STANFORD, Calif. – The University of Denver men's soccer team dropped a 2-0 match at [3/2] Stanford on Friday night at Laird Q. Cagan Stadium.

"After all of this, we will be the most resilient team in the country," head coach Jamie Franks said. "The travel, the adversity, the tough opponents, the venues and the tough pk calls against will only make us stronger. We came on the road to find out about ourselves. We had a tough 20-minute spell after the pk, but rebounded well in the second half.

"I know this team has something special about them. You can see it, and feel it when they're together. We're honest with our mistakes and what's causing us problems. Our leaders are not afraid to take ownership and be accountable. We will rely on them during this difficult time because all of this will make us come together and build trust in our team. We know we're preparing for knockout games in November."

Stanford took the lead in the 23^rd minute from the penalty spot as Tanner Beason converted his third of the 2019 campaign. Redshirt-sophomore centerback Bailey Heller (Highlands Ranch, Colo.) was cautioned on the play for pulling Ousseni Bouda down while trying to shield the attacker so his goalkeeper could pick it up.
 
The Cardinal got its second in the 28^th minute when Zach Ryan buried a punched out service into the upper-90 for his third of the campaign. Stanford played a cross into the box in the sequence that saw sophomore Liam Johnson (Golden, Colo.) tripped up in the box while redshirt-junior Will Palmquist (Denver, Colo.) went up to punch the ball out. Johnson got up and dove in-front of Ryan's shot, but only was able to get a piece of it as the home side doubled its advantage before halftime.
 
Stanford outshot Denver 11-2 in the opening 45 minutes and took three of the four corners in the first half.
 
Denver found a bit more of the play in the second 45, outshooting Stanford 8-6 and taking the only two corners of the stanza.
 
UP NEXT:
The Pioneers will cap off their season-opening six-game road swing on Sunday when Denver heads to [RV/-] Cal on Sunday for a 1 p.m. MT kickoff. Denver's home opener will take place on Saturday, September 21, as the Pioneers host SMU at 5 p.m. MT as part of a double header with the women's program (Colorado – 7:30 p.m. MT).
 
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 tickets can also be purchased online, by clicking here.
 
SHOP PIONEERS:
Get dressed for Game Day! Get your Pioneers gear at ShopPioneers.com, the official online store of University of Denver Athletics. 
 
OUTSIDE FOOD/DRINK/PETS:
The University of Denver does not allow fans to bring outside food, drink or pets (with the exception of Bark in the Park Days) to the University of Denver Soccer Stadium.
 
Fans interested in making a donation to the men'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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