DENTON, Texas The University of Denver women’s soccer team earned its third consecutive Sun Belt Tournament Championship with a 2-0 win over Western Kentucky at the North Texas Soccer Stadium on Saturday afternoon.

 

Sun Belt Player of the Year Taryn Hemmings (Greeley, Colo.) scored the game-winning goal in the 58th minute after a scoreless first half. The senior forward scored her 16th goal of the season on a fast break through the Western Kentucky defense.

 

“We are extremely pleased with today’s outcome,” Sun Belt Co-Coach of the Year Jeff Hooker said. “We played very well for all 90 minutes, and it was a total team effort. All 22 players played and contributed to our three victories. It’s tough because during the season, you never play three games in four days. We just tried to keep our legs as fresh as possible.”

 

Denver (19-2-2) took a 2-0 lead when sophomore forward Lauren Cavarra (Littleton, Colo.) sent in a high-flying corner kick in the 68th minute. After an attempted clear  by the Western Kentucky defense, the ball deflected out to junior forward Brooke Lamphere (Highlands Ranch, Colo.), who one-timed a bullet past WKU goalkeeper Libby Stout from 10 yards out.

 

Redshirt junior goalkeeper Mackenzie Snyder (Rancho Santa Fe, Calif.) finished with four saves in her 10th shutout of the season, while Stout tallied nine for Western Kentucky (15-2-4).

 

Along with its sixth Sun Belt Tournament crown, Denver earns its sixth NCAA Division I Tournament appearance. The Pioneers claimed the SBC Tournament crown and advanced to the national tournament in 2001, 2002, 2003, 2006 and 2007.

 

Five Pioneers earned all-tournament team honors for their efforts. Junior forward Mariah Johnston (Littleton, Colo.), junior midfielder Kelli Breidenbach (Fort Collins, Colo.) and sophomore defender Jessie Rogers (Fort Collins, Colo.) joined Hemmings and Snyder on the Sun Belt All-Tournament team. Hemmings was also named the Tournament’s Most Outstanding Player.

 

“It’s a really good feeling to win the conference tournament,” Hemmings said. “Coming into today’s game, we had to look back on the first time we played Western Kentucky and improve certain things. We played our hearts out today.”

 

“It means a lot to send our seniors out on such a good note, and it’s great for our freshmen to get the experience of a conference championship so early in their careers,” Hooker said. “We have 10 players who will graduate this year, and we have had lots of great memories and good results with them.”

 

Denver now awaits its pairing in the NCAA Tournament bracket. The 2008 NCAA College Cup selection announcement will be made live on ESPNews between 6-6:30 p.m. MT on Monday, Nov. 10. The Pioneers take a five-game winning streak into the national tournament and will look for their second all-time NCAA Tournament victory. Hemmings led DU to a 2-0 win over Kentucky in the 2006 NCAA Tournament.

 

2008 Sun Belt Tournament Most Outstanding Player

Taryn Hemmings (Denver, Sr., MF) 

 

2008 Sun Belt All-Tournament Team

Brittany Comer (Florida Atlantic, Sr., MF)

Laura Hyvonen (Florida Atlantic, So., F)

Kelli Lunsford (North Texas, Jr., D)

Veronica Ayala (North Texas, Sr., MF)

Kristin Cocchiarella (WKU, Sr., F)

Amanda Buechel (WKU, So., F)

Libby Stout (WKU, Fr., GK)

Taryn Hemmings (Denver, Sr., MF)

Mariah Johnston (Denver, Jr., F)

Kelli Breidenbach (Denver, Jr, MF)

Mackenzie Snyder (Denver, Jr., GK)

Jessie Rogers (Denver, So., D)

 

 

www.denverpioneers.com