Durham, N.C.--The Georgia State men's soccer team got off to a fast start, gaining a 6-1 advantage in shots in the first half, but couldn't withstand a late push from Duke and fell 3-0 on Tuesday night at Koskinen Stadium.
The Panthers (2-2-0) began the match strong with four shots and three corner kicks in the first 20 minutes. GSU went to the half tied 0-0 with Duke, the seventh time in the last 10 matches it has held its opponent scoreless in the first half.
Redshirt junior Michael Nwiloh earned Georgia State's best chance on the night in the 83rd minute when his right-footed rocket was saved off the goal line by Duke (2-3-0) goalkeeper James Belshaw. Nwiloh's shot on goal was Belshaw's lone save in the winning effort.
GSU freshman William Mellors-Blair led all players with three shots. Senior goalkeeper Vincent Foermer made four saves, including a lunging fingertip stop in the 67th minute to keep the deficit at one goal.
Georgia State conceded a goal midway through the second half when Duke sophomore Nick Palodichuk scored on the doorstep after corralling a loose ball off a deflected shot. Palodichuk's second goal of the season gave Duke the 1-0 edge at the 64:31 mark.
Duke's Sebastien Ibeagha scored two goals in the dying minutes while GSU pressed defenders in search of its first tally. He scored his first of the night at the 79:50 mark when he skied above the GSU defense and headed home a corner kick from Zach Mathers. His second came on an odd-man rush in the 87th minute from the Blue Devils that Ibeagha finished off with a right-footed finish on a cross from Mathers.
Duke, the No. 25-ranked team in the TopDrawerSoccer.com Top 48 rankings, finished the match with a 10-9 advantage in shots and a 7-1 lead in shots on goal. Corners were all even at six.
GSU, led by third-year head coach Brett Surrency, has a quick turnaround before taking on two in-state rivals this weekend. The Panthers host Georgia Southern at the GSU Soccer Complex for a 4 p.m. match on Friday to kick-off the weekend. This Sunday, GSU travels to Macon, Ga., for a 7 p.m. match against Mercer. Visit the men's soccer page on www.GeorgiaStateSports.com for a preview of both matches.
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