DENVER – The [14/8] University of Denver men's soccer program got a pair of first half goals and kept its second cleansheet of league play in a 2-0 win over Omaha on Wednesday night at the University of Denver Soccer Stadium.

Scoring Summary
[14] Denver: Bassett 18' (Jake Smith), McGowan 36' (Schommer, Bassett)
Omaha:

Notes:

• Sam Bassett opened the scoring with his seventh goal of the season and the 22^nd of his career.
• Bassett's 22^nd point of the season moved him into a tie for 11^th in DU's single-season history, tying with Andre Shinyashiki's 2017 season.
• Bassett's 22^nd career goal moved him one shy of Matt Harrell's 23 for third in Denver's Division I history.
• Bassett's 22nd career assists ties him with Zach Bolden for Denver's Division I record. 
• Bassett's 66^th career point on his assist on Denver's second goal moved him past Kyle Christensen for second in Denver's Division I history.
• Jake Smith's assist on the Denver opener was his second assist of the season and of his career.
• Tyler Schommer earned his third assist of the season and the fourth of his career, earning the primary helper on Denver's second goal.
• Luke Schultz made his first career start on Wednesday night.
• Keegan Kelly was reinserted into the starting lineup on Wednesday, his eighth start of the season and his first start since September 19.  
• Isaac Nehme's shutout was his fourth of the season and the 25th of his Pioneer career, one shy of Nick Gardner for Denver's Division I career record. 
• Nehme's 34th career win ties him with Matt Bredehoft for second on Denver's Division I list, eight shy of Garnder's DU DI record 42. 
• With the win, Denver improved to 103-21-19 at the University of Denver Soccer Stadium.
• The Pioneers are 7-0-1 when scoring first this season, and 139-10-18 since Jack and Sheila Weinberg Head Men's Soccer Coach Jamie Franks joined the staff as an assistant in 2012.
• Denver is 47-6-8 in the Summit League regular season since Franks took over has head coach in 2015.

First Half:
11' Sam Bassett earned Denver its first corner kick of the night. Jake Smith took the set piece and played it to the forehead of Oje Ofunrein, but the striker's header was off the target to the near post side.

18' Bassett opened the scoring off a set piece a yard off the left edge of the penalty area. Bassett touched it to Jake Smith who laid it back off to Bassett to increase his angle, and Bassett picked out the far side netting for his seventh goal of the year.
 

You'll see this one on the highlight shows over the course of the next week. #SCTop10 | @NCAASoccer | @TheSummitLeague #GoPios pic.twitter.com/9SMHDH5Sf6

— Denver MSoccer (@DU_MSoccer) October 17, 2024

24' On Denver's second corner of the night, Smith picked out the head of Trevor Wright, whose header was blocked in-front. Ronan Wynne got to the rebound first, but his shot was deflected off the goal line by an Omaha defender and cleared out of danger.

36' A beautiful piece of build-up play led to the Denver second. Ben Smith played it into Bassett. Bassett found the run of Tyler Schommer down the Denver left, who played a perfectly-paced service to the run of Kyle McGowan. McGowan made no mistake, burying his first of the 2024 campaign from the center of the area.
 

Beautiful piece of build-up play leads to Kyle McGowan's second career goal to double the advantage. #GoPios pic.twitter.com/Y0lkMQUKOt

— Denver MSoccer (@DU_MSoccer) October 17, 2024

Second Half:
52' Ofunrein got the first clear cut chance of the second half, but his near post run didn't provide the proper angle to keep his re-directed shot on frame and it went out for a goal kick.

59' Jake Smith got Ofunrein in-behind the Omaha back-four and on a breakaway, but the striker's attempt was over the crossbar.

79' Omaha earned a free kick on the top of the box, but Theo Klein's dipping free kick rattled the right woodwork and the Pios cleared the danger.

UP NEXT:
The Pioneers will have 10 days off before starting the second half of the double-round robin Summit League regular season format on Saturday, October 26 at St. Thomas. Opening kickoff on the Summit League Network is set for 11 a.m. MT.

TICKET INFORMATION:
Tickets for the 2024 season are on sale now and can be purchased here. 

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