DENVER – The [RV/23] University of Denver women's soccer team got goals from three different players and kept their third cleansheet to start the 2021 campaign in a 3-0 win over Utah on Thursday night at the University of Denver Soccer Stadium.
 
Scoring Summary:
DEN: Frost 34' (Baker), Sharp 64' (Beckman), Murray 65' (Gallegos, Beckman)
 
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Quotable – Jeff Hooker:
"I was really happy with our defensive pressure. It was consistent. We stayed switched on and every time they made a mistake, we were in a position to take advantage, and not only get the ball, but keep the ball. I thought the depth that we had, we didn't change how we played, but rather the players that stepped in filled the roles they needed to fill, and they gave us more energy.
 
"They broke us down a little bit in the second half, but I thought Ned (Arrazola) made some unbelievable saves to keep the cleansheet. When it was time for her to step up, she did tonight."
 
First Half:
Ella Frost opened the scoring in the 34^th minute with a side-netting finish off a feed from Riley Baker. Baker had her defender on her back five yards from the corner flag, turned that defender and got two quick steps past her mark and was free into the penalty area. Baker played the ball to the penalty spot to the run of Frost, who sent her strike on a line-drive destined for the side-netting.
 
Second Half:
The Pioneers absorbed Utah's pressure in the first 15 minutes of the second half, but kept the cleansheet in-tact. Denver grabbed the first goal of the half and the second of the game to double its advantage in the 64^th minute off the foot of Sydney Sharp, her second goal of the campaign. Natalie Beckman started the opportunity, chasing the Utah right back to the corner flag. Beckman picker her pocket, touched the ball around her and played Sharp at the top of the box.
 
After scoring consecutive goals 1:00 and 1:35 apart last Thursday, Denver got consecutive goals 1:23 apart this week when Vanessa Murray found the back of the net for the first time in her career. Beckman and Hannah Gallegos combined down the Denver left, setting up a crossing opportunity for Gallegos. Murray got on the end of the cross just inside the D and fired a first-time strike into the back of the net to put Denver three goals ahead.
 
Nerea Arrazola made three saves in her third cleansheet of the season and the 14^th of her career.
 
Notes:

• Denver has outscored its opponents 9-0 to start the 2021 season.
• The Pioneers have eight different goal scorers, with Sharp being the only multi-goal scorer (2).
• Natalie Beckman leads the team with three assists, pushing her career total to 32, seven off the record set by Nicholette DiGiacomo and Jamie Norwood.
• Beckman now has 64 career points, passing Norwood on Thursday night for 11^th in Denver's Division I history.
• Denver displayed its depth once again on Thursday, playing 23 different players and getting two goals and two assists from outside the Starting XI.

Up Next:
Denver will have a week off before continuing its five-match homestand against Kansas State next Thursday at 7 p.m. MT. The Pioneers will close out the home swing with a Labor Day match against SMU Monday, September 6, at 2 p.m. MT.
 
Tickets:
Denver men's and women's soccer season tickets and single game tickets for the 2021 campaign are on sale now, and can be purchased here.
 
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