Box Score DENVER Senior Kyle Christensen (Layton, Utah) scored two goals, as the University of Denver men’s soccer team defeated Sacramento State 3-1 at Pioneer Field on Sunday afternoon.
With the victory, the Pioneers (8-5-2, 6-0-1 MPSF) retain sole possession of first place in the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation with three games to play. New Mexico (8-5-2, 4-2-0 MPSF) sits in second place and has four remaining conference games.
“I’m proud of the way we came out in the first half to score two very good goals,” head coach Bobby Muuss said. “We were a little sluggish to start the second half, but we persevered to secure the win. Kyle Christensen really stepped up for us, scoring three goals this weekend. Now we need to put this weekend behind us and focus on a huge game with Air Force next Saturday.”
The Pioneers got on the board first in the 34th minute. Christensen scored on a diving header to the right side of the goal after senior midfielder Joey Mathot (Port Moody, B.C.) dribbled up the right side and centered a pass.
Junior midfielder Collin Audley (Fort Collins, Colo.) drilled a one-timer from the top of the box just inside the upper right corner off a pass from senior Leon Abravanel (South Lake Tahoe, Calif.) with just a minute remaining in the half.
Denver took a 2-0 lead into halftime after out-shooting Sacramento State 7-4 in the first half.
Sacramento State (7-6-2, 2-4-0 MPSF) cut the lead to one when Fernando Cabadas fired a shot into the right side of the goal off a pass from Ernesto Carranza.
Christensen scored his second goal of the game, beating three defenders and the goalkeeper off a pass from freshman midfielder Jarod Stigall (Plano, Texas) with 7:14 left in the game.
Sophomore goalkeeper Joe Willis (St. Louis, Mo.) recorded five saves, while Denver out-shot the Hornets 15-10 in the game.
Denver concludes its home schedule against Air Force on Nov. 8 at 1 p.m. The Pioneers will honor seniors Leon Abravanel, Kyle Christensen, Luke Jackson, Colin Jones and Joey Mathot prior to the contest.
