The Blue Devils opened their 2025 campaign on a challenging note, succumbing 4-3 to Furman in a match that swung back and forth until the final whistle.
Furman struck first within the opening five minutes, only for Duke to answer six minutes later, leaving the teams locked at 2-2 at halftime after a flurry of goals.
Freshman Impact
Ulfur Bjornsson powered the Paladins with a first‑half brace, taking his season tally to three and his career total to 31, underscoring his knack for finding the net in crucial moments.
Freshman midfielder Jack Ottley orchestrated the attack with two assists, marking his first multi‑assist outing and becoming the first Duke freshman to achieve the feat since Maxwell Simpson in September 2025.
Tucker Smith capped the scoring for Duke with a late strike, his inaugural career goal, trimming the deficit to a single tally in the closing minutes.
Coach’s decision to start five freshmen paid immediate dividends, with Ottley joined by Deisenhofer, Steelman, Moniz and Congleton in the lineup, a move reminiscent of the COVID‑19‑affected season of 2021.
Despite the setback, the Blue Devils remain focused on the upcoming showdown with No. 6 Georgetown on August 30, a test that will gauge how far the young core can go.