OMAHA – The [-/25] University of Denver women's soccer team got a pair of early first half goals that carried the Pioneers through the 90 minutes as they kept their fourth-straight cleansheet in a 2-0 win over South Dakota on Thursday afternoon at Caniglia Field.
Inside the Box Score:
Kaitlyn Glover scored the opener and had the primary assist on Denver's second goal of the afternoon. The Pioneers' second goal came off the right boot of
Sydney Sharp. Sami Feller had a role in both goals in the opening 45 minutes.
First Half:
Glover got Denver on the board in the 12
th minute to give the Pioneers the lead within the opening quarter hour in the first semifinal. Feller's first assist picked out Glover at the top of the box. Glover took a touch with her left foot to get it to her right before she uncorked a 20-yard bullet destined for the upper-90.
The Pioneers doubled their advantage in the 25
th minute courtesy of Sharp's fifth goal of the season. Feller and Glover played a role in the goal once again. Feller picked up the ball in her defensive half, playing a through-ball to the run of Glover through the center of the park. Glover played a well-weighted pass to Sharp to the left of the D. Sharp took a touch towards the center of the box and struck it from the penalty spot to finish the eighth goal of her Pioneer career.
Denver outshot South Dakota 8-3 in the opening 45 minutes, including 3-1 in shots on goal. Both teams took two corner kicks in the first half.
Second Half:
Sharp nearly made it 3-0 in the 49
th minute, getting on the end of a bouncing ball in the box, but her shot was cleared off the line by a Coyotes' defender.
Denver's defense didn't allow a South Dakota team that had scored 19 goals in the last five matches to get into the game, limiting the Coyotes to one shot on goal, the third-consecutive match the Pioneers held their opponent to one shot on goal and the seventh time this season Denver has held its opponent to a shot on goal or less.
Significant Stats:
- Denver is now 35-5-5 in its Division I conference tournament matches
- Denver is 9-0-3 in the Summit League Tournament
- The Pioneers are 14-3-2 in conference semifinals
- Saturday will make Denver's 15th Division I conference tournament final (10-1-3)
- With her two assists on Thursday, Feller moved into a tie with volunteer assistant Katie Hooker (Antongiovanni) for 11th in career points with 62.
- Denver has held opponents to a shot on goal or less 67 times in its Division I history.
What's Next:
No. 2 South Dakota State and No. 3 Omaha meet in the second semifinal on Thursday. The winner will face the Pioneers in the final on Saturday at 3 p.m. MT at Caniglia Field.
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