Second Half Surge Pushes Duke Past the Orange

Friday, October 4

Durham, N.C.

7:00 PM

Duke University

6-3-1, 2-2-0

Syracuse

3-3-4, 0-2-2

Syracuse

Duke

Photo by: Duke Athletics

Second Half Surge Pushes Duke Past the Orange

10/4/2019 10:01:00 PM | Men's Soccer

Box Score Box Score Photo Gallery

Four different Blue Devils scored in victory

DURHAM, N.C.—Four different Blue Devils tallied goals and eight players had at least one point as 18th-ranked Duke blanked Syracuse 4-0 in ACC men's soccer action this evening at Koskinen Stadium. The four goals are the most by a Duke team in ACC play since a 6-2 win over NC State in 2015.

Duke improves to 6-3-1 overall and to an even 2-2-0 in ACC play. The three points give the Blue Devils six for the year and put them third in Coastal Division standings heading into a crucial road game at Notre Dame next Friday.

The match was a tale of two halves for the Blue Devils. Duke struggled in the early going and were quite fortunate not to go down one or two goals. Syracuse (3-3-4, 0-2-2) fired three shots on frame in the first four minutes alone and simply outplayed the Blue Devils, but couldn't capitalize.

"It took us a long time to get control [of the game] and we were fortunate not to go one or two goals down in the first 30 minutes," said head coach John Kerr. "We were second best in every category. Luckily that set piece goal gave us the confidence to get ourselves together and organize ourselves a little bit more defensively. From then we competed and did a really good job."

Duke weathered the storm and started to get into the contest in the latter parts of the half. Earning a free kick about 25 yards from goal, the Blue Devils executed their set piece with precision. Brandon Williamson took the small touch to put the ball back into play and once again put a perfectly flighted ball on the foot of Daniele Proch.

The Blue Devils' leading playmaker and one of the best in the country, one-timed it across the face of the goal with just enough pace to get past the Syracuse defense for a wide-open Ian Murphy at the back post. The tally was the first for Murphy this season.

Fortunate to go into halftime ahead, Duke wasted no time in seemingly putting the game away almost immediately in the second half.

Just over a minute into the half, senior Matthias Frick took the open space through the middle of the field and crossed into the offensive third where he saw wide-open space behind the Syracuse defense.

Proch, the pure goal scorer, waited patiently and held the run perfectly to receive the through ball from Frick. The Italy native easily touched it past Syracuse goalie Christian Miesch and passed it into the net for his eighth goal of the year and the 2-0 lead.

"Daniele looked sharp [tonight] and he was up for it," Kerr said. "That great pass from Matthias Frick for the second goal really helped with our team's confidence and his confidence. It was an exquisite run and pass from Matthias. Daniele is a natural goal scorer and calmly beat their goalkeeper and passed it into the goal with aplomb."

Fifteen minutes later Max Moser got in on the scoring action as Duke found success attacking from the flank once again. Daniel Wright hit the feet of Stephen O'Connell on the left side. The Rye, N.Y., native looked up and slid the ball toward the six yard-box where rookie Scotty Taylor dummied the ball for an unmarked Max Moser at the back post who put it away with ease.

The third goal dashed any hope from the Orange and the Blue Devils cashed in one more time with 11 seconds left. Colby Agu was the benefactor this time by not giving up on a ball that a Syracuse defender let in behind.
The senior put it away into the far corner for his second of the year.

Will Pulisic was excellent as usual. He posted his fourth shutout of the season and 17th of his career with four saves, three of which came in the first few minutes. Miesch finished with three saves for the Orange.

Duke will not play midweek before heading to Notre Dame. Kickoff at Alumni Stadium is 6 p.m., on ACC Network.

#GoDuke