DENVER -- The University of Denver men's soccer team opened the conference portion of its schedule in fine fashion this afternoon, putting ten shots on goal in a 3-1 victory over Cal State Sacramento at Pioneer Field. Denver improves to 4-3 on the season, 1-0 in the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation. Sacramento State falls to 4-5-1, 0-2.
Denver got on the scoreboard first when junior Eric Van Deman (Littleton, Colo.) headed the ball past Hornet keeper Joey Hills off a corner kick pass from fellow junior Michael Piserchio (Littleton, Colo.) to give the Pioneers a 1-0 lead. They added another goal just over five minutes later when junior Justin Kiersky (Memphis, Tenn.) took a pass from Dag-Christian Olsen and headed it past Hills for a 2-0 Pioneer lead.
The second half saw the Hornets come out and apply the pressure, though they had a hard time finding the back of the net. Denver again got a score in the 77th minute, this time by Olsen without an assist as he took the ball past a defender and single-handedly beat Hills for a 3-0 lead. But the Hornets wouldn't give up, and they got their first score in the 80th minute when Andy Hashimoto gathered a loose ball and fired a shot that slipped through Denver goalkeeper Jarvis Parker's (San Juan Capistrano, Calif.) hands and got past the endline to cut the Denver lead to 3-1. But it would prove to be enough for the Pioneers, as they won their second straight game and are over .500 for the first time this season. Sacramento State lost their second straight.
The game was played in sub-freezing temperatures on a wet field. Denver outshot Sacramento State by an 18-10 margin and tallied eight shots on goal to the Hornet's two. There were also 18 fouls committed by each team.
The Pioneers look to continue their winning ways Sunday when they host Fresno State at 1:00 p.m. at Pioneer Field.
