Pittsburgh, Pa. – The Duquesne University men's soccer team fell on the road Wednesday, 2-0, to St. Bonaventure in a non-conference game in Olean, N.Y., at the Tom '80 and Michelle Marra Athletics Complex. The Dukes slipped to 5-5-2 (.500) overall during the 2023 season.
Powered by a goal in each half, the Bonnies were able to open the scoring at 36:22 when Umechi Akuazaoku took a feed from Dean Mercer near the back of the box and was able to lift a floater past goalkeeper
Zoltan Nagy to give SBU a 1-0 edge.
Duquesne had opportunities for the equalizer late in the first half, but a shot from forward
Jayden Da was blocked, while a chance from
Sam Bennett was stopped by Nicolas Pucci of the Bonnies.
An even first half in shots, with St. Bonaventure (5-5-3) owning a 10-9 cushion, witnessed the Dukes apply more pressure after the break. Duquesne finished with a 22-17 edge overall in shots and a 6-3 advantage in corner kicks but was never able to knot the score.
Akuazoku added insurance at 81:36, finding the back of the next for his second goal of the contest and the brace. The goal was unassisted and gave him his fifth of the year. Da led the Dukes in shots with six as a reserve, while forward
Jacob Casha finished with four, including two on goal, and midfielder
Anthony DiFalco notched three.
Duquesne matched St. Bonaventure in shots on goal with nine, marking the most for the Dukes since recording 12 in a 2-2 tie with Bowling Green (8/31) at Rooney Field. Nagy corralled seven saves in goal for the Dukes, his second highest total of the year and trailing only the career-high 10 he posted in a 1-1 draw at Loyola Chicago (9/23).
The Dukes return home to Rooney Field Saturday, Oct. 14, for a 7:00 p.m. contest against George Washington. Three of the final five matches of the 2023 regular season for Duquesne come at home.
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