Nov. 9, 2002
Box Score
MOBILE, Ala. - The 18th-ranked and top-seeded University of Denver women's soccer team, using a suffocating defense and powered by two first half goals from tournament MVP Katie Antongiovanni (Bakersfield, Calif.), won its second straight Sun Belt Conference Tournament title Saturday afternoon with a 3-0 win over second-seeded North Texas at the Cage. Denver (17-1-2) won its 15th straight game - ninth straight by shutout - and earned an automatic berth to the NCAA Women's College Cup that begins next week. It is the second straight year Denver will play in the NCAA Tournament.
The Pioneers dominated the game from the outset, getting some early chances and grabbing a 1-0 lead in the 23rd minute on a fabulous goal from Antongiovanni. Senior Kerri Weaver (Littleton, Colo.) gathered a loose ball on the right side of the field and passed it to teammate Jamie Norwood (Littleton, Colo.) who was streaking towards the goal on the opposite side of the field. Norwood then passed to Antongiovanni at the top of the 18-yard box, who faked to her right and fired a left-footed shot that beat Mean Green goalkeeper Erin Johnson to her left for the first goal of the game.
The Pioneers added to the lead just two minutes later when senior Kristin Warren (Littleton, Colo.) made a beautiful throw-in to the middle of the penalty box and Antongiovanni was right there, putting the ball in the back of the net for her second goal of the game that gave Denver a 2-0 lead. Both Antongiovanni and Weaver were in front of the UNT goal and Warren's throw-in cleared the Mean Green defense, bounced once and Antongiovanni deposited in the net for the goal and a 2-0 lead that seemed to deflate North Texas and further energize the Pioneers.
The second half was more of the same for Denver, who came out of the break determined to get the back-breaking goal. It came just eight minutes into the half, when senior Camile Flenniken (Northglenn, Colo.) ripped a shot off a pass from Antongiovanni that beat Johnson to her right for a 3-0 Denver lead. Antongiovanni picked up a loose ball and dropped a perfect pass to Flenniken at the top of the 18-yard box, who fired a bullet to Johnson's right that she had no chance to save.
The story of the game and the tournament was Denver's defense, which allowed just one shot to North Texas that came in the 53rd minute. The Pioneers allowed just five shots on goal and no goals in their three tournament wins.
"The most impressive thing to me was coming in here, knowing every game means something, and not allowing any goals," head coach Jeff Hooker said. "It was really impressive to me how good we were defensively. We did a great job of doing the things we're going to have to do to be successful in the NCAA Tournament. In championship games like this one, weird things can happen, and they just didn't even allow it to come to that."
The Pioneers had a conference-best four players named to the all-tournament team, including Antongiovanni, who was named Most Valuable Player. Flenniken, Warren, and senior defender Angie Portincaso (Littleton, Colo.) were all named to the SBC All-Tournament team.
"We knew all season long that we needed to do well to get the best possible seed in the NCAA Tournament," Antongiovanni said. "We have won 15 games in a row and for any team to do that is special. I think we're focused and ready for the tournament."
Denver now awaits its first round NCAA Tournament opponent, which will be revealed when the tournament brackets are announced at 2:30 p.m. (MST) Monday afternoon. The Pioneers will host a viewing party of the announcement of the tournament bracket at Jackson's Hole in the Marriott Southeast that begins at 1:30 p.m.
