SAN DIEGO – The [6/12] University of Denver men's soccer program dropped its first match of the season, a 2-1 loss to San Diego State on Sunday night at the SDSU Sports Deck.
All three goals were scored in less than an eight-minute span in the second half, with the Aztecs' answering the Pioneers equalizer within 52 seconds in the 74th.
JACK AND SHEILA WEINBERG HEAD MEN'S SOCCER COACH JAMIE FRANKS
"I was proud of the team's effort. We've been on the road all around the country, and I thought the team showed its identity throughout the road trip. It's tough, when you're playing on a Sunday, to give up two set piece goals. I didn't think there was much in the game. We'll view this adversity as an opportunity to learn, take ownership and to grow and get better. We came on the road to find adversity. It's a really good test for our group. I'm excited to get back home for a three-game homestand, and I'm excited to watch the group rebound and come together to get better."
SIGNIFICANT STATS:
- Denver was held scoreless in the opening 45 minutes for the first time this season (scored in first half of first five matches for the first time in its DI history this season).
- The Pioneers fell to 3-1-1 as the No. 6 team in the country in their Division I history, and 20-4-3 as a top-six team in the country.
- DU is now 5-4-2 in the series and 1-4-1 at SDSU in its Division I history, with Sunday marking the first meeting between the former MPSF foes since the 2014 season.
- Griffin Meyer's goal was the first of his three-year Pioneer career.
- Aidan O'Toole was credited with his third assist of the season and the sixth of his collegiate career.
KEY MOMENTS:
22' Following a slow start that Denver controlled a good portion of the possession in, Ian Smith got the first real chance of the night, getting in behind the SDSU defender off a long ball from Ronan Wynne. Smith touched it around the keeper, but had his shot cleared off the line by a San Diego State defender.
30' Following a good spell for the Aztecs, Jake Mecham earned Denver its second corner of the night after taking his defender down the Denver right. Lucas Russo made a near-post run and got on the end of Sam Bassett's set piece, but it was just over the bar.
38' San Diego State earned a dangerous free kick 22 yards out, but the Denver wall did its job to block the free kick and send it out for an Aztec corner that Denver defended and cleared.
Halftime
53' Mecham had a half-field run, dribbling through the defense similar to the run he had that drew the penalty nine days ago at Maryland, but this time, Mecham got a shot off, but couldn't get all of it and put it in center of the frame and had it saved.
66' The home side got a free kick from just outside the box on the left side of the area to setup the breakthrough. Donavan Roux played a well-lofted ball on top of the six-yard box and Elias Katsaros was there to head home the opener.
73' Denver leveled the match in the 73rd minute. Russo found Aidan O'Toole in the middle of the park, who sprayed the ball out wide to Griffin Meyer. Meyer played pinball in the box, a shot that eventually deflected off the chest of SDSU's Kyle Colonna and into the back of the net for the leveler.
74' Less that a minute later, Denver conceded a corner and the Aztecs took advantage as Katsaros beat everyone in the air again to complete his brace. C.J. Fodrey played the corner to give SDSU the lead back.
90' Denver's best chance at a second leveler came in the closing seconds of the match when Bassett took a free kick from just outside the area at the top of the box. Basset's shot beat the wall, but the keeper was well positioned and held on to the game-clinching save.
Fulltime
WHAT'S NEXT:
Denver will return home for the first time since opening night next Friday when the Pioneers welcome Portland to the University of Denver Soccer Stadium. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. MT, and the game will be broadcast live on Evoca.
TICKETS:
Single-game tickets are on sale now for all men's and women's soccer matches for the 2022 season. Click here to purchase today.
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