Scouting Duke

Duke enters the weekend game with a No. 6 ranking and a 3-3 record. The Blue Devils hit the road this weekend for just the second time all year, and are coming off of an 11-10 home loss to No. 14 Georgetown. After winning its first three games of the year, Duke is in the midst of a three-game skid that also includes losses to No. 3 Maryland and No. 4 Northwestern at home.

The Blue Devils average 13.50 goals per game and are led by Kerin Maurer, who has scored 19 goals and assisted 11 more already this season. Taylor Virden has been a defensive threat for Duke with eight caused turnovers and 12 ground balls, also winning 20 draw controls.

In cage for Duke has been Kelsey Duryea, who boasts a .422 save percentage and the team’s record. Duryea has made 44 saves so far this year, good for fourth in the nation.

Hokie Notes

-- Four Hokies to rank among the top 25 in the nation in their respective categories. Junior Meg Bartley ranks the highest of the group, sitting at No. 8 in the country averaging 6.2 draws per game.

-- Redshirt senior Julia Heaps set a career high with five goals and seven points in the season opener at James Madison.

-- Redshirt senior Julia Heaps became the second Hokie on the 2014 roster to rank among the all-time best as her three assists against High Point moved her into tenth place.

-- Three players (Bartley, Heaps, Macera) have scored in every game so far this season, while junior Megan Will in on a 10-game streak dating back to last season.

-- The Hokies return six starters from last season, including five of the team’s top seven scorers from a year ago.

-- Tech has yet to suffer a losing season since head coach Megan Burker took over in 2011.

-- Seniors Julia Heaps, Kelly Naslonski, Lindsay Roche and Becca Niles will captain the Hokies this season.

-- Tech welcomes 10 freshmen this season, as well as two new assistant coaches.

-- In this week’s polls, seven of Tech’s opponents are ranked nationally, with another receiving votes.

Against The Best

Being in the Atlantic Coast Conference, the Hokies play a number of the nation’s best teams and players on a weekly basis. Tech began the season facing James Madison, who is receiving votes in the IWLCA Poll and ranks No. 20 this week in the Brine Media Poll. The Hokies opened conference play with No. 12/12 Notre Dame and face No. 6 Duke. All seven of Tech’s conference opponents rank in the top 20 in both polls with six of them ranking in the top 10.

Although Tech is just 5-75 against ranked opponents, the Hokies have knocked off two ranked opponents in two of the last three seasons, and earned their first-ever defeat of a top-10 foe when they topped then-No. 7 Virginia in 2012.