South Dakota 4-1 Denver (Baker 5', Norman 19', Strang 61', 67', Bills 86') | 2015 Schedule | Buy Tickets

VERMILLION, S.D. - The University of Denver women's soccer team opened its 2015 Summit League campaign with a 4-1 loss at South Dakota on Sunday afternoon at the USD Soccer Complex.

"Even though we weren't engaged enough as a group today, we had a breakaway to go ahead when it was 1-1 and a chance to tie with a free header from six yards, so we were able to create several chances on the road," head coach Jeff Hooker said. "In the end, I don't think we respected our opponents enough and didn't lay it all out there like we needed to today. Now we have to get refocused and prepare for our two home games this weekend."

South Dakota got on the board quickly, netting the breakthrough in the fifth minute on Sunday afternoon. Senior Taylor Nivala took the corner kick that was initially deflected by junior goalkeeper Cassidy Rey (Arcadia, Calif.), but her clearance fell to sophomore Courtney Baker who knocked it into the open net for her second goal of the campaign.

The Coyotes' lead lasted a little over 14 minutes before junior center back Stella Norman (Lakewood, Colo.) equalized with her second free kick goal of the campaign. Norman served up this free kick from just outside the right of the box, placing her strike up and over the keeper's reach. Sunday's goal is the ninth of her career, and her second both as a Pioneer and this season (transferred from Stony Brook before the 2014 season).

Denver nearly went ahead in the 43rd minute as sophomore forward Riley Welch (Littleton, Colo.) had the final shot attempt of the first half beat the keeper, but cleared off the line by a South Dakota defender.

The Pioneers back four cleared a ball off their own goal line in the 58th-minute preventing South Dakota's go-ahead goal before the hour mark. Freshman center back Cristiana Behnken (Ogden, Utah) kept the ball out of Rey's net after the junior stopped South Dakota's first chance on goal in the build-up.

Minutes later, South Dakota's first goal scorer provided the assist on the Coyotes go-ahead goal in the 61st-minute off a throw-in that setup a Corey Strang 30-yard strike into the side netting. Junior Brooke Boothe (Ontario, Calif.) tried to find the equalizer right back, but her header off a freshman Hannah Bricker (Fort Collins, Colo.) corner was kept out by USD keeper Sydney Hardin.

Strang netted her second of the match in the 67th minute, receiving a cutback from the right off a Sammie Villwock cross that she slotted into the lower left corner to put the Coyotes up 3-1. South Dakota added another late goal in the 86th minute when Brenna Bills netted her second of the 2015 campaign.

UP NEXT: The Pioneers return to CIBER Field next week as Denver welcomes North Dakota State (Oct. 9/7 p.m.) and South Dakota State (Oct. 11/12 p.m.) to the Mile High City.

TICKETS: Tickets for future 2015 Denver women's soccer matches are on sale, and can be purchased online, here.

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