAA College Bid on Line

11/29/2024 10:00:00 AM | Women's Soccer

Live Stats l Watch on ESPN+ l Twitter l 2024 Media Guide l Media Hub l Buy Tickets l Student Tickets l Game Day Information l Match Notes l Digital Program

Match 21 – NCAA Tournament Quarterfinals
#12 Virginia Tech (14-5-3, 6-2-2 ACC) at #1 Duke (17-2-1, 9-0-1 ACC)
Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024 – 6:00 PM (ET) – ESPN+
Durham, N.C. (Koskinen Stadium)
ESPN+ Talent: Dean Linke (PXP), Matt Stradley (Analyst)

NEED TO KNOW

For the 10th time out of the last 14 years, Duke women's soccer will compete in the NCAA Quarterfinals as the top-seeded Blue Devils (17-2-1) will host 12th-ranked Virginia Tech (14-5-3) on Saturday, Nov. 30 at 6 p.m., inside Koskinen Stadium.
Saturday's contest will be aired live on ESPN+ with Dean Linke (PXP) and Matt Stradley (Analyst) on the call.
The Blue Devils are looking to move on to the NCAA College Cup for the fifth time in program history -- 1992, 2011, 2015 and 2017.
In NCAA Tournament matches being played in Durham, N.C., the Blue Devils boast a 31-3-1 record.
Duke is making its 29th appearance in the NCAA Tournament and enter as a top-16 national seed for the eighth time out of the last nine seasons. It marked the first time in Blue Devil history the squad was the No. 1 overall seed.
Robbie Church announced on July 22, 2024 he will be retiring at the end of the season. Duke will be promote associate head coach Kieran Hall to head coach in 2025. Current assistant coach Carla Overbeck will move to associate head coach in 2025 as well.
Saturday's match will be Church's final at Koskinen Stadium.

STORYLINES/OTHER BLUE DEVIL NOTES

Maggie Graham will play in her 100th career match Saturday in the quarterfinals.
Katie Groff helped lead Duke to the 51st shutout over her last five years on defense against MSU last weekend.
Of the eight teams remaining in the NCAAs, six of them are from the ACC.
Mia Oliaro has scored a goal or registered an assist in 12 of the past 13 matches. In 40 matches in college, when she nets a point in a game her team has not lost (16-0).
Maggie Graham totaled two goals in each of the first two matches of the 2024 NCAAs, becoming the first Blue Devil to accomplish it.
Mia Minestrella tied an NCAA Tournament record with four goals against Howard. She became the 10th player in NCAA history to accomplish the feat, while Texas' Holly Ward became the 11th after Minestrella on Nov. 15. Of the 11 players who have accomplished it, Minestrella is the fourth to do it in her first NCAA contest.
On the season, Duke has 67 goals by 13 different players. Eleven Blue Devils have totaled two or more goals. Duke has also scored two or more goals in 15 of the past 16 contests.
Duke currently features an 11-win turnaround from a season ago, which is the second-biggest win difference nationally this season. Stephen F. Austin owns the best in 2024 with a 12-win improvement.
Blue Devil sophomore Mia Oliaro (2, 13) fifth year Ella Hase (2, 13), and junior Devin Lynch (6, 10) all rank in the top six of the ACC in assists and top 16 nationally.
Duke has scored 67 goals in 20 matches this season, compared to the 15 goals in 16 contests a season ago.
The last time the Blue Devils dropped a season opener was in 2017. Duke went on to win 19 straight after the loss and made an appearance in the NCAA College Cup.
Duke was shut out in the season opener for the first time since 2014, which was also a loss to Ohio State (1-0).
The last time Duke head coach Robbie Church dealt with a losing season was in 2014 and the next year he led the Blue Devils to the 2015 NCAA College Cup.

THE SERIES WITH VIRGINIA TECH

Duke and Virginia Tech will meet for the 22nd time in program history. The Blue Devils lead the series, 13-5-3, and have not lost to the Hokies since Oct. 4, 2015 in Durham (4-2).
In matches played in Durham, Duke holds an 8-2-1 ledger.
The two squads did not face each other in 2024 and the Blue Devils have won three straight contests in Durham dating back to 2017.
Head coach Robbie Church owns a 13-5-3 record versus the Hokies.
In the last meeting with Virginia Tech, then freshman Phoebe Goldthwaite scored her first collegiate goal on the road in Blacksburg on Oct. 19, 2023. Goldthwaite came off the bench to score the tally as Duke outshot Virginia Tech, 13-4.

