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MORGANTOWN - Against the nation's stingiest defense, Sammie Walker provided some late-match heroics for No. 21 West Virginia on Tuesday night.
Walker's goal in the 85th minute handed the Mountaineers a 1-0 victory against Duquesne inside Dick Dlesk Stadium. The Dukes came into the match having allowed just two goals on the season.
The Mountaineers (5-1-1) are now on a four-match win streak heading into Sunday's showdown against in-state rival Marshall in Huntington, while Duquesne (4-1-2) lost its first match of the season.
Walker's score - his second goal of the season - came after Harry Hogben dribbled the ball up the field and crossed the ball on the ground toward the box. A Dukes defender got a foot on it, but could not clear it as the ball went to Walker. He fired his shot into the side netting, as he fell to the ground.
Overall, the Mountaineers outshot the Dukes, 16-5, and had a 5-1 edge in shots on goal. WVU also had an 8-3 advantage in corner kicks.
WVU had an early chance in the fourth minute, as forward Pablo Pozos took a close-range shot, but it was turned away by Duquesne goalkeeper Sam Coss. Pozos had another opportunity in the 42nd minute off a corner, but his header went wide.
In the second half, the Mountaineers had two shots hit the crossbar, one by Isaac Scheer in the 61st minute and another by Pozos in the 63rd minute. The best chance for WVU came in the 80th minute, as Julen Recalde took two shots that got past the keeper but on both occasions, a Duquesne defender was there to knock it off the line.
Duquesne had one last chance on a corner kick with 30 seconds left. The Dukes managed to get three shots off, including one that was cleared off the line by defender Civan de Jesus Ferreira and another that was taken by the goalkeeper Coss. Duquesne's final shot went wide, which allowed the clock to run out.
Subhead: Women's soccer
No. 10 West Virginia will play its second top 15-ranked opponent in as many matches, when the Mountaineers travel to Prentup Field to face No. 13 Colorado, at 9 p.m. today.
It will be a test of offense against defense, as the Buffaloes (7-1-1, 1-0 Big 12) enter the match tied for the conference lead with 25 goals scored, while WVU (5-0-2, 0-0-1) leads the Big 12 in allowing the fewest goals (4) on the season.
It will be the second all-time meeting between the two schools, with the Mountaineers winning the first match, 2-0, in 2024. It's WVU's first trip to Boulder, Colo.
West Virginia enters the match having outscored its opponents, 11-4, on the season, while holding six of seven opponents to three shots on goal or fewer in each match.
WVU is coming off a 1-1 draw against No. 12 Baylor, in which forward Saige Wimes scored in the 90th and final minute of the match.
Colorado is led by midfielder Reagan Kotschau, who leads the Buffaloes with six goals, five assists and 17 points. Hope Leyba leads the Big 12 with 42 shots on the season.