Baltimore, Maryland – The defending champion Duke Blue Devils defeat the Denver Pioneers for the second time this season to move onto Monday’s Championship game. Kyle Keenan started at attack and produced four big goals for the Blue Devils and Kyle Turri was able to withstand Denver’s late rally to win the game 15-12.
Denver opened the scoring with Wes Berg getting the first goal of the contest for his Pioneers. Falling to the turf, he beat starting goalie Luke Aaron for Duke. Myles Jones tied it up for Duke when he dodges hard left and stung one by Eric LaPlante. Both team had shots and the game started at the great pace.
Duke’s first lead came when Deemer Class scored, assist credited to Kyle Keenan. Keenan took the spot left open after last week’s injury to Josh Dionne. Dionne is on the sideline on crutches and looks to finished his playing career for the Blue Devils. To replace Keenan on the second midfield was Junior Tanner Scott from Conestoga High School.
Tyler Pace scores to tie the game at two. Duke would finish the scoring in the first quarter when Greg Cohan scored with the assist credited to Jordan Wolf. Duke would fail on their only extra man opportunity to increase their led early.
Jack Bobzien scored unassisted to tie the game at three, but on the ensuing possession for Duke. Deemer Class was left unguarded as he drove the middle. After Wes Berg tied the game at four, it was all Duke as they finished on a four-goal run to close the half.
First, Kyle Keenan scored to give Duke a 5-4 advantage. Tewaaraton Finalist Jordan Wolf scored the next three to complete a natural hat trick. First he scored off a Myles Jones shot that was saved by LaPlante, but the rebound needed up in Wolf’s stick on the doorstep. The midfield rotation caused havoc on the Pioneer defense and Wolf capitalized twice, the last with under ten seconds in the half. Duke led 8-4 at half.
The scoring started quickly in the second half with Denver’s offense getting on the board first. Transfer Jack Bobzien scored to cut into the lead. Duke answered back when senior Christian Walsh found Keenan to regain the four-goal lead. Walsh scored the next, as Myles Jones found him open and he beat the new Denver goalie Jamie Faus.
Denver would cut into the lead again Bobzien scored with little angle to bring the score to 10-6 in favor of Duke. Wes Berg scored the first extra man goal of the game when Zach Miller found him in the rotation, beating Luke Aaron to close the lead to three. On the ensuing face off, Keenan scored as Will Haus ran transition and with a late hit, Duke was given possession without a face off.
Berg scored a big goal, as a delayed penalty was called against Duke. He scored backhanded to keep the lead at three. Only three goal scorers for Denver allowed them to get to ten goals at the start of the fourth quarter. Duke’s offense slowed from its feverish pace. 11-10 was the score, but Duke spread the scoring around through six goal scorers to Denver’s three.
Duke would answer the Pioneers run with one of their own. Myles Jones would split and score on a lefty dodge, assist to Walsh. Zach Miller answered for Denver, as he was the first player not named Bobzien, Berg, or Pace with a goal. Keenan scored his fourth of the game, Class got another, and Cohan scored to put the lead to 15-11. Denver would get one more with Tyler Pace finishing the scoring.
With the win, Duke advances to the championship on Monday and will face the winner of Notre Dame v. Maryland. The game was a battle between both teams, but Duke had one more run in them to get to Monday. Kyle Turri, who replaces Aaron, made some huge saves late in the fourth to seal the win for the Blue Devils.
