Duquesne University Athletics

FAIRFAX, Va. – The Duquesne women's soccer team (4-6-2, 2-3-1 A-10) was held off of the scoreboard in a 2-0 loss at George Mason (5-9-0, 3-3-0 A-10) in Atlantic 10 play Sunday afternoon.
 
The Patriots struck quickly to take the lead seven minutes into the match. The Dukes trapped a George Mason player in the box, but a pass found the foot of Mason's Sara Chontosh, who fired a shot top-shelf that beat DU goalkeeper Megan Virgin (Canonsburg, Pa./Canon-McMillan).
 
George Mason extended its lead eight minutes later when a harmless ball sent into the box pinballed onto the foot of Chontosh who found the back of the net once again to put the Dukes in a 2-0 hole.
 
Lexy Kendro (North Huntingdon, Pa./Norwin) nearly sliced the lead in half in the 25^th minute on a free-kick attempt, but her shot was denied by Patriots goalkeeper Louisa Moser and the deficit remained at two entering halftime.
 
The Dukes applied pressure in the 64^th minute with two scoring chances, but neither resulted in a goal. Hannah Nguyen (Irwin, Pa./Penn-Trafford) had a cross from inside the box go across the goal mouth, but no one was there to finish. Moments later, Brooke Kirstein (Leesburg, Va./Loudon County) had a shot attempt from inside the box that was saved by Moser to keep the match at 2-0.
 
After a red card forced the Dukes to play the final 14 minutes a player down, Kirstein had another chance in tight on a header that went just wide right of the net in the 77^th-minute.
  
Virgin made five saves in net for the Dukes, while Kirstein led the offensive efforts with four shot attempts.
 
Although the Patriots held an 18 to 14 advantage in shots, the Dukes held the edge with nine shots on-goal to eight.
 
The Dukes will return to the friendly confines of Rooney Field on Thursday, Oct. 14 for a pivotal A-10 match against La Salle. The match is set to begin at 7 p.m. and will broadcast live on ESPN+.