Oct. 19, 2001

Box Score

The University of Denver women's soccer team quieted the critics with a convincing 3-0 win over Sun Belt Conference opponent South Alabama on Friday (Oct. 19) afternoon at Pioneer Field. Denver earns its eighth consecutive shutout win and improves to 12-2 overall, 5-1 in league play. South Alabama's three-game winning streak ends as they fall to 8-5-1, 3-2 in the SBC. Denver has recorded 11 shutouts on the season, which ties a school record that was established in 1989 and is one shutout win shy of tying the all-time consecutive mark of nine set by the 1996 squad.

The Jaguars entered the game trailing the Pioneers by one game in the Sun Belt Conference standings and took control of the game early by recording their first shot less than four minutes into the contest. Denver maintained its poise and rose above South Alabama's initial attack. Junior Katie Antongiovanni (Bakersfield, Calif.) broke the scoreless tie midway through the half when she took control in the offensive zone and drove through the Jaguar defense with some fancy footwork. The midfielder dribbled by four defenders to an opening on the left side of the box before firing a low shot to the far corner that beat Jaguar keeper Kyla Rogers and gave Denver a 1-0 lead. The Pioneers took a 10-2 shot advantage and one goal lead into the locker room at halftime.

"We came out today and didn't take anything for granted," said Antongiovanni. "Our confidence in the second half showed that we are deserving of the streak."

Denver stormed out of the locker room in the second half with a revitalized game plan and dominated play on both ends of the field. Denver's defense, which has not allowed a goal in 727:17 of play, continued to oppress South Alabama's offense and for the second week in a row held the reigning Sun Belt Conference player of the week scoreless. Freshman Diana Brunkhardt (Manhattan Beach, Calif.) extended Denver's advantage late in the second half that extinguished the efforts of South Alabama. Junior defender Angie Portincaso (Littleton, Colo.) moved forward to the midfield position and sent a pass deep into the offensive zone to Brunkhardt, who beat her defender down the right side and one-timed the pass from 30-yard out into the upper left corner of the net to record her first career goal as a collegiate player and give Denver a 2-0 lead.

Junior midfielder Camile Flenniken (Northglenn, Colo.) solidified the win minutes later with Denver's second goal of the half. Sophomore midfielder Mychael Movius (Highlands Ranch, Colo.) directed a free kick to Flenniken standing in the middle of the field just outside of the box, who fired a shot over the outstretched reach of Rogers to give Denver an insurmountable 3-0 lead with just over eight minutes to play.

Junior keeper Erica Izard (Fort Collins, Colo.) made three saves in the game to record her 11th shutout of the season and 27th of her career. Izard also earned her 30th career win and moves into a third place tie with Serena Teipel on Denver's all-time career wins list just two wins shy of Julie Olson in second place with 32.

"Our defense is playing so well in front of me," said Izard. "We were not working well together in the first half and knew that if we wanted to win this game we needed more than one goal. The entire team picked up the intensity in the second half and took control."

Denver returns to action on Sunday (Oct. 21) when they host Sun Belt Conference opponent Louisiana-Lafayette at 11 a.m.