A quick counterattack in overtime led to a breakaway for UCSB sophomore forward Dom Sarle, who cooly put away the game-winning goal against Duke University on Friday night in Durham, North Carolina.
The 9th-ranked Gauchos came away with the 3-2 victory in their first game of their furthest road trip of the season, which concludes on Sunday with a matchup against North Carolina State.
Duke had been ranked 23rd in the preseason poll before losing their season opener 1-0 to UNC Greensboro.
UCSB started slow and allowed a goal just 48 seconds after the opening kick. Duke Midfielder Nick Palodichuk put away a cross from fellow mid Chris Tweed-Kent to put the Blue Devils ahead.
Their lead did not last long as just five minutes later the Gauchos’ national player-of-the-year candidate Sam Garza evened the score as he put a 12-yard shot into the side of the net.
The 1-1 stalemate lasted late into the game until UCSB midfielder Luis Silva converted a penalty kick in the 80th minute.
But just as the Gauchos did in the first half, Duke quickly tied the game up when defender Andrew Wenger tapped in a loose ball in UCSB’s box in the 87th minute.
The game went into overtime with the score at 2-2, but Sarle kept the Gauchos unbeaten as he scored after going one-on-one with the Duke goalkeeper.
After the loss, Duke dropped to 1-2 on the season while the Gauchos improved to 2-0.
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