Upcoming Event: Men's Soccer versus Pitt on October 3, 2025 at 8 p.m.
Men's Soccer
vs Pitt
Friday, August 21
Durham, N.C.
7:00 PM
Duke University
vs
Charlotte (Exhibition)
Blue Devils Draw with No. 17 Charlotte 1-1
8/21/2015 10:29:00 PM | Men's Soccer
DURHAM, N.C.—Duke men's soccer Junior Brody Huitema headed home a Bryson Asher corner kick late in the second half in a 1-1 draw with preseason No. 17 Charlotte tonight in the final exhibition game for the Blue Devils. Duke opens its official schedule with Saint Mary's Friday at 7:30 p.m.
Facing tired and heavy legs from preseason training, both the Blue Devils and 49ers struggled to get into a rhythm in the first half. Duke generated an early opportunity with a through ball to sophomore Jeremy Ebobisse. The second-year striker ran on to it, but a good recovery run from a Charlotte defender kept the Blue Devils off the scoreboard.
“Every coach at this part of the preseason wants perfection, but it's hard because there is still a lot of learning to do and a lot of process we have to go through fitness wise. One of the things we can improve on is keeping the ball. We won the ball well, but didn't keep it long enough.”
Duke's backline of Markus Fjørtoft, Oliver Spring, Kevon Black and Jared Rist along with goalkeeper Wilson Fisher were outstanding in the first half, allowing Charlotte just four shots and none on frame. The 49ers had one close call as a ball skipped across the box before Charlotte struck it just off the outside of the near post for a goal kick.
“We played a really good team in Charlotte tonight,” said head coach John Kerr. “They're resilient, they're tough, they're physical and we held our own. We didn't back down. We only allowed that one shot on goal and that is promising. Unfortunately it was the one shot that went in, but I thought we were tough and battled well.”
Sophomore outside midfielder Macario Hing-Glover also had a good look at goal in the opening frame, firing a shot from 20 yards out that sailed wide right of the net and the teams headed into halftime scoreless.
Charlotte came out in the second half and controlled the run of play in the early going, but just like the first half Duke's backline was up to the task. With a spark from Brody Huitema and Bryson Asher off the bench, the Blue Devils started to generate chances midway through the period.
Duke broke through to take the 1-0 lead in the 75th minute when Huitema knocked in Asher's corner kick that went untouched into the six-yard box.
Just four minutes later Charlotte got on the board on a set piece as well. Max Rodriguez drove a free kick in from 45 yards where Maclean Holbrook somehow got free to head it past Duke goalkeeper Mitch Kupstas for the equalizer.
That proved to be the final good look at goal for either team as they finished the 90 minutes in a 1-1 draw.
The 49ers edged Duke 9-8 in shots, but the goal was the lone one on frame for Charlotte. Fisher and Kupstas split time in goal, while Austin Pack had two saves in 74 minutes of action for the 49ers.
Duke opens the 2015 season with the John Rennie Nike Invitational Aug. 28-30. The Blue Devils host Saint Mary's first at 7:30 p.m., Friday and DePaul Sunday at 2:30 p.m. Both games will be broadcast by Blue Devil Network+ on GoDuke.com.
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