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Duquesne M Soccer earn 1-0 win vs Niagara after Jell’s early goal changes momentum

It was a relatively quiet Rooney Field in the 55th minute of Thursday evening’s Duquesne Men’s Soccer contest against a winless Niagara side when captain Maxi Hopfer decided to intervene on the bench.

“Change the momentum guys,” he challenged.

Niagara’s high press, combined with an extra amount of energy to try and earn what has been an elusive win had to be matched, but ultimately coach Chase Brooks’s “bend, don’t break” edit won the night.

“Guys like Max are unbelievable to have in a program,” Brooks said of his captain. “Just the energy they bring, 100% of the time. He’s just so bought in and so hungry for success. That’s a testament to who he is, the character he has and we’re just fortunate to have him and that he stayed because in today’s day and age, transfer portal, we know it’s very easy to look for greener pasture. He trusts the process, he knows he’s got a good program and good group of guys to work with, so we’re excited that he’s still with us.”

While Duquesne’s result may not have been the most textbook, the 1-0 victory does have the team standing at 4-0-0 for the second time in the last three seasons.

It is the second consecutive clean sheet for Duquesne as a side.

“Defense wins games and hopefully defense is going to go help us win that championship,” junior Ashton Jell assessed. “Having two clean sheets back-to-back gives us confidence heading into Notre Dame and we hope to replicate that.”

In the victory, Zoltan Nagy came away with seven saves, a figure which served as his season high.

“Over the summer coming in when I transferred in, I worked my butt off to get the starting job,” he reflected. “I knew I couldn’t let up because I knew we had two other great goalkeepers and even Sam Coss now, I knew they were going to push me. I thank my coaches for pushing me all summer long because they never tell me I’m the starting goalkeeper, that keeps me motivated.”

Throughout the four wins, Duquesne has had to find different ways to get it done on the field and Niagara was no different, implementing its high press early and often.

It was an adjustment the Dukes were ready for as what proved to be the evening’s lone goal was scored by Jell.

Jaxon Ervin was able to place a cross into Jell who fired a shot that went into the lower right side of frame.

“I think we’re always trying to watch,” stated Brooks. “Our staff is to me one of the best in the country. You have to be able to adjust. Every game is going to be a little different. Every team is going to adjust to your tactics. You just have to be flexible. We’ve talked in the past about bending and not breaking. That’s more on the defensive side. On the offensive side, it’s just finding ways to move forward and taking advantage of the little things teams are going to give you.”

Following the goal, Niagara began to play looser and more within principles and Duquesne struggled to generate counter attacks.

While, Nagy was tested multiple times, he continued to make the right reads and keep everything together.

Duquesne had already come away with a win over Xavier, which had just defeated #2 Marshall and has another road test at Notre Dame next week, making it more crucial, not to overlook what was on the pitch in that moment.

“We remind guys of what our principles are and what got us to this point,” Brooks emphasized. “They’ve got a lot of energy because they’re trying to get their first win of the season and again, they’re a much better side than their record indicates, we told our guys that before the game. We felt Xavier overlooked us a little bit, and we didn’t want to do the same thing coming into this game tonight. We bent a little bit, but we didn’t break.”

Ultimately Duquesne was able to close the game out, getting more towards its principles and standards by the end.

The game was Brooks’s 51st triumph in which has Dukes prevailed by one goal.

“To use the old quote, ‘if you want to be a good coach get good players, if you want to be a great coach, get great players,'” he determined. “I’m working on the great, I’m not there yet, I know I don’t know everything, but this is more about the players than me.”

Notre Dame is the next test, a tilt which kicks off Tuesday at 8 p.m. and serves as the first of three straight on the road.

“Super proud of the boys, couldn’t have asked to start it a better way, 4-0, moving onto Notre Dame this next game,” concluded Jell. “That’s what we’re looking forward to.”

OF NOTE

Senior defender Jesper Moksnes has yet to miss a minute, having logged all 360 of them.

“He came in prepared so that’s one of the things we talked to him in the offseason just making sure to come in 100% focused and prepared, and I think you’re seeing that,” Brooks assessed. “His fitness levels are the best they have ever been. His desire, his focus, and I believe it’s showing.”

GAMEDAY INFORMATION

Duquesne starters (4-0-0)– Zoltan Nagy (GK), Jesper Moksnes, Sam Bennett, Grant McIntosh, Bendix Bennetzen, Maxi Hopfer, Ashton Jell, Jaxon Ervin, Ali Nasser, Ashwin Menon, Blaize Hardy

Niagara starters (0-5-0)– Jamie Barry (GK), Landon Hungerford, Lucas Fenton, Cameron Roach, Gerard Lopez Forner, Matheus Spina, Mick Bastiaenen, Thomas Brooks, Gianluca Del Priore, Alberto Sanchez Cervera, Felix Kogler

Goal– Jell DUQ (2nd, 2′)

Cautions– Felix Kogler NU 13′, Jack Emanuel DUQ 44′

Shots– Niagara 15 (7 on frame), Duquesne 8 (5 on frame)

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