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FINAL: Duquesne 2, LaSalle 1 (A-10 Men’s Tournament – 1st Rd)

2022 ATLANTIC 10 MEN’S SOCCER CHAMPIONSHIP – FIRST ROUND

FINAL: DUQUESNE 2, LASALLE 1

Match Stats

Match Summary

A second-half brace from Zach Mowka (70′ & 83′) powered second-seeded Duquesne (11-3-4) to a 2-1 come-from-behind win over seventh-seed La Salle (5-9-4) in the quarterfinal of the Atlantic 10 Championship Saturday night on a windswept Rooney Field.

The win, which upped DU’s school record home unbeaten streak to 16 games (13-0-3, 6-0-2 this year) avenged a regular season-ending 1-0 defeat at La Salle last Saturday.

Postgame Reaction: Mowka’s brace fuels Duquesne’s second half comeback A-10 tournament win

The Dukes, playing their first home A-10 Championship game in program history, fell behind 1-0 when La Salle’s Rodio Giammarco scored in the 56th minute.

DU turned up the pressure and earned a penalty kick when Maxi Hopfer was taken down in the box. Mowka, who hadn’t played in Duquesne’s three previous games, potted the PK in the 70th minute for his first goal of the season.

The sophomore then struck again when Cameron Territo rifled a shot that was saved off the crossbar to Mowka, who headed the ball past La Salle keeper Valentin Kneis.

This is the first time that Duquesne – which advanced to the A-10 title game last season – has posted A-10 Championship opening round wins in back-to-back seasons.

Duquesne’s 11 wins, which are two shy of the school record, are its most since the 2006 team finished 11-7-2.

By virtue of its No. 2 seed, Duquesne will host a semifinal game vs. No. 4 seed Loyola Chicago on Wednesday at 7:00 p.m. on Rooney Field.

 

Preview / PSN Duquesne Men’s Soccer Coverage with Zac Weiss

For the first time ever, the Duquesne men’s soccer team will be hosting an Atlantic 10 Championship tournament match at Rooney Field.

The No. 2 seed Dukes will take on No. 7 seed LaSalle.

Last week, in Philadelpha, LaSalle handed Duquesne its only loss of the A-10 campaign, 1-0.

PSN’s Zac Weiss visited Rooney Field earlier in the week, and caught up with Head Coach Chase Brooks and midfielder Nate Dragisich to preview the match.

