DURHAM – Goals from Forster Ajago and Antino Lopez lifted No. 15 Duke past NC State, 2-1, on Friday night at Koskinen Stadium. The Blue Devils (8-3-1, 3-3-0) out-shot the Wolfpack (6-8-0, 1-5-0), by an overall margin of 22-9, including a 12-6 advantage in shots on goal. Freshman goalkeeper Julian Eyestone tallied five saves, matching a career-high.
With the win, Duke moved to 7-0-1 at home this season and extended its streak to 19 consecutive matches at Koskinen Stadium without a defeat. In that stretch, the Blue Devils are 15-0-4.
HOW IT HAPPENED
- NC State opened the night on the attack, putting early pressure on the Duke defense. The Blue Devils’ backline stayed steady though and prevented the Wolfpack from attempting a shot.
- The Blue Devils picked up the tempo, earning three corners and taking six shots in the first 15 minutes of play.
- Forster Ajago opened the scoring off Duke’s corner kick in the 16th minute, connecting on a powerful header and sending it into the back of the net.
- Julian Eyestone made a sprawling kick save just seconds after play resumed following Ajago’s goal to keep NC State off the scoreboard.
- The Blue Devils remained on the attack, earning six more corners before the 30_minute mark.
- NC State leveled the score late in the first half, with a goal in the 39th minute.
- Following halftime, the physicality picked up, with four yellow cards shown in the first five minutes of the second half.
- Neither team could produce a strong scoring chance through the first 10 minutes of the second frame, but Antino Lopez blasted in a right-footed shot in the 59th minute to put Duke back in front, 2-1.
- The Blue Devils’ offense continued to put pressure on the Wolfpack defensive line, taking a total of nine shots in the second half, but did not strike for a third goal.
QUOTES
- “To now be .500 in the league, with two [league] games left, two tough games with Pitt away and Virginia Tech at home, so they won’t be easy, but rebounding from being under .500 in the league is something that we were hoping tonight to get the win and make sure we’re finishing strong down the stretch.” – Duke head coach John Kerr on Duke’s winning effort on Friday night.
- “It’s a great league. It’s a really competitive league. And our Coastal division is really challenging and competitive. So, it’s pretty impressive, you can be last or second-to-last and still be top-notch.” – Kerr on the depth of the ACC
- “Well, it kind of just fell right to me. And I was like ‘I’ve got to hit this’. And I hit it, it deflected, bounced everywhere, it was just kind of bouncing and it was slow motion for me. I went right through it. Nobody was stopping me. I was going right through it.” – senior captain Antino Lopez on his second-half goal.
NOTES
- Duke is now 7-0-1 at home this season and is 15-0-4 in its last 19 matches at Koskinen Stadium.
- The 19-match unbeaten streak at home is the longest in the ACC.
- Forster Ajago scored his 11th goal of the season and has scored a total of six goals over the span of Duke’s last six matches.
- Ajago remains the ACC leader for total goals scored and total points (22).
- Ulfur Bjornsson set up Ajago’s first-half goal, the second assist of Bjornsson’s freshman campaign.
- Antino Lopez scored the second goal of his career and put his name in the scoresheet for the first time since Oct. 29, 2021, when he scored against Virginia.
- The game-winning goal was the first of Lopez’s career.
- Julian Eyestone made five saves, matching his career-high. The freshman has allowed just two goals across Duke’s last three matches.
- With the victory, Duke moves to 3-3-0 in the ACC and are now third in the Coastal Division with nine points.
UP NEXT
- No. 15 Duke hits the road for the final time in the regular season, traveling to take on No. 11 Pittsburgh. Kickoff on Saturday, Oct. 21 is scheduled for 7 p.m., broadcast on ACC Network Extra.
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