Pittsburgh, Pa. – The Duquesne University men's soccer team wrapped up a two-game homestand at Rooney Field to open its 2025 season Sunday, erasing a two-goal deficit to earn a draw with Robert Morris, 2-2. The Dukes own an overall record of 1-0-1 (.750).
 
POINTS OF EMPHASIS
Robert Morris struck first on a throw in at 21:02, as Jack Bejarano was able to score on a rebound off a header from Victor Thompson, Jr., to give the Colonials an early lead. Less than 10 minutes later, another set piece helped RMU take a 2-0 advantage. This time it was a free kick, which saw Anass Hadran lift the ball toward the goal, which hit the cross bar and bounced in front of the box. Royie Rahamim capitalized with a header at 29:32 to extend the lead for the Colonials.
 
SET PIECE
Duquesne was able to trim its deficit in half late in the first half on a set piece, as after a foul senior forward Dakota Jonke connected from roughly 30 yards out, drilling a shot out of the reach of RMU goalkeeper Josh Lane into the upper right corner to help the Dukes close to within 2-1 at 33:52.
 
QUOTABLE
"You can't do what we did and spot a team two goals, especially off two set pieces," head coach Chase Brooks said. "I think the game is very different if we go into halftime down two goals. To get one before the break was vital. It gave us that momentum going into halftime. We definitely turned things on in the second half. Set pieces, to me, a lot of times are about the desire and the attitude to go and win the ball. Put your body on the line. We lacked that a little bit in the first half. Set pieces change games, and we know that. We've got to make sure we're on the positive side of it moving forward."
 
THE EQUALIZER
Duquesne came out buzzing in the second half and ended up owning an 11-1 cushion in shots after the break, with Lane coming up with a few big saves to keep Robert Morris in front. The Dukes finally broke through to tie it, 2-2, at 79:26. Jonke had a give-and-go with junior Mathieu Brick, who laced the ball into the box. Sophomore forward Roni Badler was there, and he connected for his first goal of the season in the lower right corner to knot the game and help Duquesne erase a two-goal deficit.
 
QUOTABLE
"Those are the moments you want in soccer, or in any sport," Brooks said. "(Badler) is coming off of two years of barely playing due to injury and ends up with the game-tying goal. That was an awesome moment. The assist comes from a guy that hasn't seen the field in a while, as well, so it was really nice to have those two connect for that goal."
 
NOTES
The Dukes finished with a 20-8 edge in shots, including a 7-3 advantage in shots on goal … Lane finished with five saves for Robert Morris, while redshirt senior goalkeeper Diego Chavez notched one for Duquesne … The Dukes also held a 5-1 edge in corner kicks … Five different players have scored the five goals for Duquesne through the first two games of the 2025 season, while seven different Dukes have registered on the scoresheet … In earning the draw Duquesne leads the all-time series with Robert Morris, 19-7-4 (.700), and hasn't lost to the Colonials at Rooney Field since 1998.
 
UP NEXT
Duquesne opens a three-game road trip Saturday, August 30, with a 1:00 p.m. match at Canisius. The Dukes will also visit Syracuse (Sept. 5) and Mount St. Mary's (Sept. 9) during their swing.

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