McDaniel’s goal keys Duke escape

After bookending the first half with beautiful goals and dominating play in between, Duke (13-6) seemed poised to coast to a first-round victory over Winthrop in the NCAA tournament. A surprise second-half goal by the Eagles reversed the tide, however, and a senior’s first-career score was needed to propel the Blue Devils to a 3-2 victory Thursday at Koskinen Stadium. 

For the match’s first 57 minutes, Winthrop (11-6-4) did not manage a shot on goal. Then freshman Said Abdi posted up a Duke defender just outside the Blue Devil box, received a pass, turned quickly and surprised goalkeeper James Belshaw with a shot into the bottom corner. About ten minutes later, Belshaw redeemed himself with a fantastic reaction save on a point-blank Winthrop header to keep the score steady at 2-1. 

Just as the Eagles seemed poised to level the score, a Duke corner kick squirted out to the top of the box, where senior Ryan McDaniel was waiting. McDaniel calmly gathered the ball and carved a left-footed shot into the top corner for the game-winning tally. 

“I guess it’s a little dramatic but I’ll take it for sure,” McDaniel said. “I had a terrible first touch to be honest with you and kind of had to rescue myself.”

“He’s been a stalwart for us all season long in the midfield,” head coach John Kerr said of McDaniel. “It’s a special night for him to step up and score the winning goal in probably his last game here at Koskinen.”

Despite the surge of momentum from McDaniel’s goal, Duke still couldn’t hold off Winthrop. With 14 minutes left in the match, Stephen Nsereko hit a bicycle kick that bounced across the face of the Duke net. Cameron Alksnis ran onto it and drove a header past Belshaw into the far corner, pulling the Eagles back within one. 

Winthrop only generated one more dangerous chance, however, and its last shot flew over the crossbar.

“This was the worst second half we’ve played this season,” Kerr said. “We’re normally a good second half team.” 

“It got a little frantic in the end,” McDaniel said. “The difference between this year’s team and last year’s is that we were able to keep our composure and we were able to hold them off in the end.”

Following first-round NCAA tournament losses the past two years, Duke started the match determined to avoid another early exit. The Blue Devils delivered in the beginning with arguably their best half of the season. 

Only two minutes into the match, junior Nick Sih dribbled up the right wing, faked a back-heel pass and beat two defenders into the corner. From there he crossed the ball into the box, where Ryan Ruffing shielded his defender and let the ball roll through to freshman Ryan Finley. Finley ripped a shot far post and gave Duke the lead only 2:33 into the game. 

“It gives us another dimension when [Sih] gets forward,” Kerr said. “He’s a converted forward, he’s got a good eye for space and serves a great ball.”

The Blue Devils continued their solid play and peppered the Eagles’ goal for the rest of the first half, and finally Winthrop broke down. 

With two minutes remaining in the period, freshman Andrew Wenger lofted in a high, bending cross from about 35 yards out. Senior Trae Harrison found space at the top of the six-yard box and made no mistake in heading the ball home. 

“Anytime you’re in a win-or-go-home game, it always helps to go up early,” Finley said. “We pretty much dictated the first half but not so much the second.”

Thanks to its fantastic peformance at the beginning of the match and McDaniel’s heroics, though, Duke survived its mistakes to play another day. And in the NCAA tournament, that’s all that matters.