DENVER Junior midfielder Collin Audley (Fort Collins, Colo.) scored a pair of second-half goals, propelling the University of Denver men’s soccer team to a 2-1 victory over San Diego State at Pioneer Field on Friday afternoon.

                                                                                                                                                 

“I am extremely proud of the way we fought,” head coach Bobby Muuss said. “We were able to overcome an early goal, and the guys continued to fight for the win. We saw some of the young guys grow up before our eyes today.”

 

The Aztecs (1-2-0) struck early when Evan Toft scored on a slow roller from 30 yards out that bounced over diving DU goalkeeper Teale Stone (Tulsa, Okla.) less than a minute into the game, and the Aztecs took a 1-0 lead into halftime.

 

The Pioneers (1-3-0) responded strong in the second half, tying the game just under four minutes into the second half, when Audley buried a rebound of a corner kick from the top left side.

 

Audley scored the game-winner in much the same way. With 19:35 remaining in the contest, sophomore defender Ryan Aweida (Broomfield, Colo.) flicked a header off a corner kick, and Audley drilled it from the top left into the right side of the goal.

 

“Izzy (Audley) demonstrated the leadership today that we need to have and scored two great goals for us,” Muuss said.

 

Stone recorded five saves in the game, including a diving stop with 4:44 to go.

 

“It was remarkable how Teale Stone rebounded after the early goal, and he came up with a huge save at the end,” Muuss said.

 

Denver returns to action at Pioneer Field on Sunday, Sept. 14, when the Pioneers battle Cal State Fullerton at 2 p.m.