Blue Devils Host Syracuse Thursday

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Match 14
Syracuse (5-7-4, 1-6-1 ACC) at #7 Duke (9-3-1, 4-3-0 ACC)
Thursday, Oct. 23, 2025 - 7 PM (ET) - ACC Network Extra
Durham, N.C. (Koskinen Stadium)
ACC Network Extra Talent: Dean Linke (PXP), Matt Stradley (Color)

NEED TO KNOW

The Duke women's soccer team returns home to Freeman Field at Koskinen Stadium Thursday, Oct. 23 as the seventh-ranked Blue Devils (9-3-1) host Syracuse (5-7-4) at 7 p.m.
Thursday's match will be aired live on ACC Network Extra with Dean Linke (PXP) and Matt Stradley (Color) calling the action.
Duke has won 18 out of its last 21 home contests.
Duke ranks first nationally in assists with a 3.85 per game average and sixth in corner kicks per match (7.46).
In September, Duke played five games over a seven-day stretch. The Blue Devils are coming off a month of playing one match a week. Duke features its first two-match week since the middle of September. The Blue Devils are coming off playing four matches over the last 26 days.
Duke remained in the top 10 of the United Soccer Coaches poll this week and have been in the top 10 in nine of the 11 polls in 2025.
Duke's duo of Kat Rader and Mia Minestrella were named to the Hermann Trophy Midseason Watch. They were two of 35 players selected for the prestigious award.
First year head coach Kieran Hall has kicked off his career with the Blue Devils with a 9-3-1 ledger.

STORYLINES/OTHER BLUE DEVIL NOTES

The Blue Devils have scored two or more goals in five matches in a row and averaged 3.0 goals a contest during that stretch.
For the second time this season, Avery Oder has scored goals in back-to-back games.
Duke is averaging 3.38 goals and 21.5 shots a game in eight home contests in 2025.
Kat Rader has scored or assisted in 10 of the 12 matches played this year.
The Blue Devils are currently No. 10 in the latest NCAA RPI with Duke's three losses coming against No. 1 (Notre Dame), No. 2 (Virginia) and No. 24 (Wake Forest).
Mia Minestrella registered her ninth career goal against an ACC opponent versus Virginia Tech. She owns five goals in seven ACC matches in 2025.
Kat Rader ranks second in the ACC in points per game (1.92), fifth in assists per game (.58) and seventh in assists (7). She is sixth nationally in points per game (1.92) and 12th assists per game (.58). Mia Oliaro is fourth nationally and second in the ACC in assists per game (.69), while fifth nationally and second in the ACC in assists (9).
With her next assist, Mia Oliaro will register back-to-back seasons with 10 or more assists.
Mia Minestrella and Kelly Walbert (1994-95) are the only Duke players in program history to score in three or more straight ACC games in back-to-back seasons. Walbert is a Duke Hall of Fame selection. These came 30 seasons apart.

THE SERIES WITH SYRACUSE

Duke and Syracuse will meet for the ninth time in program history when the Orange come to town Thursday.
The Blue Devils are 7-0-1 all-time against Syracuse, including a 3-0-0 record in matches played in Durham. Duke has won each of the last seven matchups with the Orange.
The Blue Devils hold a 23-3 goal advantage over the Orange all-time and a 10-1 advantage in home games. The last time Duke allowed a goal to Syracuse was on October 27, 2019, in a 4-1 home victory.
The teams last faced each other on September 16, 2022, when Duke won 1-0 on the road. Former Blue Devil Maggie Graham headed in the game-winner in the 89th minute.

SCOUTING SYRACUSE

The Orange enter the match with a 4-7-4 record after their 0-1 loss at home against Boston College last Sunday. The team is 1-6-1 in ACC play.
Syracuse is 2-2-2 in road games this season. The Orange hold a 5-7 goal disadvantage in matches away from home.
Senior forward Mia Klammer leads Syracuse in scoring with seven goals on the season. The Orange are anchored in goal by four-year starter Shea Vanderbosch, who holds a Syracuse record with 365 career saves.
After starting the season 4-1-4, the Orange have lost six of their last seven. Opponents have outscored Syracuse 15-2 during this stretch.
Syracuse is in its seventh season under head coach Nicky Thrasher Adams. The Orange are coming off a 6-10-2 season in 2024 that saw them go 0-9-1 in ACC play.

