Atlantic 10 Men’s Soccer Championship Game
Duquesne (10-6-2) vs Saint Louis (13-0-4)
Sunday, November 14, 2021 | 1 p.m. EST | Hermann Stadium, Saint Louis, Mo.
Match Day Updates
Follow PSN’s Duquesne coverage reporter Zac Weiss on Twitter for in-game updates. We’ll also post game highlights, score updates and post match reaction here.
#DuqMSoccer sees its season come to an end losing 2-1 to Saint Louis at the Atlantic 10 Championship Finals. @pghsoccernow
— Zachary Weiss (@ZacharyMWeiss) November 14, 2021
Both #DuqMSoccer's Emanuel and Tzabari both have been assessed red cards. SLU remains in front 2-1. @pghsoccernow
— Zachary Weiss (@ZacharyMWeiss) November 14, 2021
#DuqMSoccer goal scored by Jayden Da at 13'. Another assist for Ryan Goodhew. Dukes with an early 1-0 lead. @pghsoccernow
— Zachary Weiss (@ZacharyMWeiss) November 14, 2021
Yesterday @DuqMSoccer advanced to the @atlantic10 Championship Finals. Here is my article explaining how it got there and the belief this team has in each other. https://t.co/xsKsUU3FzE
— Zachary Weiss (@ZacharyMWeiss) November 13, 2021
Preview / Key Storylines
The Dukes are the Cinderella story of the Atlantic 10 men’s soccer tournament and now they face their biggest challenge against top-seeded and eighth ranked Saint Louis (13-0-4) on Sunday at 1:00 p.m. (ET) with an NCAA Championship berth on the line.
This is just the third time in program history – and first time since 2002 – that Duquesne will play in the Championship final.
“I’m excited for Sunday. At this level, you’re going to have to go through the best to become one of the best and that’s what this is about. We’re the underdog going in,” Chase Brooks, Duquesne’s Head Coach said. “We have nothing to lose. Let’s go have some fun.”
The Dukes, who have struggled on the road this season, but have sported an unbeaten home record at Rooney Field, continue to overcome challenges as they’ve upset No. 3 St. Joseph’s and No. 2 Rhode Island to get to the final.
The Billikens hold an all-time 12-1-1 record against the Dukes. The teams did not meet this season, but they were in the same round-robin group that played each other home-and-away during the abbreviated 2020-21 season that took place in the Spring.
The advantage that the Dukes, who defeated Rhode Island by getting up 2-0, then holding on for a 2-1 win on Friday, might have going into this one is that the Billikens needed to go the distance to advance — beating Fordham in a match that went to a penalty kick shootout.
BILLIKENS WIN!!
ON TO THE A-10 CHAMPIONSHIP FINAL!! pic.twitter.com/176Dt9zNxm
— SLU Men's Soccer (@SLUMensSoccer) November 12, 2021
Some are some additional game notes from both SLU and Duquesne Athletic Departments:
- The Billikens are playing in the A-10 title game for a sixth time. They won the A-10 Men’s Soccer Championship in 2009 and 2012. Duquesne is in the A-10 final for the first time since 2002 and is looking for its first A-10 men’s soccer title.
- Saint Louis and fourth-seeded Fordham played to a scoreless draw in the semifinals, but SLU advanced with a 4-2 advantage in the penalty kick shootout. Kevin Komodi, A.J. Palazzolo, Mujeeb Murana and Iwan Webster all converted. Patrick Schulte came up with a big save on a Fordham attempt to allow for Webster’s clincher.
- Duquesne topped second-seeded Rhode Island 2-1 in Friday’s semifinal. The Dukes advanced to St. Louis in thrilling fashion, scoring twice in the final five minutes to defeat Saint Joseph’s on the road in the quarterfinals.
- The Billikens’ 17-match unbeaten streak is tied for the longest in school history in a single season (1971, 17-0). SLU went unbeaten between seasons for 45 straight games from 1969 to 1971.
- SLU is 12-0-3 in its last 15 matches at Hermann Stadium.
- Saint Louis holds 5-0-1 advantage in games at Hermann Stadium.
- The current nucleus of this year’s DU team is 1-1 vs. the Billikens, splitting a pair of games in the 2021 spring season (a 1-0 double overtime win in Pittsburgh on Mar. 20 and a 4-0 defeat at SLU on Apr. 10).
- Duquesne is 1-6-1 all time vs. ranked teams, including a 7-0 loss at No. 3 Pitt on Aug. 26 and a 3-1 defeat at Kentucky on Sept. 12.
- The Dukes defeated #23 Rhode Island in an Atlantic 10 matchup on Oct. 20, 2018 on Rooney Field.
- Head coach Chase Brooks is 1-5 vs. ranked teams at Duquesne (3-2 home loss to #12 Oregon State on Sept. 11, 2015, a 1-0 loss at #17 Kentucky on Sept. 30, 2016, a 1-0 defeat at #4 Pitt in February and the losses at Pitt and at Kentucky this year).
Zac Weiss’ Duquesne Men’s Soccer Coverage on PSN
Earning respect, and now a berth in A10 men’s soccer final, Duquesne’s historic season continues