DUKE/VIRGINIA TECH MEET AGAIN IN QUARTERS

Virginia Tech will be making its second appearance in the NCAA Quarterfinals and the second time the Hokies will face Duke.
On Nov. 29, 2013, the Blue Devils traveled to Blacksburg, Va., for the NCAA Quarterfinals and Duke dropped a 3-0 decision on the road.
Virginia Tech outshot Duke, 18-12, and received the first goal of the match with 13 seconds remaining in the first half.

SCOUTING THE HOKIES

Virginia Tech is coming off totaling NCAA Tournament wins against Tennessee (2-1), UCLA (2-1) and Iowa (1-0) and owns a 14-5-3 ledger.
The Hokies have been led by a balanced scoring attack with Natalie Mitchell (5 goals, 6 assists) and Taylor Price (6 goals, 2 assists), while Lauren Hargrove has been solid in goal with nine shutouts and a 0.77 goals-against average.
On the road in 2024, Virginia Tech owns a 5-3-3 ledger.

HEY, I KNOW YOU

Blue Devil sophomore Phoebe Goldthwaite along with freshman Lauren Martinho were teammates with Hokie sophomore Ella Bjorklund at NC Courage Girls Development Academy. Both Goldthwaite and Bjorklund were co-captains as well.
Duke sophomore Mia Oliaro and Goldthwaite played with Virginia Tech's Gabby Ciocca on the 2024 NC Courage USL W League summer team together. The team won the championship.
Oliaro and Ciocca both went to Chapel Hill High School and live in the same neighborhood.

FAST START IN 2024 NCAA TOURNAMENT

Duke scored 11 goals over the first two NCAA Tournament contests, which was a new school record. The 13 goals in first three matches equals the most in Duke history (2012).
Maggie Graham and Mia Minestrella each totaled four goals over the first two matches, which were tied for third for a NCAA Tournament in Duke history.
Graham was the first Blue Devil to register two goals in each of the first two NCAA Tournament matches. Graham's 10 points over the two matches were tied for the third-most in a NCAA Tournament for Duke.
Ella Hase owns four assists over the three matches, which is tied for the eighth most for Duke in a NCAA Tournament.
Duke has totaled three straight shutouts to open the NCAA Tournament for only the third time in program history (2017, 1992). The Blue Devils had not posted three straight shutouts since early December.
Duke has allowed only 10 shots, including one on goal, in three NCAA Tournament matches in 2024.

LOOKING AT THE 2024 NCAA TOURNAMENT STATS

Duke's goal differential (13), points (41), assists (15) and goals (13) rank first in the 2024 NCAA Tournament.
Duke and North Carolina are the only two teams to not allow a goal so far in the three matches.
Ella Hase's four assists rank first, while Mia Oliaro, Phoebe Goldthwaite and Mia Minestrella are tied for fifth with two assists.
Maggie Graham and Minestrella rank second with four goals.
Leah Freeman is tied for first with UNC's Clare Gagne with three shutouts.
Minestrella leads the field with 10 points, while Graham is third with eight points.

IN THE NCAA TOURNAMENT

The Blue Devils are competing in their 29th all-time NCAA Championship and hold a 51-24-11 overall record in 86 tournament matches.
The Blue Devils are 44-17-10 under Robbie Church in the NCAA Championship. He has led Duke to the big dance in 21 of his 24 seasons in Durham.
Duke has advanced to the quarterfinal round of the NCAA Championship 10 times over the past 14 seasons (since 2011).
The Blue Devils have advanced to the quarterfinals in four out of the last five seasons.

