Box Score DENVER Senior midfielder Joey Mathot (Port Moody, B.C.) scored the game-winning goal in his final game at Pioneer Field, as the University of Denver men’s soccer team shut out Air Force 1-0 on Saturday afternoon.
In the 72nd minute, freshman midfielder Matt Kirby (Beaumont, Texas) made a cross from the right side to Mathot on the left side of the box. Mathot fired the ball into the right corner of the net past Air Force goalkeeper Jim Gullo.
The Pioneers (9-5-2, 7-0-1 MPSF) need one win in their final two games or for New Mexico to lose one of its final three games in order for DU to clinch its first Mountain Pacific Sports Federation championship and an automatic berth into the NCAA tournament.
“We are happy that Joe Mathot can score the game-winning goal in his final game at Pioneer Field,” head coach Bobby Muuss said. “I am proud of the way that the guys responded from a difficult nonconference season, and we are now in position to play for a championship.”
In the first half, Denver outshot Air Force 12-2, with a game total of 22-10. Senior Kyle Christensen (Layton, Utah) and freshman Sam Garza (Highland Village, Texas) attempted to put the Pioneers on the scoreboard with a total of nine shots, but the first half remained scoreless.
Air Force (4-12-0, 2-7-0 MPSF) came out strong in the second half, giving sophomore goalkeeper Joe Willis (St. Louis, Mo.) action in front of the goal. Willis made four saves for the Pioneers, including three in the second half.
Denver concludes the regular season on the road at UNLV on Nov. 14 and New Mexico on Nov. 16.
