PITTSBURGH - No. 25 Duquesne (10-2-3) cut a 3-0 deficit to one with under 30 minutes left, but couldn't close the gap as Pitt (7-3-3) pulled away for a 5-2 victory on Monday night at Ambrose Urbanic Field.

The loss was just the second of the season for the Dukes, whose only other defeat came at then-No. 25 Akron on Sept. 28.

Ask Ekeland took advantage of a Pitt turnover to blast a shot from the top of the box to make it 3-1 in the 55th minute. The goal was the team-high seventh of the season for the DU freshman.

A Nate Dragisich free kick from well out, glanced off a Pitt player set up in a wall at the top of the box and into the net to make it 3-2 in the 61st minute.

An energized Duquesne 11 pressured Pitt for the next 15 minutes, but could not manage the equalizer.

Pitt added goals in the 79th minute and with 30 seconds left for the final margin.

Duquesne outshot Pitt 16-15, including 12-7 in the second half.

Duquesne returns to Atlantic 10 play when it hosts Fordham on Saturday, Oct. 22 at 7:00 p.m. (ESPN+).

HOW IT HAPPENED

• The Dukes held the Panthers without a shot until the 12th minute.
• Pitt applied pressure and earned the game's first corner kick in the 17th minute.
• Duquesne's Maxi Hopfer corralled a turnover and went on the attack with Nate Dragisich on the flank. Hopfer got off a hard shot to the short side that was saved in the 18th minute.
• Pitt got on the board in the 24th minute when Luis Sahmkow took a cross and roofed a shot from center of the goal.
• Duquesne had back-to-back corner kicks in the 33rd minute but were unable to capitalize.
• Pitt's Guilherme Feitosa put a shot off the right post in the 39th minute, before Valentin Noel found the back of the net with 19 seconds left in the half to make it 2-0.
• Pitt outshot DU 8-4 in the first half with four coming in the last six minutes.
• The Panthers took a 3-0 lead on a goal from Michael Sullivan in the 55th minute.
• Ask Ekeland took advantage of a Pitt turnover to blast a shot by Pitt's Joe van der Sar from the top of the box to make it 3-1 in the 55th minute. The goal was Ekeland's team-high seventh.
• Duquesne pulled to within one when Nate Dragisich's free kick from distance glanced off a Pitt player and by van der Sar in the 61st minute.
• DU's Maxi Hopfer had a pair of scoring chances in the 63rd an 64th minutes as the Dukes capitalized on the change in momentum.
• Jackson Walti scored in the 79th minute to make it 4-2 after the Dukes froze in anticipation of an offside call.
• Elmar Jonsson put a long ball on net in the 84th minute and DU retained possession but were unable to generate a second shot.
• Christoffer Vie Angell and Nate Dragisich had shots blocked in the 87th minute as Duquesne continued to battle.
• Pitt closed out the scoring on a goal with 30 seconds left.
• It was the first time in the 12-game series that the Dukes scored multiple goals against the Panthers.