Upcoming Event: Women's Soccer versus Clemson on October 30, 2025 at 7 p.m.
Women's Soccer
vs Clemson
No. 5 Blue Devils Wrap Regular Season at Notre Dame
10/24/2018 2:03:00 PM | Women's Soccer
DURHAM, N.C. – With postseason play right around the corner, the fifth-ranked Duke Blue Devils (13-2-2, 7-1-1 ACC) hit the road for their final regular season match of 2018, facing the Notre Dame Fighting Irish (8-9-0, 4-5-0 ACC) Thursday night in South Bend, Ind.
Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. ET and will be broadcast on ACC Network Extra. Fans can access the broadcast on through WatchESPN.com or the ESPN app.
The Blue Devils are coming off a 2-1 victory against No. 11 Boston College on Senior Day Sunday, overcoming an early deficit to earn their fifth-straight win and fourth comeback victory of the season. For the third-straight contest, Duke conceded a goal within the first 10 minutes, but rallied for the win. Freshman Mackenzie Pluck recorded her fourth goal of the season to level the match heading into halftime. Kayla McCoy provided the game winner in the 85th minute, using her team-leading 10th score of the season to propel Duke to its first win against a top 15 opponent this year.
Leading the way for Duke is McCoy, stands tied for first in the ACC in goals and second with 27 points. She's been on fire in ACC play, leading the league in conference-only matches with 19 points and eight goals. Ella Stevens tops the team with 10 assists, a total that stands second in the league and seventh in the nation. She is one short of tying her career-high total of 11 from last season, which was tops in the ACC.
After wrapping up the 2018 regular season on Thursday, the Blue Devils will shift their attention to the 2018 ACC Tournament, with their opening round matchup being held at Koskinen Stadium in Durham. That match against an opponent that will be determined Thursday night once the bracket is set will kick at 1 p.m. ET and will be broadcast on ACC Network Extra.
No. 5 Duke Blue Devils (13-2-2, 7-1-1 ACC)
Roster | Coaches | Statistics | Schedule & Results | Game Notes
Notre Dame Fighting Irish (8-9-0, 4-5-0 ACC)
Roster | Coaches | Statistics | Schedule & Results
Game Day Info…
Thursday, October 25
No. 5 Duke at Notre Dame – 7:00 p.m. ET
ACC Network Extra
Live Stats
South Bend, Ind.
Alumni Stadium
Live Broadcast…
Thursday's contest between the Blue Devils and the Fighting Irish 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. 5 Duke at Notre Dame ACC Network Extra Broadcast
Live Stats…
Duke will provide live statistics for Sunday's matchup. Live stats can be found by clicking the link below.
No. 5 Duke at Notre Dame Live Stats
Ticket Information…
Tickets are available for purchase for Thursday's game between No. 5 Duke and Notre Dame. General admission is $5, with youth (18 & under) and senior (55 & older) tickets at $3.
Notre Dame Women's Soccer Ticket Information
Weather…
Thursday, October 25 – High 51, Low 38; Mostly Cloudy (10%)
Last Time Out…
Duke capped its final week of home regular season matches with a pair of comeback victories. After Louisville scored in the first 10 minutes of Thursday's matchup, Taylor Racioppi recorded her seventh goal of the season in the 24th minute to tie things up at 1-1. Karlie Paschall sank a penalty kick in the 80th minute, improving to 3-for-3 on the season from the PK spot, to seal the victory.
Sunday's match followed a similar storyline, as the Eagles scored in the 10th minute to take the early lead. Mackenzie Pluck tallied the equalizer in the 33rd minute to send the game into the intermission tied at 1-1. Kayla McCoy put the nail in the coffin in the 85th minute, scoring her 10th goal of the year to secure Duke's 2-1 victory.
Thursday, Oct. 18
No. 10 Duke def. Louisville, 2-1 (Recap | Stats | Photos)
Sunday, Oct. 21
No. 10 Duke def. No. 11 Boston College, 2-1 (Recap | Stats | Photos)
A Blue Devil Win Would…
- Improve them to 7-9-1 against the Irish and 4-3-0 in South Bend.
- Give them a two-game winning streak against Notre Dame and three-straight victories in South Bend.
- Secure their ninth Top 75 RPI win of the season (9-2-2).
- Give them 25 ACC wins over the last three years, the best three-year stretch in program history (25-3-2).
- Keep them undefeated on the road, improving their record to 4-0-2.
- Give them a six-game winning streak and make them 13-1-1 in their last 15 matches.
- Be their 18th win in their last 20 ACC regular season games.
- Give Robbie Church 320 career wins as a women's soccer coach. He currently sits tied for 18th amongst active head coaches and tied for 27th all-time.
- Be the 395th victory in program history, moving them five away from reaching the 400 mark.
In the Rankings...