NCAA QUARTERFINAL APPEARANCES SINCE 2011
Rk           Team     Appearances (last)
1.            Florida State       11 (2023)
2.            Duke                     10 (2022)
3.            Stanford               9 (2023)
                North Carolina   9 (2023)
5.            UCLA                     7 (2022)
                Penn State           7 (2023)
7.            Virginia                 6 (2022)

PLAYING AT HOME IN THE NCAAS

Duke will look to capitalize on one of the best home-field advantages in the nation provided by Koskinen Stadium.
In NCAA Quarterfinal matches played in Durham, Duke owns a 2-1 ledger with wins coming in 2011 and 2017. The lone loss came in 2021 to Santa Clara.
The Blue Devils boast a 71-14-10 record at the venue since the start of the 2017 campaign.
Duke has outscored its opponents 49-5 at home this season. The Blue Devils have totaled program-record 49 goals at home this season, passing the previous mark of 40 from 2017.
Duke is 31-3-1 in NCAA Championship matches played in Durham.
Mia Minestrella owns a team-high 10 goals at Koskinen, while Maggie Graham has nine. Mia Oliaro owns six and Devin Lynch has totaled five on the year.
Duke is averaging 4.1 goals per game at home this season and has scored three or more in 10 of the 12 matches.

CHURCH TO COACH FINAL MATCH AT KOSKINEN

For the final time as the Duke head coach, Robbie Church, will take the field at Koskinen Stadium on Saturday in the NCAA Quarterfinals.
It will mark the 258th time he will coach the Blue Devils at Koskinen Stadium. He owns a 179-46-32 ledger over his career.
Church has collected an impressive 27-1-1 record in NCAA matches played in Durham. Duke has outscored opponents by a 89-10 ledger in those matches.
If Duke were to advance to the NCAA College Cup, Church will make his fourth appearance (2011, 2015, 2017).
Church owns 397 wins all-time as a women's head coach and if he leads Duke to the NCAA Championship he would receive his 400th victory.

RECORD WATCH

Duke has now scored 49 goals at home this season, which snapped the Blue Devils' previous mark of 40 from the 2017 campaign.
The Blue Devils snapped the most points and assists in a season record against Michigan State and tied the most goals in a season as well.

                MOST POINTS IN A SEASON
                1.            2024 (62 goals, 71 assists)           212
                2.            2012 (65 goals, 77 assists)            207
                3.            2004 (65 goals, 73 assists)            203

                MOST GOALS IN A SEASON
                1.            1989     67
                                2024     67
                3.            2012     65
                                2004     65

                MOST ASSISTS IN A SEASON
                1.            2024     78
                2.            2012     77
                3.            2004     73

ROBBIE CHURCH IN FINAL NCAAS

Duke head coach Robbie Church is competing in his 21st NCAA Tournament with the Blue Devils and 22nd overall as a head coach.
He owns a 44-17-10 ledger for a 69.0 winning percentage in those games.
Church's 22 NCAA appearances rank tied for ninth nationally behind Anson Dorrance (42, North Carolina), Jerry Smith (34, Santa Clara), Len Tsantiris (31, UConn), Steve Swanson (29, Virginia), G Guerrieri (28, Texas A&M), Jennifer Rockwood (25, BYU), Tony da Luz (23, Wake Forest), Nikki Izzo-Brown (23, West Virginia), Robbie Church (22, Duke), Paul Ratcliffe (22, Stanford).
Church's 45 NCAA Tournament wins rank eighth among all-time coaches (includes one win at Charlotte).

MULTIPLE DOUBLE-DIGIT ASSISTS

For only the second time in program history, Duke features three players with 10 or more assists on the season -- Mia Oliaro (13), Ella Hase (13) and Devin Lynch (10).
Other seasons with multiple players with 10-plus assists were 2017 (Imani Dorsey, Ella Stevens), 2012 (Laura Weinberg, Cassie Pecht, Gilda Doria) and 2004 (Rebecca Moros, Carolyn Ford).

SCORING TANDEMS

The Duke duo of Mia Minestrella and Maggie Graham currently rank as the tied for fifth-highest scoring tandem in Blue Devil history with 26 goals combined.

