Oct. 21, 2016
by Tony Jones
DURHAM, N.C. – An early goal by the University of Notre Dame men’s soccer team was negated by direct play from the host Duke in a Friday Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) struggle. Blue Devil freshman Brandon Williamson found his first two career goals as Duke outlasted the No. 4 Irish 2-1 in the second overtime period at Koskinen Stadium.
Notre Dame (10-4-1, 3-3-1 ACC) rocketed out of the blocks as the offensive aggressor, with Evan Panken attempting the first clear shot of the night for either team in the fourth minute. A blast from outside by Panken was punched aside by Duke (6-6-2, 2-4-1 ACC) goalkeeper Robert Moewes.
Mark Gormley continued his recent hot streak on the offensive end of the pitch, scoring his fourth goal in five starts during the fifth minute. A turnover caused by Jon Gallagher as Duke attempted to clear the defensive zone left Gallagher with possession on the left of the Blue Devils 18-yard box. Gallagher dropped a perfect pass across to a trailing Gormley, who finished his fifth goal of the year at 4:28 for the 1-0 Notre Dame lead.
Duke looked for the equalizer in the 26th minute, but a dangerous chance near the right post by Cameron Mosely was saved by Chris Hubbard. Follow-up shots by both Mosely and Max Moser were blocked out of danger by the Notre Dame defense.
The Blue Devils leveled the contest with an offensive flurry in the 35th minute. A shot into the Notre Dame 18-yard box found its way to Williamson, who finished a left-footed strike inside the right post for his first goal of the year at 34:22 to tie the contest at 1-1.
A pair of Duke shots in the second half, one off the crossbar in the 66th minute and another the right post in the 81st minute, kept the game deadlocked at 1-1. Despite Notre Dame finishing the second 45 minutes with an 8-6 shots edge in the period, the match headed to overtime.
Duke ended the game during the second extra session after Moewes made an improbable stop on the doorstop at the left post against Gallagher in the 108th minute. It was Williamson again, against the run of play, who finished a cross from the right flank across the field toward the right post for the game winner at 108:11.
Notre Dame returns home for the final two games of the 2016 regular season next week at Alumni Stadium. The Irish open the homestand against Michigan State on Oct. 25 at 7 p.m. (ET) on ACC Network Extra.
Play of the Game
A strong defensive challenge by Jon Gallagher forced a turnover off the foot of Duke defender Markus Fjortoft early in the first half. Gallagher slotted a drop pass to Mark Gormley for the lone Notre Dame goal, Gormley’s fifth of the season, at just 4:28 of the first half.
Turning Point
With Gallagher probing for the game-winning goal in the 108th minute, Duke goalkeeper Robert Moewes made a spectacular point blank save at the left post that ultimately started the winning sequence for the Blue Devils after clearing the ensuing corner kick.
Note of the Game
Duke earned just its third win in nine meetings all-time against Notre Dame, and its first since a 2-1 decision on Sept. 6, 1992 at the adidas/MetLife Classic in Bloomington, Indiana.
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Tony Jones, athletics communications assistant director at the University of Notre Dame, has been part of the Fighting Irish athletics communications team since 2012 and coordinates all media efforts for the Notre Dame softball and men’s soccer programs. A native of Jamestown, New York, Jones is a 2011 graduate of St. Bonaventure University, and prior to arriving at Notre Dame held positions at the University of Louisiana Monroe and with the National Football League’s Buffalo Bills.