Box Score DENVER - The University of Denver women's soccer team opened the new University of Denver Soccer Stadium with a 2-1 win over the St. Mary's Gaels under the lights on Friday evening in the DU Invitational.
The Pioneers' victory was sparked by freshmen Kalie Vaughn (Fort Collins, Colo.) and Katy Van Lieshout (Boulder, Colo.), who both scored their first collegiate goals.
"Opening the new stadium with a win over a good team like St. Mary's is special," head coach Jeff Hooker said. "We are going to enjoy it tonight, but tomorrow we need to prepare for a big challenge against Illinois on Sunday."
During a scoreless first half, DU had a chance to score in the 33rd minute, when senior Emily Stewart (Highlands Ranch, Colo.) fired a shot that was saved by St. Mary's goalkeeper Tara Larson. Sophomore Bria Beardsley (Mission Viejo, Calif.) got another chance on the rebound, but her shot sailed just over the crossbar.
St. Mary's outshot Denver 6-3 in the first half, but the Pioneers kept the Gaels off the board with four saved by freshman goalkeeper Lara Campbell (Anchorage, Alaska).
The Pioneers scored the first goal of the game with 33:25 remaining, when Van Lieshout received a pass from Beardsley, dribbled into left side of box and sneaked a shot past the goalie to the right side.
Vaughn added another goal five minutes later freshman Kaitlin Bast (Centennial, Colo.) came from the right side going into the box and passed it to Vaughn, who one-timed it to the upper right corner of the goal.
In the 66th minute, Jessica Menzhuber brought the Gaels back to within one, when she nailed a shot from just inside the box.
Denver tried to add an insurance goal in the 69th minute after St. Mary's Caroline Cruise received a red card for a handball in the box and was ejected from the game. Bast took the penalty kick for the Pioneers, but the shot hit right post and bounced wide.
With 8:10 left in the contest, Beardsley stole the ball from the defender for a one-on-one with the goalkeeper, but her shot sailed just over the crossbar.
Earlier in the afternoon, No. 13 Illinois beat No. 18 Colorado 2-1 in the first game of the DU invitational.
The DU Invitational will resume Sunday Aug. 30 at 11:00 a.m., when No. 18 Colorado takes on St. Mary's. The Pioneers will conclude play against No. 13 Illinois at 1:15 p.m.
