DENVER – The University of Denver women's soccer team (0-0-1, 0-0-0 Summit) earned a 1-1 draw against Colorado State to begin its 2023 season under the lights at University of Denver Soccer Stadium on Thursday night.
After conceding a first-half goal to CSU, freshman Liv Moritz pulled the match even just minutes into the second half.
COACH'S NOTES:
From head coach Julianne Sitch: "Our freshmen, they stepped up big tonight. Obviously Liv – congratulations, that's awesome to have your first collegiate goal. Molly (Wissman) had some great saves, and she did well. Mack (Michaela McGowan) came in. We just have so many players that are coming in and being able to elevate our program in general.
"We talk a lot about (how) it's going to take everyone to be successful. It's going to take everyone to win. I think that showed tonight."
SIGNIFICANT STATS:
- After being outshot 11-2 in the first half, Denver turned the tables in the second and outshot Colorado State, 7-6.
- Junior Samantha Dreiling earned the assist on Moritz's equalizer, doing so in her first career minutes for the Pioneers in her return from injury.
- Freshman Molly Wissman made the start in goal for DU, collecting two saves in each half.
- A third Denver freshman saw the first minutes of her collegiate career in Michaela McGowan, who was a first-half substitution and then started the second half.
- Junior Payten Ivins joined Dreiling in making her DU debut, subbing into the match in the 81st minute.
FIRST HALF:
15' | Wissman made the first save of the match, tipping the ball up over her cross bar. CSU attempted two more shots from just outside the box off the subsequent corner kick, but DU seniors Jordan Crockett and Vanessa Murray blocked both shots.
29' | Wissman made a diving save toward her left post and pushed a CSU shot wide of the net.
30' | Colorado State's Olivia Fout capitalized on the second of back-to-back corner kicks, heading the ball into the back of the net after it rebounded off the crossbar.
43' | Sophomore Lily O'Grady connected on a Crockett free kick inside the box, but CSU's keeper made the near simultaneous save just before the two players collided.
SECOND HALF:
51' | Moritz drew things level at 1-1 for DU after Dreiling tapped a ball between two CSU defenders where the Denver freshman drove it into the upper right corner of CSU's net.
61' | Junior
Jadyn Goodrich settled a feed from Dreiling near the six-yard box and forced CSU to make an awkward save.
88' | Graduate student
Camryn MacMillan nearly found the game winner, getting in behind the CSU defense and putting the ball toward the net and around the CSU keeper, but she and the entire stadium watched it curl just inches outside the right post.
WHAT'S NEXT:
DU (0-0-1, 0-0-0 Summit) faces its second-straight in-state opponent when it visits Colorado College on Sunday, August 20, at 12 p.m. MT.
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