Late WVU breakthrough hands Duquesne its first loss of season

NCAA MEN’S COLLEGE SOCCER

FINAL: No. 21 West Virginia 1, Duquesne 0

From Duquesne and West Virginia University Athletic Department reports 

Duquesne’s stance as one of the nation’s premier defensive units faced its ultimate test on Tuesday night at Dick Dlesk Soccer Stadium.

Facing newly minted and high-powered No. 21 West Virginia on the road, the Dukes absorbed its share of pressure for 84 minutes before a late heartbreaker handed them their first loss of the 2026 season in a 1-0 defeat.

The Dukes (4-1-2), who entered the night boasting the country’s stingiest defense with only two goals conceded through six matches, relied heavily on reigning Atlantic 10 Defensive Player of the Week Sam Coss and a heroic, sacrifice-it-all backline to keep the host Mountaineers (5-1-1) at bay.

Mountaineers Press, Dukes Hold the Line

West Virginia made its intentions clear from the opening whistle, testing Coss early when Pablo Pozos fired from close range in the 4th minute, forcing an athletic save. Pozos led the Mountaineers with three first-half attempts, but Duquesne went into the locker room deadlocked at 0-0.

The pressure ratcheted up considerably after the break. West Virginia rattled the woodwork twice in a two-minute span—first on a strike by Isaac Scheer in the 61st minute, followed immediately by another Pozos hit off the bar in the 63rd.

As the match entered its final ten minutes, the Dukes’ defense turned into a wall. In the 80th minute, WVU’s Julen Recalde unleashed back-to-back shots that beat Coss, but Duquesne defenders pulled off consecutive goal-line clearances. Redshirt senior Blaize Hardy provided the highlight of the defensive stand, positioning himself perfectly on the line to block Recalde’s second attempt off his heel.

The Breakthrough & Late Drama

West Virginia finally found the decisive moment at 84:31. Harry Hogben drove down the near sideline and sent a hard cross into the box. Coss came out to cut down the pass, but the ball popped loose off a defender’s attempt to clear. Sliding to the ground, WVU sophomore Sammie Walker corralled the bounce and curled a shot into the upper corner to give the Mountaineers a 1-0 lead.

Despite taking just two shots through the first 89 minutes, Duquesne pushed aggressively for a equalizer in the dying seconds.

Awarded a corner kick with 30 seconds remaining, Coss sprinted the length of the pitch to join the attack in the box. The resulting set piece triggered a frantic scrum. Sophomore Alex Posada uncoiled a shot that was cleared off the line by WVU defender Civan de Jesus Ferreira. Coss himself got a swing on the rebound for a blocked shot before a last-ditch effort from Jaxon Ervin went wide as time expired.

Match Notes

• By the Numbers: West Virginia held a 16-5 advantage in total shots (5-1 on target) and an 8-3 edge in corner kicks.

• Former Mountaineer: Redshirt freshman Steel Bayer, a transfer from West Virginia, played all 90 minutes for the Dukes, including a crucial second-half defensive header in front of the net to deny a open scoring chance.

• Workhorse: Sophomore Alex Posada played the full 90 minutes for Duquesne, continuing a streak of playing every minute of all seven matches this season.

• Rivalry History: The result marks the second consecutive year Duquesne has suffered its first loss of the season in a 1-0 road decision against a ranked opponent. The Dukes drop to 2-11-2 all-time against ranked foes.

Up Next

Duquesne continues its three-game road swing as they jump back into Atlantic 10 action on Saturday, Sept. 26, traveling to face Saint Louis at Hermann Stadium. Kickoff is set for 7:30 PM

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