With fall sports thoroughly underway, The Chronicle is polling its readers every week via its Sportswrap newsletter to highlight one Blue Devil athlete’s outstanding performance. This week’s spotlight goes to Adam Luckhurst of Duke men’s soccer:
The pressure was on for the Blue Devils, facing off against unbeaten Stanford. After a controversial loss against No. 11 North Carolina, a match against the then-No. 1 group on the Cardinal’s home turf seemed to be a daunting challenge for the unranked Duke squad.
Luckily for the away team, graduate student Adam Luckhurst came to the match ready to play.
The game was looking promising for Duke. After a late first-half goal, the visitors held a one-point advantage against the Cardinal. Luckhurst then furthered the Blue Devils’ momentum, knocking the ball into the net with a well-placed header from the side of the goal. The point was followed by a group hug by Duke, with a wide smile and enthusiastic fist pump from Luckhurst himself.
Overall, it has been a very successful season for the graduate student. With his goal against Stanford, the Santa Barbara, Calif., native notched his fifth score of the season. In his first campaign with the Blue Devils, the South Carolina transfer has made his mark on the Duke squad, fulfilling his title as a new player to watch.
After taking a hard foul against North Carolina earlier this season, it is promising to see Luckhurst’s resolve unshaken — likely aided by his experience as team captain in his senior season with the Gamecocks.
Despite his tenacity, the match ended in a 2-2 draw. After trailing for most of the game, the home team gained a second wind, finding cracks in the Blue Devil defense to secure two late-game goals — the latter of which came just shy of the last two minutes of the match. However, in a frenzy of fouls and yellow cards for players on both teams, the field dissolved into chaos and allowed Duke to hold onto the draw.
Although it may not have been the outcome they were hoping for, it was a strong showing for the Blue Devils. With the three-hour time difference meaning Duke was playing at 10 p.m., Durham time, the outcome is especially impressive. However, as this match was only the second time that Duke has met the Cardinal in program history, this excitement of this game has set the stage for the many matches to come between the two ACC squads.
Luckhurst and his fellow Blue Devils look to regain their momentum at N.C. State this Friday.
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