Duke
United Soccer Coaches: 5th
Soccer America: 6th
TopDrawerSoccer: 6th
Notre Dame
United Soccer Coaches: NR
Soccer America: NR
TopDrawerSoccer: NR
2018 Blue Devil Leaders...
Points: Kayla McCoy, 27
Goals: Kayla McCoy, 10
Assists: Ella Stevens, 10
Shots: Kayla McCoy, 50
Shots On Goal: Kayla McCoy, 27
Game-Winning Goals: Kayla McCoy, 4
Goals Against Average: Brooke Heinsohn, 0.75
Saves: Brooke Heinsohn, 46
Save Percentage: Brooke Heinsohn, .780
2018 Blue Devil Goal Tracker…
- Mackenzie Pluck (Unassisted) vs. #23 Ohio State - Aug. 16 (47:02)
- Taylor Racioppi (Ella Stevens) vs. #23 Ohio State - Aug. 16 (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)
- Taylor Racioppi (Marykate McGuire) at Syracuse - Sept. 16 (33:58)
- Marykate McGuire (Delaney Graham) at Syracuse - Sept. 16 (39:54)
- Lily Nabet (Kayla McCoy & Karlie Paschall) at Syracuse - Sept. 16 (55:26)
- Kayla McCoy (Karlie Paschall) at Syracuse - Sept. 16 (71:13)
- Tess Boade (Mackenzie Pluck) at Miami – Sept. 20 (43:36)
- Taylor Racioppi (Karlie Paschall) at Miami – Sept. 20 (58:23)
- Kayla McCoy (Karlie Paschall & Marykate McGuire) vs. #4 Virginia – Sept. 23 (89:23)
- Kayla McCoy (Ella Stevens) at #21 NC State – Sept. 27 (76:31)
- Kayla McCoy (Taylor Racioppi) vs. Wake Forest – Oct. 4 (2:46)
- Kayla McCoy (Kat McDonald) vs. Wake Forest – Oct. 4 (27:22)
- Kat McDonald (Ella Stevens) vs. Wake Forest – Oct. 4 (89:11)
- Kayla McCoy (Ella Stevens & Kat McDonald) vs. Virginia Tech – Oct. 7 (66:54)
- Karlie Paschall (Unassisted) vs. Virginia Tech – Oct. 7 (85:50)
- Kat McDonald (Unassisted) at Clemson – Oct. 13 (47:44)
- Kayla McCoy (Tess Boade) at Clemson – Oct. 13 (54:37)
- Taylor Racioppi (Lily Nabet) at Clemson – Oct. 13 (76:21)
- Taylor Racioppi (Kayla McCoy & Ella Stevens) vs. Louisville – Oct. 18 (23:13)
- Karlie Paschall (Penalty Kick) vs. Louisville – Oct. 18 (79:40)
- Mackenzie Pluck (Kayla McCoy & Ella Stevens) vs. #11 Boston College – Oct. 21 (32:52)
- Kayla McCoy (Tess Boade) vs. #11 Boston College – Oct. 21 (84:28)
Scouting the Fighting Irish...
Notre Dame is 8-9-0 this season with a 4-5-0 record in ACC play and have won two of its last three matches. Karin Muya tops the team with seven goals and 15 points, while Jen Westendorf leads the Irish with five assists while also contributing 13 points. Brooke Littman has been ND's main keeper, playing in 11 matches, allowing 18 goals (1.75 GAA) and making 27 saves.
The Series with Notre Dame...
Overall: Notre Dame leads, 9-6-1
In South Bend: Tied, 3-3-0
First Meeting: Duke def. Notre Dame, 2-0 (Oct. 22, 1989 in Durham, N.C.)
Last Meeting: Duke def. Notre Dame, 3-0 (Sept. 21, 2017 in South Bend, Ind.)
Current Streak: Duke, +1
Duke Looks for Back-to-Backs W's at Notre Dame...
Duke will be looking for its second-straight win against the Irish when the two battle in Thursday's regular-season finale. The Blue Devils picked up a 3-0 victory in last year's meeting, a win that gave the Blue Devils their ninth-straight victory, which set the program record. Duke has won its last two games in South Bend, with its last ND road loss coming in 2007.
Blue Devils Secure No. 2 Seed in 2018 ACC Tournament…
Sunday's victory against No. 11 Boston College helped the Blue Devils secure the No. 2 seed in the upcoming 2018 ACC Tournament. This is the third-straight year that Duke has earned a top three seed in the tournament. The Blue Devils will host their ACC Quarterfinal matchup on Sunday, Oct. 28 against an opponent to be determined. That match will start at 1 p.m. ET and will be broadcast on ACC Network Extra.
Simmons, McCoy Earn TopDrawerSoccer Weekly Honors…
After turning in stellar performances on the field last week and leading the No. 10 Duke Blue Devils to a pair of crucial ACC victories, freshman Sydney Simmons and senior Kayla McCoy were named to the TopDrawerSoccer Team of the Week, the publication announced Tuesday. Simmons and McCoy are the fourth and fifth Blue Devils to earn TopDrawerSoccer's weekly honors this year, joining Brooke Heinsohn (Aug. 28), Karlie Paschall (Sept. 18) and Taylor Racioppi (Oct. 16). Simmons, who has earned a weekly honor for the first time in her career, is the first Blue Devil this season to be named to the Team of the Week, while the other four all earned Honorable Mention laurels.