TOP SCORING TANDEMS IN DUKE HISTORY
32           Laura Weinberg (16), Kim DeCesare (16), 2012
31           Michelle Cooper (19), Kat Rader (12), 2022
28           Imani Dorsey (14), Kayla McCoy (14), 2017
27           KayAnne Gummersall (15), Elisabeth Redmond (12), 2008
26           Kelly Walbert (18), Andi Melde (8), 1994
26           Mia Minestrella (12), Maggie Graham (14), 2024
25           Casey McCluskey (16), Carolyn Riggs (9), 2004

LAST TIME OUT

The Blue Devils featured a late goal in the first half and one early in the second en route to helping lead Duke to a 2-0 win against Michigan State in the NCAA Round of 16.
Carina Lageyre tallied a first half goal, while Devin Lynch added one in the second half to put Duke on the board.
Duke scored a goal in the first half for the 18th time out of 20 matches this season, including eight straight.
In the first three matches of the 2024 NCAA Tournament, Duke has scored 13 goals and had seven different goal scorers.
In goal, Leah Freeman collected her 29th career shutout and the Blue Devils now own 11 on the season as a team.
The Blue Devils reached 17 wins on the year, which is tied for the third-most under head coach Robbie Church.
The Blue Devils dominated possession and held a 29-3 shot advantage. A total of 10 Duke players attempted shots, led by a season-high six by Ella Hase.

NCAA DEBUT & NCAA EXPERIENCE

After collecting an impressive career in goal at both Duke and Oregon, fifth year Leah Freeman made her NCAA Tournament debut against Howard. After playing 81 career contests in college, the 82nd was her first in NCAA action. In three contests so far in 2024, she hasn't allowed a goal over 251:41 minutes.
Hannah Bebar competed in five NCAA Tournament matches and notched one goal and two assists over that span at Harvard. Her squad wasn't able to get past the second round during her time with the Crimson.
Ella Hase helped lead Northwestern to the round of 16 in the 2022 NCAA Tournament.
Junior Farrah Walters and her Santa Clara squad advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament in each of the last two years.
Katie Groff (2020-21, 2021, 2022), Nicky Chico (2020-21, 2021, 2022), Maggie Graham (2020-21, 2021, 2022) and Devin Lynch (2022) were a part of Duke's NCAA runs earlier in their careers.
Carina Lageyre made her NCAA debut against Texas Tech as she was injured as a freshman in 2022 when Duke made its run to the NCAA quarterfinals. She missed the Howard match.
Mia Oliaro appeared in the NCAA Tournament a season ago with North Carolina, playing in all four contests and advancing to the NCAA quarterfinals.
Duke has 11 freshmen and sophomores that are taking part in their first NCAA Tournament.

ACC & OVERALL WIN TURNAROUND

Duke currently features an 11-win turnaround from a season ago, which is the second-biggest win difference nationally this season and the second-best in Duke history. Stephen F. Austin owns the best in 2024 with a 12-win improvement.
The Blue Devils went from six wins in 2023 to 17 in 2024.
In Duke history, the biggest win turnaround was 11 from 2010 (11 wins) to 2011 (22 wins). The second largest was nine from 1991 (8) to 1992 (17) and third was eight in 2016 (15) to 2017 (23) along with 2024.
The ACC record is Duke's 11, while Clemson's 10-win change from 2022 to 2023 was second (8 to 18 wins).
In looking at ACC regular season turnarounds, Duke's seven-win (2 to 9 wins) movement in 2024 is tied for the best change from one season to another along with Virginia from 2013 (6 to 13 wins).

OLIARO HAVING SPECIAL SEASON

In her first season as a Blue Devil, Mia Oliaro is having a special year across the board.
Oliaro ranks third on the team in points with 29, owns eight goals and a tied for team-best 13 assists, while adding three game-winning goals.
She tied a Duke-record with nine straight matches with a goal or an assist, ranking as the longest streak in the ACC. The streak came to an end against UNC in the ACC Championship semifinal.
Her 13 assists rank tied for second in the ACC and are tied for third on Duke's single-season chart.
Oliaro's 0.65 assists per game average ranks second in the league and second nationally.

A WIN WOULD...

Move Duke on to the NCAA College Cup for the fifth time in program history -- 1992, 2011, 2015 and 2017.
Reach 18 wins for the Blue Devils, which would mark the third-most at Duke under head coach Robbie Church -- 23 (2017) and 22 (2011).
Improve Duke to 12-0-1 at home in 2024. The 12 wins would be tied for the third-most in program history.