Comeback Kids: Duquesne rally to defeat Youngstown St, 2-1

from Duquesne University women’s soccer report

Duquesne University women’s soccer team took down the Youngstown State Penguins by a final score of 2-1 Thursday night in a physical match that ended with seven yellow cards being handed out.

The win moves the Dukes’ record to 2-1 while Youngstown State falls to 0-3.

Duquesne’s goals were scored by junior forward Jaimi Araujo and freshman midfielder Mackenzie Muir. The game also marks the Dukes’ second comeback win of the season, with the other coming in the season opener against Ohio.

The match was physicial from the start, and Duquesne ended up being given four yellow cards while the Penguins racked up three of their own. No red cards were given.

Youngstown State struck first in the eighth minute with a goal from long-range that snuck over sophomore goalkeeper Maddy Neundorfer. Neundorfer would bounce back by recording a career-high eight saves and shutting Youngstown State out the rest of the match.

Neither team was able to do much until the 21st-minute when Araujo struck a ball with her left foot from just inside the box to beat Youngstown State’s goalkeeper. It was Araujo’s first goal of the season and ninth of her career. Ashley Rodriguez recorded her first assist of the season while freshman forward Margey Brown notched the first assist of her career on the goal.

Neundorfer was able to keep the game tied for the rest of the half with a couple of beautiful saves.

Just five minutes into the second half, Muir found the back of the net for her first career goal. Freshman midfielder Libby Majka picked up her second assist of the season on the tally.

The Penguins nearly tied it up in the 66th-minute when they put one off the crossbar, but Duquesne was able to keep it out of the net.

Muir and junior forward Cami Taylor each had a good chance towards the end of the game, but neither were able to score. The Dukes’ defense held it together for the rest of the match to hold on to the win.

GAME NOTES

• Neundorfer saved a career-high eight shots in the match.
• Muir tallied her first career goal in the 66th-minute.
• Brown recorded the first point of her career with an assist on Araujo’s goal.
• The Dukes now own a 10-1-2 record all-time against Youngstown State and have won three-straight over the Penguins. They have not lost to them since Aug. 12, 2012.