Duquesne ladies fall into ‘trap’, lose in final minute

The Duquesne Women’s Soccer Team had high hopes to continue building its momentum from a Sunday victory, but a final-minute goal saw Youngstown State come away victorious 2-1 Thursday night at Rooney Field.

“We talked at the beginning of the season about there being a lot ups and downs,” Duquesne coach Al Alvine said. “It’s a roller coaster ride and it’s certainly a down moment. I don’t know if we played well enough to win the game tonight, but I don’t know that we deserved to lose. A lot of stuff happened towards the end of the game and it was tough. We’ve just got to lick our wounds and move forward.”

This is Youngstown State’s first triumph over Duquesne since Aug. 19, 2012.

Duquesne did control the run of play early on as graduate student captain Jaimi Araujo was able to score in the sixth minute.

The score was Araujo’s second of the season and 15th in her Dukes career tying her with Sarah Nicholson for ninth in program history.

This goal was assisted by sophomore captain Mackenzie Muir who earned her second helper in as many games and sophomore forward Maya Matesa got a secondary assist after scoring two goals Sunday.

“I just remember that their center backs were off balance, running backwards,” remembered Muir. “I saw Jaimi making a run through and I just clipped it over.”

Duquesne maintained possession after taking advantage of Youngstown State’s tactical error and had multiple chances in the box to significantly widen the advantage but were not clinical enough to do so.

Alvine believes those missed opportunities proved pivotal at game’s end.

“When it’s 1-0 it’s still a game, the game could’ve been over by halftime if we had taken care of our business in the attacking third,” he believed. “We could have had three or four in the first half. They came out once they got that goal they were energized and it was a game again. We have to be more clinical.”

Instead Youngstown State began generating momentum which saw it capitalize on a corner setpiece, one of two it had all game.

When Lianna Van Sice found Taylor Berry in the 36th minute, the Penguins got on the scoreboard and the bench became electric.

All of a sudden a Duquesne side which had been connected and a bench which was providing energy grew silent.

Both teams would remain deadlocked at halftime.

In the locker room Alvine challenged his team to match Youngstown State’s energy.

Duquesne put a run together immediately after the goal and found some form. The one-two touch passing had returned and Duquesne was switching sides of the field on possession, executing its principles, but again fell short on the finish.

In the second half, Duquesne was keeping possession but started to tire as Youngstown State was reluctant to break and allow a second score.

Duquesne had started hammering balls and playing very direct when the contest did not call for it which started leading into what ultimately became this setback.

“I think we fell victim to playing to Youngstown State’s chaos, admitted Muir. “They always come out hard and aggressive and that’s not our style of play.  The frustration got to us. The communication definitely fell off as soon as we got tired in that second half.”

The deciding goal came in the 89th minute when Berry assisted former WPIAL standout Chloe Weiland.

Weiland fired a shot that deflected and found its home in the back of the net.

As Youngstown State celebrated a Duquesne team member dropped to her knees knowing that with 36 seconds remaining it was a tough task to find an equalizer.

When the final horn sounded, the Penguins team which made it to the conference championship a season ago, raced onto the field in celebration.

A positive for the Dukes was junior Midfielder Emma Bundy returning to action after missing the first two games. Bundy, who has started 27 of 33 career games played for nine minutes.

Now Duquesne will have the task of moving on from a challenging loss before heading to Morgantown Sunday to take on West Virginia at 1 p.m.

“We know they are a talented team, we played them in the spring,” Muir said. “We just have to bring it. Our saying is keep moving forward.”

GAMEDAY INFORMATION

Duquesne starters (1-2-1)– Maddy Neundorfer (GK), Karley Steinher, Margey Brown, Lindsay Krafchick, Cami Taylor, Jaimi Araujo, Anna Campanella, Jayden Sharpless, Eva LaVecchia, Mackenzie Muir, Maya Matesa

Youngstown State starters (3-0-0)– Brooklynn Kirkpatrick (GK), Maddie Keister, Regan LaVigna, Justine Appolonia, Maddie Angelo, Ariana Rondin, Abby Knight, Emma Rigone, Mikayla Mustard, Taylor Berry, Marissa Masano

Shots– Duquesne 18 (seven on frame) Youngstown State 13 (six on frame)