Blue Devils Close Home Slate with Rivalry Match Against Tar Heels

DURHAM, N.C. - Duke men's soccer celebrates Senior Night on Friday night, hosting rival North Carolina for the Blue Devils' final regular-season home game of the 2026 campaign. The Blue Devils enter the regular-season finale at Freeman Field at Koskinen Stadium off a conference win over Virginia, 3-0, while the Tar Heels hold a five-match winning streak after most recently knocking off No. 7 Pitt, 1-0.

Kickoff is scheduled for 8 p.m., and the game will be broadcast on ACC Network. Fans can buy tickets here and are encouraged to arrive early, as the program's graduating class will be recognized in a pregame ceremony.

MATCHUP NOTES

Duke trails North Carolina in the all-time series, 38-52-10, but picked up a road victory last season to halt a mini two-game losing streak to the Tar Heels.
The 2-0 victory by the visiting Blue Devils was fueled by two highlight goals, courtesy of Kenan Hot in the first half and Drew Kerr in the second.

LAST TIME OUT

In its last match, two first-half goals helped Duke earn its first ACC win of the season with a convincing 3-0 victory over Virginia.
Jack Ottley continued to shine for the Blue Devils' offense, as he tallied three points with an assist to Sol Arbib on the first goal and netting the second goal of the match.
Jonah Wolf punctuated the victory in the second half with a curling free kick.

OTTLEY ON THE LEADERBOARD

Ottley leads the Blue Devils in all three major offensive categories, with seven goals, six assists and 20 points.
The freshman has scored in four of the last five matches and leads all ACC freshmen in total points, while ranking fourth overall across the league.

CONTRIBUTIONS FROM CONGLETON

Ethan Congleton, another Duke freshman, is right behind Ottley on offense, with 17 points off of six goals and five assists.
Congleton and Ottley have helped Duke work through an injury-plagued season, with the Blue Devils losing minutes from seven starters and a total of 10 expected contributors.

KICKS FOR KIDS

The Duke men's and women's soccer programs have partnered with Duke Children's to launch the Kicks for Kids initiative in support of Pets at Duke, an impactful service of the Duke Cancer Patient Support Program.
Pets at Duke brings specially trained therapy dogs to patients receiving care in the hospital and clinics, providing comfort and companionship during their treatment.
Kicks for Kids pledges are made based on the combined goals, assists, shots, corner kicks and saves recorded by both the Duke men's and women's programs.

FREEMAN FIELD

Last season, Duke announced the naming of Freeman Field at Koskinen Stadium, honoring a multi-million dollar gift to enhance the experience of men's and women's lacrosse and soccer.
The transformational gift by alumni and former football student-athlete Heath Freeman T'02 reflects the Freeman family's commitment to Duke student-athletes and their belief in the power of sport to shape character, build community and elevate excellence.

UP NEXT

Duke closes the regular season on the road for the second consecutive season, traveling to Notre Dame on Friday, Oct. 30.
The Blue Devils and Fighting Irish are scheduled for kickoff at 7 p.m., with the match streaming live on ACC Network Extra.