Duke Hosts UNC Wilmington in Home Opener Thursday

Thursday, August 29

Durham, N.C.

7 p.m.

Duke University

UNC Wilmington

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Photo by: Duke Athletics

Duke Hosts UNC Wilmington in Home Opener Thursday

8/28/2024 2:00:00 PM | Women's Soccer

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Match 3
UNC Wilmington (2-1-1) at Duke (1-1-0)
Thursday, Aug. 29, 2024 - 7 PM (ET) - ACC Network Extra
Durham, N.C. (Koskinen Stadium)
ACC Network Extra Talent: Chris Edwards (PXP)

NEED TO KNOW

After kicking off the season with a pair of road contests, Duke (1-1-0) returns home to open a five-match homestand starting Thursday, Aug. 29 as the Blue Devils host UNC Wilmington (2-1-1) at 7 p.m., inside Koskinen Stadium.
Thursday's contest will be aired live on ACCNX with Chris Edwards on the call.
At Nebraska, three first time Duke goal scorers -- Ella Hase, Farrah Walters and Mia Minestrella - scored goals for the Blue Devils, while Mia Oliaro tallied her first Duke assists (2).
Freshman Mary Long missed the Nebraska match as she was training with the U.S. U-17 Women's National Team. She returned to Duke practice on Saturday, Aug. 24.
Duke welcomed eight newcomers to the 2024 roster as head coach Robbie Church is in his 24th season in Durham. Church announced on July 22, 2024 he will be retiring at the end of the season and Duke will be promoting 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.

STORYLINES/OTHER BLUE DEVIL NOTES

Hannah Bebar is expected to play in her 50th collegiate match on Thursday.
Duke needs one home victory to reach 250 in program history.
Goalkeeper Leah Freeman posted her 24th career shutout and moved past the 6,000-minute mark at Nebraska.
Over the last four years, Duke features an 11-2 record in the month of August.
The last time the Blue Devils dropped a season opener was in 2017. Duke went on to win 19 straight matches after the loss and made an appearance in the NCAA College Cup.
Duke was shutout in the season opener for the first time since 2014, which was also a loss to Ohio State (1-0).
Rookie Mary Long was named to the TopDrawerSoccer First Team Freshman Best XI Team.
The trio of Hannah Bebar (Midfielder), Farrah Walters (Forward) and Kat Rader (Forward) were named to the United Soccer Coaches watch lists for preseason honors.
The Blue Devils return 10 starters and 17 letterwinners from the previous season. Of the 15 goals scored in 2023, the Blue Devils return players that scored 13 of those led by Kat Rader (7), Carina Lageyre (2) and Katie Groff (2).
Duke brought in four transfers for the 2024 campaign that feature excellent resumes. Hannah Bebar, Farrah Walters, Ella Hase and Mia Oliaro have combined to play in 141 matches with 132 starts, scored 48 goals, added 42 assists and notched 138 points over their careers.
The Blue Devils were ranked No. 24 nationally in the United Soccer Coaches poll, which marked the ninth time out of the last 10 years Duke has been preseason ranked.
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.
Blue Devil head coach Robbie Church is six wins away from reaching 300 victories at Duke.
Duke will take its eight natives of California back to their home state in October for a week-long road trip to play Stanford (Oct. 10) and California (Oct. 13).

THE SERIES WITH UNCW

Duke currently features a 3-0-0 ledger against the Seahawks.
The Blue Devils first competed against UNCW in 2009 at home in Durham, N.C., with a 3-0 victory.
In Duke's most recent match against Wilmington, which took place March 6, 2021, the Blue Devils defeated the Seahawks 3-0.
Duke head coach Robbie Church owns a 3-0-0 ledger against UNCW.

SCOUTING THE SEAHAWKS

UNC Wilmington owns a 2-1-1 ledger with victories coming against Charlotte and Coastal Carolina.
The Seahawks feature five different players that have scored one goal on the season.
Morgan Hobbs has anchored the goal with a 1.02 goals-against average.

DUKE VERSUS THE CAA

Duke has a record of 23-6-1 against the CAA. During the last match against a Colonial Athletic Conference (CAA) team, Duke defeated Wilmington, 3-0, in 2021.
Head coach Robbie Church currently holds a 15-1-1 record against the CAA.

UNCW CONNECTION

Duke head coach Robbie Church's daughter, Ashley, played on the UNC Wilmington soccer team from 2004-2007.
She scored 11 goals over four seasons.

OFFENSIVE ATTACK

For only the third time under the direction of head coach Robbie Church, the Blue Devils have attempted 20+ shots in the opening two matches to start a season.
This season joins only 2012 and 2015 as times when Duke has attempted 20 or more shots in the opening two matches.
In 2012, Duke attempted 24 and 32 shots against William & Mary and Elon. In 2015, the Blue Devils had 35 and 23 versus Fresno State and Weber State.
This season, Duke had 21 at Ohio State and 20 at Nebraska.
The Blue Devils have not collected 20+ shots in the first three matches to open a season under Church.

A WIN WOULD...

Be the 250th all-time victory in Koskinen Stadium for Duke women's soccer.
Move Church to 295 all-time wins and only six away from 300.

LONG TRAINS WITH U.S. U-17 SQUAD

Duke freshman Mary Long missed the Nebraska match as she received her second call to train with the U.S. Under-17 Women's Youth National Team. Long traveled to Chula Vista, Calif., from Aug. 18-23. It marked the final training camp before the roster is selected for the 2024 FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup in the Dominican Republic.
Long is coming off an impressive showing in the last U.S. U-17 camp as she tallied a pair of goals in the final match against Brazil. The 5-10 midfielder/forward made her Duke debut at Ohio State and tallied nine minutes of action with one shot.
The 2024 FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup will be contested Oct. 16 through Nov. 3 at two stadiums in the Dominican Republic. The USA will face Spain, Colombia and Korea Republic in Group B. The U.S. opens against reigning champion Spain on Wednesday, Oct. 16 at Félix Sánchez Stadium in Santo Domingo. The USA will then face 2022 FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup runners-up Colombia at Félix Sánchez Stadium on Saturday, Oct. 19 and finished group play against Korea Republic on Tuesday, Oct. 22 at Cibao University Stadium in Santiago de los Caballeros.

LAST TIME OUT

Duke traveled to Nebraska and totaled an impressive 3-0 victory on the road in Lincoln.
Three different Blue Devils -- Ella Hase, Farrah Walters and Mia Minestrella -- scored their first goals in a Duke uniform.
Sophomore transfer Mia Oliaro added two assists on the first and third goals.
Leah Freeman had one save in goal over 90 minutes and notched her 24th career shutout.
Duke held a 20-6 shot advantage for the match.

APPROACHING 300 WINS

Heading into his final season at Duke, head coach Robbie Church is only six wins way from reaching the 300-mark at Duke.
Church owns a 294-148-66 ledger at Duke over his 24 years with the Blue Devils.
He is the winningest coach in Duke women's soccer history.