Duke Hosts Grand Canyon at WakeMed Soccer Park Friday

DURHAM, N.C. – Duke men’s soccer (1-0-1) returns to North Carolina on Friday, hosting Grand Canyon (1-0-0) at WakeMed Soccer Park. It marks the first meeting between the two sides and admission for the match is free.
 
MATCHUP NOTES

• Duke and Grand Canyon meet on Friday for the first time in program history.
• The Lopes enter play with a 1-0-0 record, while the Blue Devils are playing in their third match of the season, sitting at 1-0-1.

 
BY THE NUMBERS
14 – Sophomore Ulfur Bjornsson has produced 14 career goals, after winning ACC Offensive Player of the Week with a hat trick against UC San Diego. 
10 – Duke has won 10-plus contests in 10 of the 16 completed seasons under Kerr.
3 – The Atlantic Coast Conference added three new teams this season, as California, Stanford, and SMU joined the league. The Blue Devils will face two of those three, traveling to Stanford and hosting SMU in 2024. 
1 – Junior Jose Ortega recorded his first career goal on Thursday, leveling the match just after halftime with his right-footed shot off the left post.  
 

FIRST TOUCH

• The Blue Devils return home for the first time this season, hosting Grand Canyon at WakeMed Soccer Park, before heading to the friendly confines of Koskinen Stadium on Sunday against Averett.
• Friday’s contest against Grand Canyon and Sunday’s match against Averett will mark the first meetings in program history between the two programs. 
• Under head coach John Kerr, the Blue Devils are a combined 115-45-26 at Koskinen Stadium in his 16 seasons at the helm.

 
BJORNSSON TABBED ACC PLAYER OF THE WEEK

• Sophomore Ulfur Bjornsson recorded a nine-point weekend for the Blue Devils in San Diego, California, earning the Atlantic Coast Conference’s first Offensive Player of the Week honors.
• Bjornsson began the season with a goal and an assist in the opener against San Diego, before netting his second career hat trick on Sunday against UC San Diego. 

 
DUKE RETURNS HOME FOR A SET OF MATCHES

• The Blue Devils return from California unbeaten, posting a 1-0-1 record against San Diego and UC San Diego. Sophomore Ulfur Bjornsson led the charge, scoring four goals…