Blue Devils to host weekend invitational

If its schedule is any indication, No. 18 Duke isn't afraid of a challenge.

Head coach Jolene Nagel said she talked to her players about their 2007 non-conference slate before it was finished, asking them whether they wanted to play some of the nation's top teams right out of the gate.

So as a team, the Blue Devils agreed they would play No. 1 Nebraska, No. 6 Southern California and No. 13 Purdue in the first two weeks of their season.

The Boilermakers come to Durham today as one of four teams in the field for the 2007 Duke Invitational.

"We committed to USC and Nebraska back-to-back weekends before Purdue determined that they were going to come to Durham," Nagel said. "Having a Purdue come to Durham, you don't want to turn that down, so we're excited about that-to have such great competition here at home. These kids, they want the challenge."

The Blue Devils take on East Carolina tonight at 7 p.m. in Cameron Indoor Stadium. The team then plays a match versus Winthrop Saturday at 10 a.m. followed by a battle with the Boilermakers at 7 p.m.

Nagel said that although this weekend will be a tough one for Duke, it will also be a rewarding one for the pre-season favorites to win the ACC.

The senior core of Ali Hausefeld, Carrie DeMange and Jenny Shull looks to pace the Blue Devils through their tough non-conference schedule in the quest to repeat as conference champions and earn an automatic berth into the NCAA tournament.