PITTSBURGH, Pa. – The St. Bonaventure University men's soccer team fell to Duquesne, 3-1, Sunday afternoon at Rooney Field.
Daniel Helle netted his first goal of the season in the 84th minute to pull the Bonnies back within two, 3-1, late in Sunday's matchup.
That would be as close as the Bonnies would get as Duquesne (4-0-1, 1-0-0 A-10) would hold on for the Atlantic 10 victory.
Duquesne grabbed the early lead in the 16th minute when Jaxon Ervin found the back of the net.
Ricardo Rittersberger Galan had opportunities to equalize in the 23rd and 30th minutes, but Dukes goalkeeper Diego Chavez turned away both shots.
The hosts extended their advantage to 2-0 in the 59th minute on a goal from Ashwin Menon, then struck again less than a minute later when Miles Imparato made it a three-goal game.
Seth Hammond looked to spark a Bonnies comeback with chances in the 67th and 69th minutes but could not convert. Hammond led the Bonnies with three shots, while Callum Shillington, Gabriel Addo, and Jesper van Halderen each tallied one attempt.
In goal, Felix Schöne started the match and made two saves, while Ben Choudhry added a save in 21 minutes off the bench.
The Bonnies (2-4-1, 0-1-0 A-10) return to action Saturday, Sept. 20, when they travel to Davidson. Kickoff is set for 1:00 p.m.
QUOTES FROM HEAD COACH MICK GIORDANO
"Disappointing result for our group but fair credit to Duquesne who was sharp and well coached on the day. They took their chances and unfortunately, we did not make the most of ours. The A-10 is a top league filled with some of the best teams in the country for multiple reasons. If you switch off even for a second, they punish you. Taking a positive away was the fight and mentality to keep running until the final whistle creating a few opportunities late in the game with Daniel smashing one in for us. We must look internally at what each of us can do for the program moving forward not "what can the program do for me." We must continue to give extra, that's the only way we survive the grueling A-10 stretch ahead. We can do it, but it's about learning quickly then moving to the next action and doing all we can to not have this feeling at the end of a game. Winning belief and mentality are intricate but more so daily actions of winners is what we are striving for right now."
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