For the first time since 2000, the men's soccer team advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament, defeating Coastal Carolina 3-0 Friday night at Koskinen Stadium.
Tomek Charowski, who moved up to forward for the first time Friday, found the net twice to extend the lead that Danny Kramer established in the 30th minute.
The Blue Devils (15-5) will face No. 12 Old Dominion, which received a first-round bye, in Norfolk, Va., Tuesday.
With less than 15 minutes remaining in the first half, assist-leader Michael Videira fought off a Chanticleer defender to keep the ball in bounds. Videira then sent a pass to Zachary Pope, who crossed the ball in front of Coastal Carolina's net. Nigi Adogwa overran and missed the pass, but a charging Kramer followed and found the cage, scoring the only goal Duke would need.
The Chanticleers were not able to muster a shot until five minutes had gone by in the second half, when point-leader Jordie Hughes drew Duke goalie Justin Trowbridge out. Beating Trowbridge, Hughes fired a shot deep from the left side that barely missed the goal.
"[Duke] did a very good job defensively of shutting us down, of stopping us, of letting us get into a rhythm and getting our guys forward," Coastal Carolina head coach Shaun Docking said. "They defended us very well.... They never really let us settle in the game."
Coastal Carolina (14-8-1) sustained a pair of severe injuries that prevented the team from getting into the game. Two Chanticleer players were taken off the field on stretchers, one with possible nerve damage and one with a concussion.
In the first half, Patrick Robertson and keeper Aaron Weant collided in Coastal Carolina's box to keep Duke's Spencer Wadsworth from getting the ball. Robertson finally limped off the field, and Docking said his defender had felt numbness down his leg.
Then, with only 13 minutes left in the game, another Chanticleer, Kevin Van Den Berg, suffered what seemed to be a severe concussion when he bumped heads with Duke's Chris Loftus on a Coastal Carolina corner kick. Van Den Berg had a seizure when he first hit the ground and was taken off the field following a 20-minute delay.
"[Duke] is a very good team, and in order for us to stand a chance of winning, we needed everyone to be fit and healthy. We didn't have that," Docking said.
When Van Den Berg went down, the Blue Devils led by two after Blake Camp sent a cross that Charowski knocked into the net on a sliding kick in the 51st minute. Just 30 seconds after Van Den Berg's injury, Charowski found the net again following a Pope pass.
Duke enjoyed a 15-4 shot advantage, and Coastal Carolina's standouts--Hughes, Mamba Chisoni and Boyzzz Khumalo--were the only players to take shots on Trowbridge, who had two saves on the night. Both of Trowbridge's saves were impressive diving stops, one on a penalty kick by Hughes.
"On the whole team, there wasn't anybody who didn't have a great game," said head coach John Rennie, noting that the team was successful despite a week-long hiatus.
After falling to Virginia in the first round of the ACC Tournament, the Blue Devils had nine days to rest and practice before the NCAAs, something the coaches and players agreed they had needed.
"We were really anxious to play," Charowski said. "We were kind of happy we didn't get the bye in the first round because we had so many days off. I think it's better that we got this game in now."
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