Pitt men’s soccer falls to No. 19 Duke, 2-0

The Pitt men’s soccer team had been on a roll, defeating two ranked opponents (Syracuse and Columbia) in back to back games. The Panthers faced a third ranked team on Friday in No. 19 Duke, but couldn’t keep up with the Blue Devils and lost 2-0.

The match was a close one, however. Pitt gave up both goals after being unsuccessful in attempts to clear the ball near their own net.

Duke’s first goal came 15:44 into the game as Duke star Brian White scored his seventh goal of the year. A lazy pass from defender Bryce Cregan back to goalie Mikal Outcalt was snatched away by White, who beat Outcalt to the ball and easily scored.

The second goal didn’t come until the 89th minute when Pitt was beaten with only a few seconds left. A Duke shot was initially blocked and then rebounded and put in the net.

Disappointing, but to expect the team to win three straight games against ranked teams was a lot to ask. And that the Panthers were competitive with another top 20 team still made for a decent showing.

Pitt now drops to 6-6 on the season and plays Penn State at home on Tuesday.

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