PITTSBURGH – After taking a 1-0 lead just 12 minutes into its game Friday night against Duquesne (5-8-2, 1-3-1 Atlantic 10 Conference), the St. Bonaventure women’s soccer team (5-9-1, 2-3 A-10) failed to hold onto the advantage as it dropped a 3-2 contest to the Dukes at Arthur J. Rooney Field.

The loss snapped a two-game winning streak for the Bonnies and gave the Dukes their first A-10 win of the season. Freshman Abby Maiello and junior Alyssa Lapp scored Bonaventure’s two goals, which came 74 minutes apart.

“It was a disappointing result because we played well enough and scored two goals on the road, which is usually enough to win,” head coach Manoj Khettry said. “We had the majority of the possession and also the chances, but just didn’t convert enough.”

Maiello’s third goal of the season put SBU in front early. Sophomore Brittany Charles sent a cross to Maiello to add to her team-leading assist total, which now stands at five on the campaign.

The lead was extremely short-lived, however, as the home-standing Dukes responded with an Amy Vinopal goal from 25 yards out just three minutes after Maiello’s strike. The goal was not only Vinopal’s first of the season, but also the first goal scored by Duquesne in its five A-10 games.

The two teams went to the halftime break mired in that 1-1 tie, and the score remained that way until the 70th minute when Rachel Baker headed home a cross from Kahli Hale.

The eventual game-winner came 13 minutes later when Baker this time used her passing to set up Vinopal’s second goal of the game to put an end to a four-game winless streak for Duquesne.

Bona got a late goal from Lapp, who scored her second goal of the season in the 86th minute on a shot from about 20 yards out. However, it was not enough as the Bonnies dropped their second game in the last five years to their rival.

“If we don’t lose our concentration and give up a third goal with less than seven minutes remaining, we have a chance to win,” Khettry said. “But I have to give credit to Duquesne – they put away their chances and we didn’t.”

Bonaventure dominated the opening 15 minutes of the game prior to Duquesne’s equalizer as they attempted the match’s first five shots. The second half started much of the same way as the Bonnies attempted the first four shots of the stanza. In fact, the Dukes first shot of the frame came on their goal in the 70th minute.

“Duquesne’s first goal was scored against the run of play and we lost our rhythm,” Khettry surmised after. “The same thing happened in the second half. We were getting the majority of the chances and had the lion’s share of possession, but we gave up another goal against the run of play."

Senior Katie Kerkman made her third straight start in net for the Brown and White and allowed three goals while making three stops. Her counterpart, Devon Tabata, stopped six Bonaventure shots on the night.

The Bonnies held a 16-8 shot advantage, but the Dukes put six of theirs on frame (75 percent) compared with eight for the Bonnies (50 percent).

St. Bonaventure returns to action next week when it heads to Ohio to battle Dayton on Friday night at 7:30. The Bonnies then conclude their weekend in the Buckeye state with a matchup against Xavier on Sunday at 1 p.m.

GAME NOTES: The Bonnies wore pink jerseys for the second game in a row and third time this season to support October’s Breast Cancer Awareness push … the Bonnies held an 8-3 shot advantage at the end of the first half … Duquesne nearly added another goal in the 77th minute, but Danya Fenech’s shot hit the post … each team earned three corners … Bonaventure was whistled for four fouls while Duquesne was called twice.

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