In the presence of soccer royalty, you put on a show. And for the Furman Paladins, not a single alumnus is more legendary than the nationally revered Clint Dempsey, whose jersey was retired before the game. From his cordoned-off perch overlooking Stone Stadium, Dempsey’s presence galvanized the home squad as it sought to take three points from the visiting Blue Devils. Duke, keen on playing the spoiler, managed to salvage a 1-1 draw on the road.
The environment was unquestionably hostile, as noted by head coach John Kerr.
“There was a big crowd. They’re all favoring Furman … both sets of players were up for it, yeah. But in particular the Furman players, because[Dempsey] is representing Furman University,” Kerr said…