As DKU students prepared for this session’s finals week, the men and women’s football teams were battling it out on the field against longtime rival NYU Shanghai.
The women’s game kicked off at around 2:40p.m. to a crowd of Duke-spirited gear clad students and faculty. NYUSH started off strong with two goals in the first half, keeping pressure on DKU’s defense. After a tense break, DKU came back in the 2nd half with their first goal of the night. However, NYUSH continued with a strong offense, with the game ending with a final score of 1-4.
The men’s game began directly afterward. DKU dominated the first half with three clean goals to NYUSH’s zero, each scored by different players. The men’s team’s incredible footwork continued into the second half, where each team scored an additional goal, ending the game at 4-1, DKU.
Despite a spontaneous altercation on the field taking place half way through the second half, DKU maintained their momentum. Afterwards, DKU students took to the field to celebrate their victory. Echoes of ‘shakira shakira’ and other hit songs off of DKU’s selected playlist could be heard throughout the student resident halls, potentially bolstering student morale before finals week.
DKU’s first semester maintaining an official women’s varsity football team, the new team has continuously proven themselves worthy of that title. Athletics at DKU as a whole has been recovering slowly but surely since the bulk of students’ return to campus this spring after the COVID-19 pandemic left international students asynchronous for nearly three years.
This fall, DKU boasts official varsity teams for sports like football, badminton, table tennis, and basketball. DKU varsity and club athletes have been working hard to prepare for upcoming friendly matches against UNNC next Saturday and for the anticipated Qilin Cup taking place at the end of the month. Registration is available on the DKU athletics website for those who want to show school spirit by watching these matches.
The win against NYU Shanghai paints a bright picture for the future of DKU athletics, with the DKU community excited for what these athletes will accomplish going forward.
