Box Score Nov. 3, 2016 Denver (2)1-1(4) South Dakota State (Pacheco 11', Poelstra 76')
FARGO, N.D. - The second-seeded University of Denver women's soccer team and third-seeded South Dakota State finished in a 1-1 draw on Thursday afternoon at Dacotah Field, but the Jackrabbits advanced 4-2 on penalties in the Summit League Semifinals.
"Both teams had to play on it, but I think that's a different kind of game on grass," head coach Jeff Hooker said. "Angelica did a great job on our goal pursing the ball behind their back four, something that we've been working on all year, and it paid off. I thought we retreated a little bit too much when we had the lead in the second half. We were okay with them having more shots because we thought we were doing a good job of limiting the quality of their chances, but I just felt we were a little too quick to drop back in the second half.
"I'm proud of this senior class and everything they accomplished over the last four years, and five years for Fran (Garzelloni). Obviously we wish the shootout would have gone differently today, but I'm proud of their leadership in getting us a regular season title this year."
Junior Angelica Pacheco (Taos, N.M.) got Denver (8-9-2, 5-2-1 Summit) on the board in the 11th minute as the shortest player on Denver's roster knocked a free kick header from the top of the box over charging SDSU (10-7-2, 5-3-0 Summit) goalkeeper Maggie Smither's outstretched arms and watched it bounce into the back of the net. The goal is the third of Pacheco's career and her second of the 2016 campaign. Sophomore outside back Mary DeWalt (West Bend, Wisc.) played the initial ball over the SDSU backline to the run of Pacheco for her third assist of the season.
Darien Poelstra found the equalizer for the Jackrabbits in the 76th minute off an assist from Nicole Hatcher. Poelstra's second of the season chipped freshman goalkeeper Brittany Wilson (Littleton, Colo.) just under the crossbar.
The Pioneers' 2016 campaign comes to a close at 8-9-2, but the program's 5-2-1 record in Summit League play was good enough for Denver's first league title since the 2013 campaign.
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