FORT COLLINS, Colorado – The University of Denver women's soccer team topped Colorado State 2-1 on the road on Sunday off a pair of goals from graduate student Sami Feller.
Feller secured Denver's victory with the game winner in the 90th minute after junior Megan Prazich fed the ball up the center of the field. Feller stood tough and won a challenge against the CSU goalkeeper, striking the ball home to put DU up 2-1.
COACH'S NOTES:
From head coach Jeff Hooker: "I liked the way we played. We kept trying to move the ball around, and I though the adjustments we asked them to make at halftime, they did and almost produced a goal if not for the handball. They did a great job of figuring out where to get the ball to, how to get the ball there and who to get it to and when, and I was proud of that in the second half. And I was happy Sami was brave (on the game winner)."
SIGNIFICANT STATS:
- Feller's goal at 89:19 becomes the fourth latest regulation game-winner in Denver's Division I history and the 14th latest overall goal.
- Sunday's two-goal performance was the sixth of Feller's career and her first since February 14, 2021.
- Denver outshot Colorado State in both halves, finishing 9-5 overall with a 6-1 lead in shots on goal.
- Four Pioneers logged two shots in the match with Feller and junior Taylor Wells each putting both of their shots on goal. Junior Vanessa Murray and sophomore Delaney McGowan also had two shots with one apiece on target.
- DU set a new season high for substitutions with 10 players entering off the bench.
FIRST HALF:
3' | Denver put the offensive pressure on early with a shot from Wells that tested CSU's keeper but was ultimately saved.
5' | Feller broke through to give Denver its earliest goal of the season, bouncing the ball off the bottom of the crossbar and past the keeper.
23' | Colorado State evened the match at 1-1 with a goal from Aleyse Evers with an assist from Kaitlyn Abrams.
39' | Senior Kaitlyn Glover looked to have the go-ahead goal for Denver but is ruled offside.
SECOND HALF:
48' | McGowan and sophomore Ella Frost connected to nearly have DU's second goal only to have it taken away after Frost was called for a handball.
52' | McGowan put the ball on target from the right side of the box, but CSU's keeper blocked the ball away. Wells caught the rebound in the air, heading the ball back toward the net for another CSU save.
63' | McGowan made yet another run at the goal but hit the ball with just a tad too much power and sending it over the crossbar.
72' | Sophomore Blythe Sales kept the Pioneers offensive threat going, pushing a ball just wide.
90' | Prazich sent the ball up the middle of the field from deep in DU's territory and connected with Feller who chipped the ball into the net just as she collided with the CSU keeper.
MORE COACH'S NOTES:
Speaking about the increase in substitutions in the last two matches, Hooker added: "If everyone was healthy, I don't know that the coaching staff would agree who the best 11 are right now, and that's a good problem to have because it's adding some depth. We had to move people around in different spots that played odd positions, and no one missed a beat."
WHAT'S NEXT:
DU (3-3-2) concludes its non-conference schedule with another in-state team and its fourth Pac-12 opponent when it visits Colorado on Saturday, September 17, at 1 p.m. MT.
TICKETS:
Single-game tickets for the 2022 University of Denver women's soccer season are now on sale and can be purchased online, by calling 303-871-4625 or by visiting the Ritchie Center Box Office.
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This article created using technology provided by Data Skrive.
