DENVER – The University of Denver women's soccer team got a first-half goal from 2018 Summit League Freshman of the Year Samantha Feller (Grand Junction, Colo.) to win its preseason opener 1-0 over the Colorado School of Mines on Thursday night at the University of Denver Soccer Stadium.

"In the beginning of the game, I thought we came out with a lot of energy," head coach Jeff Hooker said. "Mines was well organized for it being this early in the preseason. They sat back and made us play. I thought initially we did a good job finding good combinations of play, and then after about 20 minutes it was too individualistic, and we lost our rhythm of play."
 
From just inside the midfield line, junior outside back Alex Nillen (Lakewood, Colo.) played a cross outside the six-yard box that Feller headed past Mines keeper Shannon Mooney.
 
Denver out-shot the visitors 14-7 and had a 6-1 edge in corners.

"This preseason schedule (two games on the same weekend), was by accident, but we actually liked the way it turned out," Hooker said. "The timing worked out great to simulate a regular season game weekend. Our unit that finished the game (in extra time), I thought showed a lot of creativity out there. I thought a lot of players that came off the bench throughout the match made a substantial impact on the game."
 
Up Next:
Denver will cap off its preseason against Texas Tech on Saturday at 7 p.m. MT. Admission to the exhibition finale is free. The Pioneers will officially raise the curtain on the 2019 campaign August 22 against Boston University at the University of Denver Soccer Stadium. DU's season opener will be broadcast live on Altitude.
 
2019 Season Tickets:
Season tickets for the 2019 University of Denver men's and women's soccer regular season are on-sale starting at $55. Season ticket holders from the 2018 season should contact the Denver ticket office at 303-871-4625 to renew. Season tickets can also be purchased online, by clicking here.
 
PIONEER MOVEMENT: 
Fans interested in making a donation to the women's soccer program can do so by clicking here. Your contribution will make a direct impact on the success of YOUR Pioneers. Thank you in advance for your unwavering support of our student-athletes and their quest for excellence.   
 
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