From Duquesne Athletic Department report
Duquesne women’s soccer team (4-9-2, 2-6-1 A-10) was dealt a 3-1 loss by George Washington (3-12-2, 3-6-0 A-10) Thursday night at Rooney Field on Senior Night.
Jaimi Araujo (Tabernacle, N.J./Seneca) scored her fourth goal of the season in the loss. She was making her first appearance since the team’s 3-1 win over Richmond on Sept. 30.
The Colonials put a handful of shots on-target in the opening minutes of the match, but all of them were knocked down by starting goalkeeper Megan Virgin (Canonsburg, Pa./Canon-McMillan). George Washington broke through in the 24th minute of the match off of a free-kick. GW’s Sammy Neyman chipped a ball into the box that was headed by Cammie Dopke over to Kelly Amador. Amador jumped into the air and beat Virgin to the right side of the net to make the score 1-0.
Heavy storms and lightening in the area caused the match to enter into an hour and a half weather delay with 15:56 remaining in the first half.
The Dukes had the first scoring opportunity after the delay when Hannah Nguyen (Irwin, Pa./Penn Trafford) sent a cross from the left side that Araujo one-touched over the cross bar.
DU knotted the match up right before halftime. Araujo collected a loose ball off of a goal kick and dribbled into the box, before lifting the ball over a charging GW goalkeeper to tie the score at 1-1.
The Colonials reclaimed the lead less than six minutes into the second half. GW’s Dopke connected again with Amador on a pass from mid-field into the box. Amador headed the ball to herself and past goalkeeper Bella DeFabbo (Cranberry Township, Pa./Seneca Valley), before driving home the go-ahead goal.
George Washington’s Alicia Window added an insurance goal in the 74th-minute to seal the game away.
The Colonials held a slight 12-to-11 edge in shots. GW attempted two of the three corner kicks awarded on the night.
Duquesne honored its 12 final-year student-athletes prior to kickoff. In addition to Virgin, DeFabbo and Nguyen, the Dukes recognized Sarah Wilkinson (Smithtown, N.Y./Smithtown West), Brooke Schutter (Orrfield, Pa./Parkland), Sophia Rizzo (Pittsburgh, Pa./Oakland Catholic), Kayla Winicki (Setauket, N.Y./Ward-Melville), Lexy Kendro (North Huntingdon, Pa./Norwin), Alyssa Victor (North Huntingdon, Pa./Norwin), Sydney Routch (Duncansville, Pa./Holidaysburg), Ashley Briscoe (Monongahela, Pa./Ringgold), Ashley Rodriguez (Woodbridge, Va./Woodbridge), and Janie Romer (Fulton, Md./Reservoir).
The loss eliminated the Dukes from postseason contention. Duquesne will wrap up the season on Sunday, Oct. 24 when they travel to Olean, New York at 1 p.m. to take on St. Bonaventure (6-7-4, 4-4-1 A-10). The match will broadcast on ESPN+.