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Duquesne University Athletics

Landry URI A10 semifinal
Bill Barrett / Atlantic 10
2
Winner Duquesne Duq (10-6-2, 3-3-2)
1
Rhode Island URI (10-5-2, 5-2-1)
Winner
Duquesne Duq
(10-6-2, 3-3-2)
2
Final
1
Rhode Island URI
(10-5-2, 5-2-1)
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 F
Duquesne Duq 1 1 2
Rhode Island URI 0 1 1

Game Recap: Men's Soccer |

Dukes Advance to A-10 Championship Final

Defeat No. 2 seed Rhode Island; play Saint Louis Sunday for an NCAA Championship berth

ST. LOUIS, MO. - Nate Dragisch scored in the 10th minute, and Zach Mowka found the back of the net in the 59th, to give sixth-seeded Duquesne (10-6-2) a 2-1 win over No. 2 seed Rhode Island (10-5-2) in the Atlantic 10 Championship semifinal at Hermann Stadium on the campus of Saint Louis University on Friday afternoon.

The win propels the Dukes into the Championship final where they will face top-seeded and eighth ranked Saint Louis (13-0-4) on Sunday at 1:00 p.m. (ET) with an NCAA Championship berth on the line.

This is just the third time in program history - and first time since 2002 - that Duquesne will play in the Championship final.

Dragisch collected a pass from Ryan Goodhew and blasted a shot to the upper left corner to give the Dukes an early lead.

DU added to the margin when Goodhew initiated a set piece, serving the ball to the far post where Ryan Landry headed it to Mowka, who deposited if from point-blank range.

Goodhew is the fourth Duke to post a two-assist game this season.

Domenic Nascimben finished with three saves, playing behind a connected DU defense that held the Rams to a lone goal in the 63rd minute.

This is the first time in program history that Duquesne has won multiple games in the same A-10 Championship appearance.

DU's 10 wins are its most under ninth-year head coach Chase Brooks and are the program's most since the 2006 team finished 11-7-2.

HOW IT HAPPENED
  • Nate Dragisich got the Dukes on the board in the 10th minute when he took a pass from Ryan Goodhew, collected the ball and ripped a shot to the upper left corner from the top of the box.
  • The Dukes held the Rams without a shot on goal until the 28th minute when Domenic Nascimben dove to his left to get a hand on a shot by URI's Patrick Agyemang.
  • Nascimben made a fine save at the near post off a hard shot from the foot of Rafa Villanueva in the 39th minute.
  • The first half ended with Rhode Island leading in shots 6-4 and shots on goal tied with two each.
  • Dragisich shot wide of the frame early in the second half.
  • Ryan Goodhew initiated a set piece that resulted in a Zach Mowka goal in the 59th minute. Goodhew played it to the far post where Ryan Landry headed the ball to Mowka who converted from directly in front of the net for his fifth goal of the season. Mowka had come on 20 seconds prior to the goal.
  • Rhody made it a one goal game on a Villanueva goal in the 63rd minute.
  • Hopfer took a nice pass from Harper Cook and put a shot on net that was saved by URI's Stefan Schmidt in the 66th minute.
  • Rhody finished with 10 shots to nine for the Dukes. Duquesne had a 5-4 edge in shots on goal.
LOOKING AHEAD TO SLU
  • Saint Louis leads the overall series 12-1-1, including a 5-0-1 advantage in games at Hermann Stadium.
  • The current nucleus of this year's DU team is 1-1 vs. the Billikens, splitting a pair of games in the 2021 spring season (a 1-0 double overtime win in Pittsburgh on Mar. 20 and a 4-0 defeat at SLU on Apr. 10).
  • Duquesne is 1-6-1 all time vs. ranked teams, including a 7-0 loss at No. 3 Pitt on Aug. 26 and a 3-1 defeat at Kentucky on Sept. 12.
  • The Dukes defeated #23 Rhode Island in an Atlantic 10 matchup on Oct. 20, 2018 on Rooney Field.
  • Head coach Chase Brooks is 1-5 vs. ranked teams at Duquesne (3-2 home loss to #12 Oregon State on Sept. 11, 2015, a 1-0 loss at #17 Kentucky on Sept. 30, 2016, a 1-0 defeat at #4 Pitt in February and the losses at Pitt and at Kentucky this year).
NOTABLE
  • Duquesne's two Championship final appearances came in 1999 and 2002. The Dukes fell to Rhode Island, 7-0, in 1999 and suffered a 3-2 setback at the hands of George Washington in 2002.
  • This is the 27th season for the Duquesne program (all in the Atlantic 10).

DUQUESNE HEAD COACH CHASE BROOKS
"The guys really dug deep today. We knew coming in that if we played to our principles and worked hard for one another that we could get the result today. It was awesome to see the guys come through and give everything they have and to take the opportunities provided to us. I'm just super proud of the guys and how hard they worked.

"You can't win games without keeping the ball out of your own net. It is super difficult to outscore teams. We were able to do that a little bit earlier this year. We knew we had a few deficiencies, like every team does, and we just kept plugging away and kept working and stayed open-minded and humbled about it. That's one of the biggest things about this group, is how they are willing to work for one another and just learn and grow.

"I'm excited for Sunday. At this level, you're going to have to go through the best to become one of the best and that's what this is about. We're the underdog going in. We have nothing to lose. Let's go have some fun."
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