Box Score TULSA, Okla. – The [23/21] University of Denver men's soccer team drew 3-3 and then fell to Kansas City on penalties Thursday evening at the Case Soccer Complex.
Significant Stats:
Oje Ofunrein netted his second hat trick of the season and of his career. The hatty was the 14th in Denver's Division I history.
Ofunrein scored his first goal since September 18 on Thursday.
Ofunrein's brace was his third multi-goal game of the season and of his career.
Ian Smith earned the primary assist on Ofunrein's opener and his third goal, his sixth and seventh helpers of the campaign and the ninth and 10th of his two-year Pioneer career.
Sam Bassett earned his sixth assist of the season and the 12th of his Pioneer career.
Ofunrein's breakthrough 3:08 into the first half was the 21st -fastest goal in Denver's DI history, including the third fastest in a postseason game.
Kansas City's first goal was the first Denver had allowed since September 30 against Oral Roberts, a stretch of 565:23 between conceded goals.
Denver has scored in the first half in each of their last nine matches, outscoring opponents 23-7 in the first half this season.
The Pioneers are still unbeaten in Summit League Tournament matches, but fell to 2-2 in penalty shootouts in the league tournament.
First Half:
1' Kansas City got a shot on goal off its first possession of the match, breaking Denver's lines off the opening kickoff, leading to Carson Lindsey's attempt that Isaac Nehme saved comfortably.
4' On the first real chance of the game for Denver, Bryce Willoughby sprayed the ball out wide to Ian Smith. Smith's cross found the head of Ofunrein who went back to the post it came from, slicing his header just inside the post for the breakthrough.
18' Sam Bassett played in Denver's third corner of the afternoon. The set piece cleared the keeper and Ofunrein chested it in from the goal line to double Denver's early lead.
19' Kansas City answered right back to cut the Pioneers lead in half. The ball was recycled after a blocked shot half-cleared Nehme's penalty area. Mael Caisson and Carson Lindsey combined to get it to Christian Koffi who sent Nehme the wrong way from just beyond the penalty area to get Kansas City on the board.
31' Kansas City equalized off an eight-yard finish from Julien Le Bourdoulous. Carson Lindsay crossed the ball through the top of the six-yard box and past the diving effort of Nehme. Le Bourdoulous calmly finished into the open net to level the score at 2-2.
Second Half:
57' Kansas City grabbed a set-piece goal of its own to take the lead shy of the hour mark. Le Bourdoulous played a cross into the near post and Mael Caisson headed straight down and it bounced into the roof of the net.
63' Denver earned a free kick on the top of the D looking to equalize. Bassett got it up and down over the wall, but struck the outside of the left post and out for a goal kick.
65' Jack Smith got the ball swung to him at the top of the box, but the sophomore pulled his shot wide of the near post and in behind for a goal kick.
67' The Pioneers earned another dangerous set piece on the right side of the box. Bassett played it to the back post to Jason Belloli who headed it back across the frame to Ian Smith. Smith's header was punched out off the line by the keeper and cleared from danger.
74' Ofunrein completed his hat trick to level the match at 3-3. Jake Smith fed Lukas Fisher to the right side of the box. Fisher's cross got to Ian Smith, who had his 10-yard shot stopped, but Ofunrein headed in the rebound.
83 Bassett rattled the woodwork for the second time in the half, pulling his strike from the D off the outside of the post.
90' Dylan Akau had one last chance before extra time, but his shot was saved, pushed wide and out for a late, late corner.
Extra Time:
99' Bassett received a cross at the top of the box, but the ball bounced up on him and his shot rose over the bar.
110' Denver had a final corner, its ninth of the match, but couldn't get on the end of it. Bryce Willoughby put a header off a recycled cross on the top of the roof of the net.
Penalties:
1st Round: Jake Smith and Seth Kacich both buried their penalties to the right.
2nd Round: Sam Bassett and Edson Murguia both converted from the spot to stay perfect.
3rd Round: Dylan Akau and Julien Le Bourdoulous both scored to make it 3-3 through three.
4th Round: Ian Smith and Hector Taboada both had their penalties saved by the goalkeepers.
5th Round: Holger Olsson and Guille Munoz Villarejo both scored to send the shootout to extra kicks.
6th Round: AJ Francois rattled the woodwork, but Isaac Nehme made a save on the following penalty to send the match to extra kicks.
7th Round: Lukas Fisher's penalty was saved and Miguel Fernandez went down the middle to send Kansas City through to the Summit League Final.
Up Next:
The Pioneers will await their NCAA Men's Soccer Tournament draw. Monday's selection show is set for 11 a.m. MT on NCAA.com.
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