Box Score Mobile, Ala. The University of Denver women’s soccer team won the Sun Belt Conference Championship by shutting out North Texas 2-0 on Saturday afternoon, earning the Pioneers an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament.
“I’m really proud of the girls. They had to deal with a tough schedule with seven games on the road to only four at home,” head coach Jeff Hooker said. “They beat three high quality teams to win the championship. The Sun Belt Conference gets better and more competitive every year, and you can see that in this tournament.”
The game was scoreless through the first half and into the 50th minute, when freshman forward Lauren Cavarra (Littleton, Colo.) buried a pass from sophomore midfielder Lizzy Carlson (Honolulu, Hawaii).
Carlson iced the game in the 76th minutes, scoring a goal off a pass from sophomore forward Mariah Johnston (Littleton, Colo.).
Sophomore goalkeeper Mackenzie Snyder (Rancho Santa Fe, Calif.), who did not allow a goal during DU’s three games, was named the Tournament Most Valuable Player and to the All-Tournament team. Senior midfielder Jenna Billingsley (Littleton, Colo.), senior defender Jamie Dierberger (Littleton, Colo.) and Carlson also were named to the All-Tournament Team.
The Pioneers (13-4-4) now await the announcement of the 2007 NCAA Division I Women’s Soccer Championship bracket, which will be shown on ESPNews on Monday between 6 and 6:30 p.m. MT.
“We have already proven that we can play with the high echelon teams in the country, and now we just have to keep believing in ourselves as we head into the NCAA Tournament,” Hooker said.
Denver enters its fifth NCAA Tournament and second-straight appearance. Last year, the Pioneers defeated Kentucky in the First Round, marking the first Tournament win in DU’s history.
All-Tournament Team
Jane Picarelli (UALR, Fr., GK)
Grace Rich (UALR, So., F)
Mallory Outerbridge (WKU, Fr., F)
Morgan Thomas (WKU, So., D)
Heather Hutyra (UNT, Sr., F)
Dani Slavonic (UNT, Sr., D)
Kendall Juett (UNT, So., F)
Jenna Billingsley (Denver, Sr., MF)
Jamie Dierberger (Denver, Sr., MF)
Mackenzie Snyder (Denver, So., GK)
Lizzy Carlson (Denver, So., MF)
Tournament MVP: Mackenzie Snyder (Denver, So., GK)
