truebluefan

PITTSBURGH - Third-year head coach Michael Scerbo's Duquesne lacrosse team will face three 2007 NCAA Lacrosse Championship teams, highlighted by three-time defending national champion Northwestern, as part of their 2008 17-game schedule released today. The Dukes open the most difficult schedule in the 13-year history of the program with seven consecutive road games beginning February 17 at Notre Dame. Two days later on February 19, DU will travel to Columbus, Ohio to take on Ohio State.

Duquesne will be Denver, Colo. to play Stony Brook on February 24 before taking on Denver February 26. March 1 DU will visit Nashville, Tenn. to take on Vanderbilt, a 2007 NCAA Tournament team, before taking on cross-town rival Robert Morris in Moon Township on March 5. Three-time defending NCAA Champion Northwestern will host Duquesne on March 7. This will be first time since 2003 that the Dukes faced Wildcats.

Due to the upcoming renovations to Rooney Field, the Dukes will play their home games at Cupples Stadium on Pittsburgh's South Side. The Dukes' home opener will be March 9 against Davidson. The Dukes finish their non-conference schedule with a pair of road matches taking on first-year program Cincinnati on March 16 and Bucknell March 20.

The 2008 Atlantic 10 schedule begins at Temple on March 30. The Dukes return home to host George Washington on April 4 and defending A-10 champion Richmond on April 6. After a trip to St. Bonaventure on April 11, DU finishes out their home schedule against Saint Joseph's on April 13 and La Salle on April 18. The regular season ends April 20 at Massachusetts.

The Dukes return first-team All-Atlantic 10 selection and leading scorer Kathleen McNish, second-team all A-10 pick Tyneisha Harris and Sarah Cates, Janna Faulkner and Meghan Frederick who were named to the conference all-rookie team. The top four teams qualify for the 2008 Atlantic 10 Championship which will be held on the campus of the University of Massachusetts April 25-27.

"Although we are on the road for 12 of 17 games this season, we will have more home games for 2009 in the new stadium" said Scerbo. "Scheduling Northwestern is a great move for us because we get to have the best team in the country on our schedule and more importantly they will be coming to Pittsburgh in 2009."

2007-2008 Schedule Quick Notes

The Dukes opponents combined for a .587 record (159-112) last season. Seven of them had double-digit wins last season: Denver, George Washington, Northwestern, Notre Dame, Richmond, Stony Brook, and Vanderbilt.

Duquesne will play one team from the America East Conference (Stony Brook), three teams from the American Lacrosse (Northwestern, Ohio State, Vanderbilt) two Big East teams (Cincinnati and Notre Dame), one independent (Davidson), one MPSF team (Denver), one Northeast team (Robert Morris), and one Patriot League team (Bucknell).

This is the first time in program history that Duquesne is playing the defending NCAA Champion.

Cincinnati is the only team that is a first-time opponent for the Dukes. 2008 marks the first season the Bearcats are fielding a team.

Besides Cincinnati, Stony Brook and Northwestern are the only teams DU did not face last season.

Duquesne 2007-2008 Schedule

Feb. 17 at Notre Dame 12:00 p.m.
Feb. 19 at Ohio State 4:00 p.m.
Feb. 24 vs. Stony Brook^ 12:00 p.m.
Feb. 26 at Denver 4:00 p.m.

Mar. 1 at Vanderbilt 2:00 p.m.
Mar. 5 at Robert Morris 4:00 p.m.
Mar. 7 at Northwestern 5:00 p.m.
Mar. 9 DAVIDSON 1:00 p.m.
Mar. 16 at Cincinnati 1:00 p.m.
Mar. 20 at Bucknell 6:00 p.m.
Mar. 30 at Temple* 1:00 p.m.

April 4 GEO. WASHINGTON* 4:00 p.m.
April 6 RICHMOND* 12:00 p.m
April 11 at St. Bonaventure* 4:00 p.m.
April 13 SAINT JOSEPH'S* 1:00 p.m.
April 18 LA SALLE* 4:00 p.m.
April 20 at Massachusetts* 1:00 p.m.

^ at Denver, Colo.
* Atlantic 10 match

HOME matches are in caps.
All times are Eastern Standard and subject to change.