Video: A-10 Championship preview with Duquesne’s Chase Brooks and Nate Dragisich

Duquesne loses two goal lead, first place in draw

Game Notes 

  • Duquesne, which reached the title game last year, is making its fifth Atlantic 10 Championship appearance in 10 seasons under head coach Chase Brooks (2013, 2015, 2016, 2021 & 2022). It is the 12th appearance in program history (1999, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2012, 2013, 2015, 2016, 2021 & 2022). The Dukes are 4-9-3 all-time at the A-10 Championship including runner-up finishes in 1999, 2002 & 2022.
  • Duquesne, which was picked to finish tied for seventh in the A-10 preseason poll, ended up alone in second place with 15 points (4-1-3). A 1-0 defeat at La Salle in the regular-season finale prevented the Dukes from posting the first undefeated conference season in school history.
  • This is the first time in program history that the Dukes will be hosting an A-10 Championship game. DU is undefeated in a school record 15-straight home games (12-0-3, 5-0-2 this year). The streak broke the school mark of 14 set in 2002 & 2003. Duquesne’s last home loss occurred during the pandemic-related spring season on Mar. 27, 2021 (2-0 to St. Bonaventure).
  • Last year, the 6th-seeded Dukes made history by winning multiple games at the A-10 Championship for the first time (2-1 at #3 Saint Joseph’s and  2-1 vs. #2 Rhode Island in St. Louis) in advancing to the title game for the first time since 2002. The win at SJU was the program’s first in A-10 Championship play since 2002 (a 2-1 semifinal W over host Richmond). DU had gone 10 postseason matches without a win (0-7-3). The last time DU advanced was in 2006, following a 0-0 first round draw with Charlotte at Charlotte, N.C. (5-4 on PK).
  • Duquesne enters the A-10 Championship looking for its 11th win. Eleven wins would be the most since 2006 (11-7-2). Duquesne (10-7-2 last year) has posted back-to-back 10-win seasons for the first time since 2005 & 2006.
  • Duquesne entered the Untied Soccer Coaches Top 25 for the first time since November of 2005 on Sept. 20. The Dukes have been ranked for three total weeks this season: No. 25 (tie) Sept. 20, No. 24 on Sept 27 and No. 25 on Oct. 11.
  • DU’s losses have come at then-No. 25 Akron (0-1) on Sept. 28, at Pitt (2-5) and at La Salle (0-1). The game at Akron marked the first time in program history that the Dukes faced a ranked team while ranked (the Dukes were No. 24 at the time).
  • DU got off to the first 5-0 start in program history.
  • Duquesne set a new school record for most games without a loss (eight at 6-0-2) to open a season. The previous mark was seven by two teams.
  • Duquesne opened with three consecutive road games (all wins) for the first time in program history.
  • Duquesne’s three-straight road wins to start the season were one shy of the school record for consecutive road victories (accomplished three times).
  • DU’s five road wins (5-3-2) are the program’s most since 2004 (5-3-1). DU was 2-7-1 on the road last season.
  • Duquesne’s season-opening 1-0 win at Michigan was the program’s first victory over a Power 5 team since 2003.
  • DU’s seven goals in the 7-0 win over Howard tied the third-highest single-game goal total in program history. The seven scores were the most since a school record 10 in a 10-0 win over Fordham in 2002.
  • Duquesne, which has surrendered 15 goals, has posted seven shutouts. The 15 goals allowed are the third-fewest in program history.
  • DU has 16 newcomers – including 10 freshmen – on the 2022 roster.
  • Incoming transfers include: D Anthony Harding (Pitt), Tate Mohney (Elizabethtown), Jesper Moksnes (Virginia), Cameron Territo (Western Illinois) and Christoffer Vie Angell (UAB). All five have played significant roles in their first season at Duquesne.
  • Duquesne’s 30 goals have come from 10 players. Freshman Ask Ekeland leads the team with eight scores, including a brace vs. St. Bonaventure on Oct. 12. The eight goals are tied for second-most by a freshman nationally (through Wednesday). The goal total is also tied for second-most ever by a Duquesne freshman and also rank third in the A-10 this year.
  • Ekeland was ranked 20th on Top Drawer Soccer’s Midseason List of Top Freshmen published on Oct. 19.
  • Maxi Hopfer, a United Soccer Coaches Second Team All-Southeast Region and First Team All-Atlantic 10 performer in 2021, leads the Dukes with 18 career goals (five this season). The Styria, Austria native, who made the A-10 All-Rookie team as a freshman, led the Dukes in points (28) and goals (11) last season.
  • Fourth-year junior M/F Nate Dragisich, who earned Second Team All-A-10 honors as well as a spot on the A-10 All-Championship Team in 2021, leads all returnees in career games played (60) and started (59). Dragisich has posted a point in seven of 17 games, including a streak of five in a row snapped at UMass. His seven assists rank tied for second in the Atlantic 10. Dragisich’s 19 career assists rank third on DU’s all-time list.
  • Graduate student Domenic Nascimben has played every minute in net for the Dukes for the past two-plus seasons (includes the abbreviated 2021 spring campaign). Nascimben, a native of Sydney, Australia, has posted seven shutouts this season. He turned away a career-high 11 shots – including penalty kicks in the 82nd and 87th minute – in the 7-0 win over Howard.
  • Through Wednesday’s games, Nascimben ranked tied for 12th nationally in shutouts (7) and 6th in save percentage (.840). His save percentage is currently .001 behind the best single-season mark in school history (Jared Duffy’s .841 in 1996).
  • DU has been recognized by the United Soccer Coaches for its outstanding academic performance with a Team Academic Award (minimum 3.0 team GPA) 20 times in the past 23 years. No other Atlantic 10 men’s soccer program has been recognized more than Duquesne since the award was instituted in 1996.
  • Duquesne produced at least one Atlantic 10 All-Rookie Team member in eight of the past nine years including current roster members Nate Dragisich (2019), Maxi Hopfer (2020) & Jack Emanuel (2021).
  • Duquesne’s captains for 2022 are M Nate Dragisich, F Maxi Hopfer, GK Domenic Nascimben and D Torge Witteborg.THE SERIES VS. LA SALLE
  • This is the first A-10 Championship meeting between the two.
  • Duquesne leads the series 12-7-3, including a 7-1-3 advantage in Pittsburgh.
  • La Salle took the lone meeting this season, 1-0, in Philadelphia last Saturday.
  • DU has won the past three meetings in Pittsburgh, with La Salle’s last – and only – Rooney Field win coming in 2012 by a 3-0 score.
  • La Salle was picked to finish 11th in the Atlantic 10 preseason Coaches Poll (DU was picked 7th).
  • La Salle is 1-5-2 on the road, with the win coming at Saint Joseph’s on Sept. 24 (2-1). The Explorers have scored six goals and been shut out five times away from home.

Glory on the Grass

Riverhounds MF Kenardo Forbes

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