Duke Heads to Evanston for Pair of Top-Five Outings

The Opening Hit

Duke travels to Evanston, Illinois to take on No. 1 Northwestern Sept. 6 at 12 p.m. (ET) and No. 4 Maryland Sept. 8 at noon. Both games will be available with a field hockey subscription purchase on B1G+. Links are available on GoDuke.com.
Duke enters the ACC/B1G Cup after an outstanding opening weekend. The Blue Devils defeated William & Mary, 5-0, in the opener and returned Sunday to down UMass Lowell, 3-1. Duke dominated action in both games, outshooting the two opponents 45-5. The Blue Devils held William & Mary without a shot.
The fifth-ranked Blue Devils play a pair of top-five teams in No. 1 Northwestern and No. 4 Maryland. It is the second consecutive season Duke will take on two top-five programs in a single weekend and just the second time overall under head coach Pam Bustin. The Blue Devils aim to upend a top-ranked team in the regular season for the first time since 2013 - a 3-2 shootout victory over North Carolina.
The weekend will be a homecoming for freshman Madison Beach, who grew up nearby in Northbrook, Ill. Beach played for Windy City Field Hockey Club and attended Glenbrook North High School 10 miles away from Lakeside Field.

By the Numbers
6 - Points needed by junior Alaina McVeigh to become the 43rd Blue Devil to record 50 career points
1.76 - Career points per game average for McVeigh with 44 points in 25 outings
28 - Shots fired by the Blue Devils in their season-opening win over William & Mary
5 - Shots allowed by the Blue Devils in the 2-0 opening weekend
6 - Different goal scorers for the Blue Devils in the first weekend of the season, including one first-time scorer in Kyle Massey
10 - Contests in 2024 against teams that finished ranked in the top 20 in 2023
970 - Combined wins for Duke head coach Pam Bustin and Maryland head coach Missy Meharg heading into the weekend
164 - Duke wins for head coach Pam Bustin, the most wins by a head coach in program history

Duke in the ACC/B1G Cup

Duke plays Northwestern and Maryland in the ACC/BIG Cup for the ninth time. The Blue Devils have faced the Wildcats and Maryland every season since 2015, except the 2020 campaign and are 10-6 all-time in the event. Duke went 9-1 in the first five tournaments, before a three-year win drought. Duke defeated Maryland and fell to Northwestern last season in College Park.

Homecoming for Madison Beach

Freshman Madison Beach returns to her high school stomping grounds this weekend. The high school All-American played her hockey with the Windy City Field Hockey Club and for Glennbrook North High School about 10 miles away. It is the same high school Duke men's basketball head coach Jon Scheyer attended.
Beach finished her high school career with 290 career points from 107 goals and 76 assists in 80 games. She led the Spartans to the state title her senior season.

Series Histories

Duke meets Northwestern for the 16th time overall and for the 11th time in the past 12 seasons. The Blue Devils are 8-7 overall against the Wildcats and 1-4 in the past five matchups. Duke last defeated Northwestern, 2-1, in double overtime in 2019 in Evanston. The Blue Devils have not lost to the Wildcats in Evanston, winning in 2019 and 2004.
Duke and Maryland square off for the 54th time overall and for the 12th time since 2013. The Terrapins have dominated the series, sporting a 36-13-3 record against the Blue Devils. Duke defeated Maryland in a 2-1 thriller and is 2-3 in the past five outings.

Top Five Weekend Awaits

Duke has a pair of top-five opponents this weekend in No. 1 Northwestern and No. 3 Maryland. This will be the second consecutive year the Blue Devils have a top-five weekend set and just the second time overall under head coach Pam Bustin.
Duke is 14-38 against opponents ranked in the top five since 2011 and last defeated a No. 1 team in the regular season Sept. 27, 2013 - a 3-2 shootout victory over No. 1 North Carolina.

A Win Friday Would

Be Pam Bustin's 165th at Duke
Give Duke its first win over a No. 1 team since beating No. 1 Maryland in the 2013 NCAA Semifinal November 22, 2013 and the first regular season win over a No. 1 squad since Sept. 27, 2013 - a 3-2 shootout win over North Carolina.
Be Duke's first win over Northwestern since 2019

Next Game

Duke continues its road stretch next weekend with trips to Old Dominion and Liberty, Sept. 13 and Sept. 15. The Blue Devils return home Sept. 22 against Saint Joseph's.

To stay up to date with Blue Devils field hockey, follow the team on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook by searching "DukeFH".

Duke Centennial
In 2024, Duke celebrates its Centennial, marking one hundred years since Trinity College became Duke University. Duke will use this historic milestone to deepen the understanding of its history, inspire pride and strengthen bonds and partnerships, and prepare for a second century of continued excellence and impactful leadership. To learn more, please visit 100.duke.edu

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