BOULDER, Colo. Freshman midfielder Bria Beardsley (Mission Viejo, Calif.) buried the golden goal on a penalty kick in overtime to give the University of Denver women’s soccer team a 3-2 victory over Fresno State in a neutral site game at Prentup Field on Friday afternoon. The goal was the first of Beardsley’s career.

 

“Fresno State came out with a good game plan that seemed to frustrate us, and we had to work for two good goals,” head coach Jeff Hooker said. “However, we have to take this game as a learning experience to finish off games once we get ahead.”

 

Denver (6-1-1) struck first with 6:17 remaining in the first half. Junior forward Mariah Johnston (Littleton, Colo.) dribbled into the left side of the box and crossed to senior forward Dana Schonberger (Littleton, Colo.), who one-timed a shot past the keeper.

 

The Pioneers headed into halftime with a 1-0 lead after out-shooting Fresno State 10-4.

 

Nine minutes into the second half, Denver extended the lead, when Johnston again dribbled beat the defense into the left side of the box and crossed to junior Lizzy Carlson (Honolulu, Hawaii), who buried a shot from 20 yards out to the top left corner of the goal.

 

Fresno State (2-5-0) cut the lead in half with 22:47 remaining in the game. Ali Sill nailed a free kick from 20 yards out in the center, and the ball sailed into the upper left corner past substitute goalkeeper Cadie Crean (Westersfield, Conn.).

 

The Bulldogs tied the game with 3:12 left, when Molly Nizzoli collected a rebound on the right side of the box and buried it.

 

Crean, who replaced junior goalkeeper Mackenzie Snyder (Rancho Santa Fe, Calif.) with 29:15 remaining in the game, made a diving shot to the right side on a shot with 6:52 remaining in overtime.

                                                                                                          

The Pioneers finish the Colorado Classic on Sunday, when they take on Gonzaga at 11 a.m.