Score: (RV) VCU 4, Duquesne 1
Location: Richmond, Va. (Sports Backers Stadium)
Records: (RV) VCU 7-3-1 (3-1-0 Atlantic 10), Duquesne 6-4-1 (2-1-1 A-10)
 
The short story: Sophomore midfielder Celio Pompeu notched a career-high four assists, setting up every VCU goal as the Rams cruised to a dominant win over the Dukes in a top-of-the-table A-10 clash.
 
QUICK FACTS

• In addition to a career high, Pompeu's four assists are the most in a single game for a Ram since at least 2008. He now has a team-high seven assists and 13 points on the season.
• Freshman midfielder Philip Klomp and freshman defender Scott McLeod bagged the first goals of their collegiate careers.
• Senior defender Zeron Sewell nodded home his second goal of the year, marking the first multi-goal season of his career.
• Freshman midfielder Damian Gallegos, the reigning A-10 Rookie of the Week, scored his team-best fourth goal of the season.
• While Duquesne held a slight 18-17 advantage in total shots, the Rams controlled the game with 56% of the possession and a 9-6 edge in shots on goal.
• This is the third conference win in a row for the Rams, who are receiving votes in the United Soccer Coaches poll, which puts them in sole possession of second place in the A-10 standings.

 
HOW IT HAPPENED

• Redshirt junior midfielder Pierre Fiorre Mane had the first quality chance of the match, drilling a low shot on goal in the fifth minute.
• In the 10th minute, senior right back Toranosuke Abe floated a ball in the box for redshirt freshman forward Ethan Manheim, who twisted and flicked a header just wide of the goal.
• The Dukes fired a hard shot in the 17th minute, but Sewell got vertical to head the ball up and out of danger.
• In the 33rd minute, freshman midfielder William Hitchcock curled a cross into the box for graduate forward Pablo Varela Fraga to glance a header on goal, which forced a diving save. The ensuing corner kick was taken by Pompeu, who swung a ball in to the far post, where Sewell smashed home a header to give the Rams an early lead.
• Pompeu sped past a Duquesne defender along the left wing in the 52nd minute, and delivered a driven cross for Klomp, who skillfully bounced a volley over the Dukes goalkeeper to double the lead.
• Under a minute later, Pompeu danced around a Duquesne defender and played a ball on the ground for Gallegos, who placed a shot inside the near post for the third Rams goal of the evening.
• In the 61st minute, Pompeu played a corner short for Klomp, who laid it back off to the Brazilian. Pompeu curled in a ball to the back post, where McLeod drove a header down and into the net.
• The Dukes pulled one back in the 76th minute when Maxi Hopfer scored on an assist from Nate Dragisich.

 
QUOTING HEAD COACH DAVE GIFFARD
"Goals change games. Tonight, without several guys, we found ways to score goals and get an important result in A-10 play; and more importantly, we were able to put some other guys on for some important minutes in the second half."
 
UP NEXT
VCU hosts another big A-10 match this Saturday, Oct. 9, against No. 14 Saint Louis at 7 p.m. from Sports Backers Stadium. The Billikens are the only team ahead of VCU in the A-10 standings. Every home match is streamed on ESPN+. For more information on VCU Men's Soccer tickets, click here.