Pittsburgh, Pa. – The Duquesne University men's soccer team opened the final week of the 2026 regular season Wednesday by dropping a non-conference affair to Penn State, 3-1, in University Park, Pa., at Jeffrey Field. The Dukes slipped to 9-4-2 (.667) overall during the 2026 campaign.
POINTS OF EMPHASIS
The Nittany Lions scored all three of their goals in the opening 45 minutes, grabbing a 1-0 lead less than three minutes into the contest. Off a corner kick, redshirt goalkeeper
Sam Coss came up with a punch out, but Noah Förster was able to track the ball down and kick it to the opposite side of the box. Etienne Reck was waiting and, with his back to the goal, provided a floater on a bicycle kick that got over the head of Coss and found the right of the net at 2:46. The Nittany Lions would make it 2-0 at 35:57, as a miscue by Coss allowed Peter Doran to feed Joe Buckley, who provided a strike into an open net to give PSU a 2-0 advantage.
SET PIECE
Duquesne was issued a red card with under five minutes to go in the opening 45 minutes, giving Penn State a set piece.
Grant McIntosh, a former member of the Dukes, would capitalize, firing the ball above a wall of Duquesne defenders and hitting the crossbar above an outstretched Coss. The ball bounced straight down, hit the goal line and went into the net to give the Nittany Lions a 3-0 advantage. It marks the first time the Dukes have allowed three or more goals in over a calendar year, as Rhode Island defeated Duquesne in Kingston, R.I., 6-1, on the strength of five goals in the second half Oct. 8, 2025.
NOTES
Duquesne was able to register on the scoresheet in the second half, with sophomore
Hákon Dagur Matthíasson scoring for the second consecutive game on a penalty kick at 51:55 … The Dukes have scored a goal in seven consecutive games dating back to a 1-0 loss at Saint Louis (9/26) … Outside of the loss to the Billikens the three other losses for the Dukes have come against a foe from the Big Ten (Penn State), Big 12 (West Virginia) and Atlantic Coast Conference (Pitt) … Penn State owned a 10-2 advantage in shots in the first half but Duquesne fashioned a 6-5 edge in the category in the second 45 … The Nittany Lions held an 8-6 blanket in corner kicks and an 8-5 cushion in shots on goal … Both of the shots for redshirt senior
Ashwin Menon were on target … Redshirt sophomore
Jameson Michel also posted a pair of shots … The only field player to log a full 90 minutes was
Ofek Sasson.
UP NEXT
The Dukes will travel to Philadelphia, Pa., to conclude the 2026 regular season Saturday, Oct. 31, at 5:00 p.m. against La Salle at McCarthy Stadium. Duquesne sits atop the Atlantic 10 standings with 18 points, and a win gives the Dukes the 2026 A10 regular-season championship, while a draw guarantees at least a share of the regular-season crown.
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