On Sunday, Oct 16, 2011, as the Duquesne Unversity Women’s Soccer Team was engaged in a defensive brawl with the Charlotte 49ers, the Dukes Women’s Volleyball Team found themselves embroiled in a fight of their own. Just down the hill in the A.J. Palumbo Center, the Dukes Volleyball Team was playing against Temple in an Atlantic 10 conference match up. But on this day, these two teams would take completely different paths.
Dukes Women’s Soccer
For nearly the entire first half, both Duquesne University and Charlotte played defensively in the middle portions of the field — between the 20-yard lines. Neither team mounted a serious attack until after the second half was well underway. The teams were evenly matched and both performed with great poise and skill. Defensive talent was the best way to sum up the game. Neither team was able to score during regulation.
For the Dukes, Katie Rust had two very good chances to put the ball in the net, but missed by inches. With less than 20 minutes left in the first half, the Dukes’ athleticism emerged and they had several opportunities within seconds to score, but failed. Charlotte won in overtime when no.7, Oni Bernard, scored her fourth goal of the season on an unassisted, breakaway shot on the left side in the 95th minute. Duquesne goalkeeper, Ashley Szalwinski had eight saves in the match, but needed to have nine. Duquesne 0, Charlotte 1. Duquesne disappointingly fell to 3-10-1 overall.
Dukes Women’s Volleyball
The Duquesne Women’s Volleyball Team fared much better than Gia Marino, Ashley Szalwinski and Co.
In front of 117 parents and fans, the Duquesne Women’s Volleyball Team pounded away at Temple. For 1:18, Patty Abshire (14 digs) and Ashley Buse (7 blocks) tirelessly covered the court and led the Dukes to a 3-0 win at the A.J. Palumbo Center — improving to 15-7 overall; 5-3 in the A-10 Conference. Sara Scheirman and Liz Homan pitched in and led the team with 10 kills each. The win against Temple gave the Dukes a 3-game winning streak.
Next up, the women’s soccer team travels to Amherst, Mass for a game on Oct 21, at Rudd Field at 4 p.m. and the volleyball team hosts St. Louis on Oct 21, at 7 p.m. in the Palumbo Center in Pittsburgh.
Giovanni Badalamenti has been following Duquesne Sports programs since relocating to Pittsburgh in 2011.
Read more from this contributor:
“Collegiate Women’s Soccer Recap: St. Louis at Duquesne”
Slideshow, “Women’s Collegiate Soccer: St. Louis at Duquesne”
Slideshow, “Women’s Collegiate Soccer: Charlotte at Duquesne”
“Autumn in Pittsburgh”
Sources:
Personal interview/attendance
Duquesne University, “Women’s Soccer Falls in Overtime 1-0 against Charlotte on Senior Day.”
Duquesne University, “Women’s volleyball”