The Duquesne Dukes bested Northern Kentucky 1-0 Tuesday night, setting a record for the most consecutive home wins at 11, but the reaction was mute at best.
There was no true celebration, rather it was very businesslike. The Dukes had a non-conference game tucked away towards the end of the season but did not let it affect play or standards.
Now the task resumes with a challenging final two games which starts at noon on Saturday at Massachusetts where the Minutemen are 4-1-3 at home.
Duquesne currently is first in the Atlantic 10 by virtue of winning the head-to-head tiebreaker over George Mason.
The Patriots host St. Bonaventure Saturday before a road game a week later at VCU.
Not to be counted out, powerhouse Saint Louis is three points out and hosts George Washington Saturday night before taking to the road against a talented Dayton side.
If Duquesne can beat UMass and get three points against Fordham during next Saturday’s senior day, then it will take the top seed in the Atlantic 10 Championship.
Duquesne was in this exact scenario but tied Fordham and then lost at La Salle, taking the second overall seed and falling in the Atlantic 10 Championship semifinals.
It is clear that those who were part of that Dukes team two years ago remember this and are determined to stop at nothing short of a championship.
Throughout the season, Rooney Field has been tough for opponents to play in, with fans right on top of the action but also a defensive intensity which may be the best Duquesne has ever had.
Coach Chase Brooks and his staff have made the proper adjustments from last season to ensure his bend-don’t-break philosophy stifles opponents night in and night out.
Even after a non-conference loss to Robert Morris, Duquesne did not panic, determining nothing would get in the way of its end goals.
Each game this season it has felt that another record or mark has been checked off and the Dukes are 8-0-0 in one-goal games this season.
Maxi Hopfer has rebounded back from a groin injury which left some wondering if he was going to return to the pitch, but as has been the case, his fight and leading by example saw him do just that, but his seven goals and 18 points both rank second in his Duquesne career. He also leads the conference with five game-winning goals, and he owns the program record in that statistic.
Hopfer may have saved his best for his final act. It is clear just how well respected he is not just by his teammates, but by his peers across the athletic department and the campus as a whole.
During the Duquesne Athletics Awards event last season, Hopfer might have received the biggest ovation upon winning an award, with men’s basketball player Dae Dae Grant leading the applause with a big smile.
Hopfer came to Duquesne in the middle of a pandemic but his love for Duquesne and the community are unmatched as is his intensity every second he is out on the pitch.
Jaxon Ervin has enjoyed a breakout sophomore campaign, placing second on the team with 10 points. He recovered from an injury as well and took advantage of an early-season opportunity to earn his place on the starting 11.
Dakota Jonke transferred in and was quite affective during the spring season. Despite an early-season injury, he came back, and his consistent tenacity has been critical. He is this team’s clear penalty kicker and has an affective move which frustrates any goalkeeper.
Defensively, Jesper Moksnes has played all 1,260 minutes and has created an affective backline along with Christoffer Vie Angell and Blaize Hardy.
Ashton Jell has taken a jump as well this season and Grant McIntosh is playing from a position of strength on the field, his comfort apparent.
Each player has bought into his role, and it has been someone different stepping up each contest whether it is Jack Rhead’s hard foot, Ali Nasser’s intensity, Pepo Bravo’s desire, Bendix Bennetzen’s consistent and reliable play, Marko Rasmussen’s work to get back on the field and growth on it, Ashwin Menon’s winning mentality, the names are endless.
Zoltan Nagy has clearly adjusted to the NCAA DI level and has been a tremendous asset in goal for the Dukes.
He has been named Atlantic 10 Defensive Player of the Week three times this season and has played 1,215 minutes, collecting 54 saves, conceding 0.89 goals per game. Nagy’s instincts have served him well, especially of late.
When you put the pieces together, Duquesne has had quite the season, one it expects to be the standard, and it hopes to use the final 180 minutes of the regular-season campaign to prove what it believes. That the road to success runs through Rooney Field.
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Source: https://pittsburghsoccernow.com/2024/10/26/weiss-duquesne-mens-soccer-in-control-of-own-destiny/
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