McCoy Puts Her Mark on 2018 Senior Day…
In her final regular season game at Koskinen, Kayla McCoy did nothing short of impress those watching. After assisting on the game-tying score in the first half to help send the contest into the half tied at 1-1, the senior tallied her team-leading 10th goal of the season in the 85th minute to propel the Blue Devils to a 2-1 victory against Boston College. It's the fourth time this season the Lincolnwood, Ill., native has recorded a game-winning goal.
2018 Senior Class Continues to Dominate…
The 2018 Duke women's soccer senior class continues to do what it's done best for four years: win. Sunday's victory moved its win total to 65, which makes them the winningest senior class in program history. Last year's class in second with 60 victories.
In their four years, the DWS seniors of Chelsea Burns, Kayla McCoy, Kat McDonald and Taylor Racioppi have made two trips to the NCAA College Cup, including a National Championship game appearance in 2015, and a trip to the NCAA Quarterfinals in 2016. The group of four also captured the 2017 ACC Regular Season Championship and has picked up at least one win against every ACC program.
Five. In. A. Row…
The Blue Devils are heading into the postseason as one of the hottest teams in the nation, defeating No. 11 Boston College on Sunday for their fifth-straight win to improve to 13-2-2 on the year and 9-1-1 in their last 10 contests. This is the second five-plus winning streak of the season, as Duke reeled off seven-consecutive victories from Aug. 26 vs. Elon to Sept. 20 at Miami.
McCoy Keeps the Good Times Rolling…
There was no doubt that senior Kayla McCoy would be the Blue Devils' offensive catalyst in 2018 and she hasn't disappointed, especially as Duke hits the midway point of conference play. McCoy leads the team with 27 points (T-1st ACC) and 10 goals (2nd ACC) while her seven assists are tied for fourth on the squad. The Lincolnwood, Ill., native has tallied one four-point and three three-point contests this season and has at least one in all but four matches in 2018, tallying a point in 11 of the last 12 matches.
McCoy's play has ramped up in conference action, as she has tallied seven goals and an assist in seven ACC contests. Her eight scores and 19 points both lead the league. She is also tops in the conference with 0.89 goals per game and 2.11 points per game while standing tied for third with 31 shots and 3.44 shots per game.
McCoy Continues Her Record Book Climb…
Senior Kayla McCoy has cracked a number of top 10 charts so far this season, including entering the top five in a number of records. With her goal on Sunday, she currently has 36 for her career, putting her fourth all-time. Kelly Walbert (1992-95) owns the program record with 47-career scores.
McCoy's four game-winning goals this season has her career total now up to 14, putting her tied for third on the DWS all-time list. She's three shy of Casey McCluskey (2001-04) for second place and six behind the record holder Kelly Walbert (1992-95), who has 20.
The Duke senior forward also stands tied for fourth with 88 career points and tied for fifth with five career multi-goal performances.
Stevens Among the DWS Assists Elite...
With her team-high 10 dimes so far, Ella Stevens has cracked the top five on Duke's all-time assists list. She now has 27 for her career, which is fourth in DWS history. She is three from tying Mollie Pathman (2010-13) for third. Andi Melde (1994-97) holds the all-time record at Duke with 42.
DWS Stays Dominant in ACC Regular Season Action…
Duke's win on Sunday also extended its dominance in regular season conference play. The Blue Devils have either won or tied in 17 of their last 18 ACC regular season games. Duke went a perfect 10-0-0 last season en route to claiming the third ACC Regular Season Championship in program history and are 7-1-1 through nine matches this year.
Blue Devils One of the Nation's Top Assists Teams…
With 36 assists so far this year, the Blue Devils have become one of the nation's best when it comes to dropping dimes. Their 36 rank fourth in the ACC and 19th in the country. Leading the way is Ella Stevens, who has 10 assists this season. Those eight are second in the conference and seventh in the NCAA.
Next Up…
After wrapping up the 2018 regular season on Thursday, the Blue Devils will shift their attention to the 2018 ACC Tournament, with their opening round matchup being held at Koskinen Stadium in Durham. That match against an opponent that will be determined Thursday night once the bracket is set will kick at 1 p.m. ET and will be broadcast on ACC Network Extra.
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
Players Mentioned
F/M
/ Women's Soccer
D/M
/ Women's Soccer
D
/ Women's Soccer
GK
/ Women's Soccer
F
/ Women's Soccer
M
/ Women's Soccer
F
/ Women's Soccer
D/M
/ Women's Soccer
M
/ Women's Soccer
F/M
/ Women's Soccer
M
/ Women's Soccer
M
/ Women's Soccer
M
/ Women's Soccer
M/F
/ Women's SoccerMia Minestrella Postgame Vs. NC State
Monday, October 27
Kieran Hall Postgame Vs. NC State
Monday, October 27
Kieran Hall Postgame Vs. Syracuse
Friday, October 24
Avery Oder Postgame vs. UNC
Sunday, October 12
