Oct. 13, 2002
Box Score
DENVER - The University of Denver women's soccer team recorded five goals in the first half and dominated play in the second en route to a convincing, 5-0, Sun Belt Conference victory over Western Kentucky on Sunday afternoon (Oct. 13) at Pioneer Field. Denver, winners of eight straight and 11 consecutive at home, extend their SBC regular season unbeaten streak to 12 games and improve to 10-1-2 on the season. The Pioneers also take over sole possession of first place in the SBC standings as the only team undefeated team with a 4-0 mark. Western Kentucky snaps a five game winning streak and drops its first conference match of the year to fall to 8-4 overall, 3-1 in league play.
"Right now we are right where we want to be," said head coach Jeff Hooker, who recorded his 125th career victory at the helm of the women's program. "As a team we are playing extremely well right now. The challenge for us going forward is to keep playing at this level and maintain our intensity day in and day out. We wanted to peak at the beginning of October to put ourselves in position to make the post season and right now I would say that we are."
Junior defender Lauren Sutton (Littleton, Colo.) started the game at the midfield position and took advantage of her time up front with two goals in the game. Her first tally of the season, the game-winner, came in the 19th minute on a cross from senior Kristin Warren (Littleton, Colo.). Warren beat a defender at the right edge of the 18-yard box and chipped a centering pass to Sutton, who half-volleyed the ball by WKU keeper Melissa Bailey to put Denver ahead, 1-0. Senior forward Kerri Weaver (Littleton, Colo.) answered with a goal of her own in the 29th minute and celebrated Sutton's second marker of the afternoon four minutes later. Junior forward Jenni Harris (Littleton, Colo.) was credited with an assist on the play after tossing in a long flip throw into traffic in front of the net that found Sutton standing alone near the far post, who challenged for the ball and headed it into the back of the net.
The Pioneers continued to pressure the Lady Toppers and recorded two more goals before the halftime break. Warren put Denver ahead, 4-0 in the 39th minute with her sixth goal of the season when she volleyed a free kick from Norwood in front of the net and senior Katie Antongiovanni (Bakersfield, Calif.) put the finishing touches on the half with a goal in the final minutes. Norwood, assisting on her second goal of the afternoon, sent a crossing pass to Antongiovanni, who chipped the ball over the outstretched arms of Bailey to give Denver a comfortable, 5-0, advantage at the recess.
Denver's defensive unit dominated all afternoon and controlled play throughout the middle third. The Pioneers yielded just one shot to the Lady Toppers, which was recorded late in the game, and denied the WKU forwards a legitimate possession in the final third. Overall Denver out-shot WKU 28-1 and dominated the corner kick statistic, 6-0. Senior keeper Erica Izard (Fort Collins, Colo.), who notched her 37th career shutout, earned her 45th career win and moves into a tie for first place with Jen Simmons on Denver's all-time wins list. In addition, Izard takes over first place on Denver's all-time minutes played list with 6,611 career minutes. Sophomore netminder Cassandra Kaeding (Saugus, Calif.) recorded Denver's lone save of the afternoon in the second half.
"This is incredible," said Izard. "The team is playing so well right now on both ends of the field. Offensively it is exciting to see how good they are and how well they work together and defensively, what can I say. I have only seen a handful of shots in the last three games. They are just awesome."
The Pioneers will put their 12-game Sun Belt Conference regular season unbeaten streak on the line next weekend on the road when they travel to play South Alabama on Friday night (Oct. 18) and Louisiana-Lafayette on Sunday afternoon (Oct. 20).
