MATTHEWS, N.C. – The University of Denver women's soccer team came from a goal down to defeat Loyola Chicago 3-1 in the NCAA First Round on Tuesday afternoon at the Sportsplex.
"When I step back and take a look at this match, it's very similar to how I was feeling at the conference tournament: I wanted this really badly for our players, so that they have something to show for everything they've had to go through this year," head coach
Jeff Hooker said. "We haven't talked about winning all year. We've talked about putting our head down, playing well and staying safe for your teammates and supporting each other. For us to win the Summit League Tournament was amazing, but to win today was even better.
"As a coach, you feel like you have a team with character and when you take a punch in the gut like we did in the first 41 seconds, I just looked around at the pulse of the team. Sure, we were a bit shocked to concede that early, but no one really cared that we were behind in regards to it didn't change the way we played. We didn't play desperate; we played the way we've been playing all season, for each other. We put in a very solid team effort today, and I'm so proud and happy for the result for this group."
Sami Feller,
Sydney Sharp and
Kaitlyn Glover got on the scoresheet for the Pioneers in the victory, the Pioneers first NCAA Tournament win since advancing to the round of 16 in 2012.
First Half:
Loyola Chicago got on the board just 41 seconds in on a corner kick. Olivia Knab played the set piece from
Nerea Arrazola's right, onto the head of Abby Swanson.
The Pioneers equalized in the 25
th minute, courtesy of Feller's ninth of the season and the 26
th of her career.
Natalie Beckman played a set piece to the corner flag to the keeper's right to start the sequence. Feller got on the end of the initial set piece, which was blocked in front. Sharp got the first crack at the rebound, but her shot was cleared off the line by a defender, and then Feller headed home Sharp's rebound for the middle of the first-half leveler.
Denver outshot Loyola Chicago 7-6 in the opening 45 minutes, but it was the Ramblers that put five of their six shots on target, compared to just the two on target on the set piece for the Pioneers. Loyola also took six of the nine corners in the opening 45 minutes.
Second Half:
Sharp put Denver ahead in the 61
st minute on a header from just outside the six-yard box for her seventh goal of the season and the 10
th of her career. Beckman started the sequence yet again, sliding in at the top of the box to get the ball to Feller. Feller's pass to Sharp popped straight up in the air. Sharp was the first to the ball and headed it home.
The Pioneers doubled their advantage in the 84
th minute through Glover's fourth goal in four matches. Feller made a run down the right flank, cutting the ball across to Sharp at the top of the box. Sharp pulled the ol' Ted Lasso and made the extra pass to Glover inside the penalty spot, who one-timed her finish into the bottom left corner to put the Pioneers 3-1 up.
Significant Stats:
- Denver is now 4-11-0 in NCAA Tournament matches.
- The win for Denver was its first in the NCAA Tournament since defeating Maryland in the second round of the 2012 NCAA Tournament.
- Feller's goal pushed her career points total to 66, pulling to within two points of ninth in Denver's DI record book. Feller got within one point of ninth with her second-half assist.
- Feller's 26th goal moved her into a tie with Katie Hooker (Antongiovanni) for eighth in Denver's DI career record book.
- Kaitlyn Glover has scored in four-straight matches, including game-winners in the regular season finale, Summit League Semifinal and Summit League Final.
- Sydney Sharp extended her goal scoring streak to three-consecutive matches.
What's Next:
The Pioneers will stay in Matthews, N.C., to take on second-seeded North Carolina in the second round on Friday, April 30, at 1 p.m. MT.
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