Nov. 16, 2014 Denver 3-1 Western Illinois 
| Photos
DENVER - Eric Kronenberg's (Boulder, Colo.) first half goal, in the 29th minute, proved to be the difference in Denver's 3-1 victory over Western Illinois in the Summit League championship match Sunday afternoon at CIBER Field. The win gives the Pioneers their second consecutive Summit League title and ensuing berth in the upcoming NCAA tournament. It was also Denver's 17th straight win at home.
Denver (11-7-1) opened the scoring in the 25th minute when Teddy Mullin (Durham, N.C.) found the back of the net, sliding into the ball and kicking it past all-Summit League goalkeeper Yves Dietrich. Kyle Emerson (Cypress, Texas) set up Mullin on a silver platter, feeding him a nice, soft pass from the goal line.
"I think it's huge to get the first goal," Mullin said. "Especially in a conference tournament game like this, with a sloppy field. Getting a goal early we were able to defend and control the tempo after that."
Just four minutes later, Kronenberg scored his seventh goal of the season, banging home a shot from 10-yards in front. The play was set up by Kosta Kordistos (Lippstadt, Germany) who found Kronenberg with a clever back heel.
Despite losing a player, Ephriam Okeke to a red card five minutes into the game, Western Illinois (9-7-3) pressed forward and was rewarded. Charlie Bales, scored on a penalty kick with a little more than five minutes to go in the first half.
DU sealed the win with a penalty kick of their own in the second half. After a handball in the box off a corner kick, Mullin drilled the penalty kick into the lower left corner of the goal, beating Dietrich, who dove in correct direction but couldn't reach the well struck ball. It was Mullin's sixth tally of the season and second of the match.
"Before I take it I tell myself where I want to go," Mullin said in describing his penalty kick strategy. "I try not to look at the keeper, look up and just stick it in the corner."
For Denver head coach Bobby Muuss, the third goal allowed him to breathe easier.
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It was an emotional game for both teams. You saw that here today. But that third goal really put the game away." Pioneers freshman goalkeeper Nick Gardner (Marvin, N.C.), coming off a shutout win in the semi-final win over Fort Wayne, made two saves for his third consecutive win.
Denver outshot Western Illinois 12-9. The Leathernecks held a 5-4 advantage in corner kicks.
DU captain Taylor Hunter (Aurora, Colo.) was named the tournament MVP. Meanwhile, injured midfielder Jordan Schweitzer (Everett, Wash.), who did not play in the tournament, is expected to be ready for the NCAA tourney. Sam Hamilton (Evergreen, Colo.) picked up the slack for Schweitzer in a big way and was named to the all-tournament team.
Denver will find out who they play, and where, in the NCAA tournament, Monday morning at 11 on NCAA.com.
"We don't want to just be a member of the NCAA tournament field," said Muuss. "We want to make some noise and I think we have the ability to do that as long as we have a good week of preparation no matter who we play and I think we'll be ready."
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Summit League All-Tournament Team
Mario Alvarez, Western Illinois
Charlie Bales, Western Illinois
Johnny Chavez, Oral Roberts
Yves Dietrich, Western Illinois
Mike Enghofer, Fort Wayne
Sam Hamilton, Denver
Taylor Hunter, Denver (MVP)
Kosta Kordistos, Denver
Teddy Mullin, Denver
Jose Rodriguez, Fort Wayne
Gerardo Salas, Oral Roberts
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