A WIN WOULD...

Improve Duke to 10-3-1 overall and 5-3-0 in the ACC.
Move Duke to 4-0 in the month of October.
Give the Blue Devils 10 wins on the season for the 29th time out of 38 seasons in Duke women's soccer history.
Mark the eighth in a row against Syracuse.

LAST TIME OUT

Duke traveled to Blacksburg, Virginia and came away with a 3-2 victory this past Saturday.
The Blue Devils totaled three goals in the second half by Mia Minestrella, Avery Oder and Julia Saunicheva to take a 3-2 lead.
Virginia Tech scored goals in the 79th and 87th minutes to cut into the lead.
Duke held an 18-11 shot advantage.

LOVE BEING AT KOSKI

Over her three seasons at Duke, Kat Rader has enjoyed playing at home inside Koskinen Stadium as the redshirt junior has totaled 14 goals, five assists and 33 points in 18 matches.

HOME FIELD ADVANTAGE

The Blue Devils boast a 78-15-11 record at Koskinen Stadium since the start of the 2017 campaign.
In 2025, Duke has scored 11 of its 27 goals at Koskinen Stadium in the first half.
Prior to the Wake Forest match, the Blue Devils had allowed only seven first half shots and 24 total in five matches. Against the Demon Deacons, Duke allowed four shots and one goal in the opening 45 minutes. The Blue Devils have allowed only 18 first half shots and three goals at home in 2025.
The Blue Devils are allowing only 6.0 shots per game against opponents at home in eight matches in 2025.
Duke has outscored its opponents 79-13 at home over the last two seasons. The Blue Devils totaled a program-record 50 goals at home last season, passing the previous mark of 40 from 2017.
So far in 2025, Duke has outscored opponents 27-8 at home with Kat Rader (7), Avery Oder (5), Mia Minestrella (4), Devin Lynch (2) and Farrah Walters (2) leading the way.
Mia Oliaro has collected eight assists in eight home matches in 2025.

TOP FRESHMEN SCORERS

Duke rookie Avery Oder now owns six goals on the season, which is tied for the most by a freshman in the ACC along with Katie Ellemeyer of Pitt and Juju Harris of Clemson.
The most goals nationally by a freshman is eight by Kylie Fuller (Merrimack), Sophia Henry (Army) and Ava McDonald (Texas) with eight.
Duke's record for most goals by a freshman is 12 by Kat Rader and Michelle Cooper.

RADER HAVING IMPRESSIVE SEASON

Redshirt junior Kat Rader is quietly having a very impressive season with eight goals, seven assists and 23 points.
She has totaled at least a goal or assist in 10 of the 12 matches with the lone exceptions being at Miami and at Virginia Tech.
Rader owns two multi-goal performances and notched goals in three straight contests against Notre Dame, Wake Forest and Pitt.

SAUNICHEVA PLAYING BIG MINUTES

Duke senior Julia Saunicheva has been coming up huge for the Blue Devils off the bench recently.
Over the last four contests, she has totaled at least a goal or assist in each of those.
Saunicheva tallied a goal against Wake Forest, assists versus Pitt and North Carolina and a goal versus the Hokies.
She owns two goals and four assists for eight points.

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Blue Devils Host Syracuse Thursday

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Maggie Graham

Devin Lynch

Mia Minestrella

Avery Oder

Mia Oliaro

Kat Rader

Julia Saunicheva

Farrah Walters

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Blue Devils Host Syracuse Thursday

Players Mentioned

Maggie Graham

Devin Lynch

Mia Minestrella

Avery Oder

Mia Oliaro

Kat Rader

Julia Saunicheva

Farrah Walters

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