DURHAM, N.C. — Junior
Jonthomas Buckley scored the Cougars' lone goal as Averett University men's soccer lost 14-1 to Division I Duke University on Sunday afternoon.
Duke (2-1-1), which was nationally ranked No. 20 last week and is still receiving votes in the poll, scored in the sixth minute with the Blue Devils' Drew Kerr sending a left-footed shot into the bottom left corner for the 1-0 advantage. Play was halted moments later for an extended period of time as thunderstorms rolled through the area.
When play resumed with 35 minutes left in the first half, Averett (1-1-0) held down the backline for the next 18 minutes until the Blue Devils netted three scores in quick succession, and by the 25th minute, the opposition raised its lead to 4-0. Duke increased its lead to 6-0 by halftime.
Another flurry of goals in the second half helped Duke pull away.
Averett got on the board in the 80th minute, as Buckley had a one-on-one opportunity to the right side and sent a shot past goalkeeper Ryan Gallagher to avoid the shutout.
The Cougars tallied four shots, with three on goal. One of those other good looks came early on from sophomore
Max Gaudry, but Wessel Speal made a quality save in the top center of goal.
The meeting was the third all-time between Averett and Duke, but the first since the two met twice in 1996.
Averett's next contest is Tuesday, Sept. 3, when the Cougars head to Misenheimer, North Carolina, to battle the Pfeiffer University Falcons. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m.
