Box Score

DENVER Freshmen Alex DeCosta (Dallas, Texas), Sam Garza (Highland Village, Texas) and Jarod Stigall (Plano, Texas) all scored their first career goals, fueling the University of Denver men’s soccer team past Cal State Fullerton 4-1 at Pioneer Field on Sunday afternoon.

                                     

“I’m happy with the result. Playing two games in three days is difficult, and we needed some of the younger guys to step up,” head coach Bobby Muuss said. “It’s good to see some of them get their first goals and help us bounce back from 0-3 to get two good wins.”

 

Denver (2-3-0) opened the scoring just 6:47 into the game, when senior forward Leon Abravanel (South Lake Tahoe, Calif.) buried a shot that was set up by senior forward Kyle Christensen (Layton, Utah) and junior midfielder Collin Audley (Fort Collins, Colo.).

 

Freshman midfielder DeCosta extended the lead with his first career goal with 14:09 remaining in the half. Christensen chipped the ball into the left side of the box to freshman forward Garza, who put a lead pass on DeCosta’s foot five yards out for the score.

 

After several near misses in the first four games, Garza found the back of the net for the first time with just under seven minutes to play in the first half, getting the rebound on his own shot and firing it past Titan goalkeeper Trevor Whiddon.

 

The Pioneers headed to halftime leading 3-1 and outshooting Cal State Fullerton 10-7.

 

Nine minutes into the second half, freshman midfielder Stigall received a lead pass from senior midfielder Joey Mathot (Port Moody, B.C.) in the middle of the box and beat Whiddon for a four-goal cushion.

                                                                                                                   

The Titans (2-4-0) got a goal back with just under 24 minutes to play. Mario Alvarez fired a cross from the right side to Mark Nelson, who flicked a pass to Celso Alvarez about eight yards out from the left post, and Celso Alvarez drilled a shot into the goal.

                                                                                         

Pioneers goalkeeper Joe Willis (St. Louis, Mo.) started his first game since 2006 and allowed only one goal while making five saves.

 

Denver next hits the road for the next two weekends, first taking on No. 17 Saint Louis on Sept. 20 at 6 p.m.