DENVER – University of Denver redshirt-freshman Francesca Garzelloni (Parker, Colo.) scored with three minutes left in overtime to beat the Colorado College Tigers in the first round of the Colorado Cup.

After a scoreless 61 minutes, the Tigers’ sophomore Sarah Schweiss scored off a penalty kick, sneaking it just passed the fingertips of freshman goalie Cassidy Rey (Arcadia, Calif). Rey finished her debut collegiate game with eight saves.

“It’s a lot of emotion in this game,” said head coach Jeff Hooker. “We lost to CC in the first game last year and then got matched up with them in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. For the first game, it was much better than how we started last year. We did a great job of staying disciplined.”

Twelve minutes later, Denver was awarded a penalty kick after senior Kristen Hamilton (Littleton, Colo.) was taken down in the box. Senior Nicholette DiGiacomo (Golden, Colo.) tied the game by finishing the penalty kick with 17 minutes to play. DiGiacomo finished the game with four shots-on-goal.

With just under three minutes left in regulation, Hamilton took a shot from 18-yards out, just barely missing the right side of the goal. Hamilton ended the game with one-of-three shots on goal and one assist.

Garzelloni scored the game-winning goal off of a pass from Hamilton just inside the 18-yard box to beat Colorado College 2-1 in the season opener.  

“Fran came in late. She got the ball laid back to her and she had a decision to make about whether to keep going past or to take a shot. The ball went off one post and then went off the other post and went in. It was one of those un-savable ones for a goalkeeper.”

The Pioneers finished with 14 shots, seven on goal, while the Tigers tallied 17 shots, nine on goal.

The Pioneers travel to Boulder, Colo., on Sunday, Aug. 25 to face Northern Colorado in their second match of the Third Annual Colorado Cup.

Don’t miss out on Pioneer soccer action this fall. Season and individual game tickets are on sale now. Fans interested in purchasing tickets can do so by phone at 303-871-2336, in person at the Richie Center box office or through DenverPioneers.com by clicking here.

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