CARY, N.C. – The No. 3 seed University of Denver men's soccer program played its first scoreless first half of the NCAA Tournament and took the lead in the second half, but fell to Vermont 4-3 in penalties after a 1-1 draw on Friday evening in the first of two national semifinals at WakeMed Soccer Park.
Vermont advances to Monday's national championship game against the winner of No. 1 Ohio State and No. 13 Marshall. Monday's final will be broadcast on ESPN2 and ESPN+.
Denver finishes its second run to the College Cup 15-3-5, after earning its highest seed in its NCAA Tournament history.
Scoring Summary
[3] Denver: Bassett 69' (Ian Smith)
Vermont: Bazini 84' (Simeon)
Notes:
- Senior Sam Bassett opened the scoring with just over 20 minutes to play in regulation, his ninth goal of the season and the 24th of his career.
- Bassett moved ahead of Matt Harrell (1999-01) into solo third on Denver's career goals chart.
- Bassett now has 74 career points.
- The goal was Bassett's second career goal in the NCAA Tournament, bringing him into a tie with Keegan Kelly, Andre Shinyashiki, Kortne Ford and Kengo Ohira for the most NCAA Tournament goals in program history.
- Ian Smith earned an assist on the Bassett opener, the 21st of his career.
- I. Smith moved ahead of Michael Piserchio for third on Denver's career assists list.
- Ben Smith made his 71st career start on Friday night to move into a tie with Karsten Hanlin for 11th on Denver's DI list.
- Vermont's leveler in the 84th minute was the first goal Denver had allowed in the 2024 NCAA Tournament.
- Denver drops to 0-2 in penalty shootouts in its NCAA Tournament history after falling, 3-2, to Louisville in the 2013 NCAA Tournament First Round.
First Half:
7' Denver got the first corner kick of the evening. Sam Bassett's initial ball didn't beat the first man, but the recycled ball from Ben Smith came back to Bassett on the left flank. Bassett's second service found the head of Trevor Wright in the middle of the box, but his header rattled the crossbar and Vermont cleared the danger.
12' Ian Smith crossed it in from the dangerous Denver left again to the head of Oje Ofunrein. Ofunrein headed it to Keegan who tried to hit a volley first time, but it rolled up his shin and out for a goal kick.
24' Bryce Willoughby made his first appearance since going off injured in the NCAA Round of 16 against Indiana.
25' Bassett took Denver's fourth shot of the game from the top of the box after combining with Ben Smith, but Bassett's attempt on goal sailed over the crossbar.
30' Denver's next chance also came down the Denver right. Ronan Wynne got some space off some combination play down the wing and played a beautiful cross into the center of the area that Ofunrein got on the end of, but his header bounced just wide of the far post and out for a goal kick.
35' Ian Welch recorded the first official shot on target on the evening after the ball was cut back to him at the top of the box. Welch drove it hard and low, but the keeper got his body behind it and saved it comfortably.
Denver had a 7-1 advantage in shots and a 3-0 edge in corner kicks in the opening 45 minutes, while holding 60% of the possession in the first half.
Second Half:
47' Vermont's first real threat of the match came on a shot from Sydney Wathuta at the top of the box, but Denver's back-four got a block in to make sure it didn't threaten Isaac Nehme's goal.
48' On the counter, Wynne got free down Denver's right and crossed it into one of three new Pioneers on the pitch for the first time in Tyler Schommer. Schommer headed it wide of the target, but the keeper deflected it anyway behind for a corner. The ensuing corner went off a Vermont player's outstretched hand, but referee Sorin Stoica chose not to review it.
52' Yaniv Bazini tried to complete a Vermont counter, but his shot from the left of Nehme was blocked in-front by a sliding
Jason Belloli and out for a long throw.
60' Bassett got a shot off a recycled corner, but the keeper dove to make a save and push it out for another corner.
64' Bazini got free again in the right channel, but his shot was blocked again by Belloli and out for Vermont's first corner of the night.
68' David Ismail got free at the top of the box and tried to curl one inside the far post, but he started his shot too wide of the target.
69' Bassett got Denver a much deserved breakthrough with his ninth goal of the season. Ian Smith touched it to the Denver attacking mid. Bassett whipped an in-swinging ball to the back post, and it snuck over the goalkeeper's leaping arms and into the side netting.
76' Macell Papp got a clear look at a leveler for Vermont, but his attempt that was cut back to him skied over the crossbar.
78' The Pioneers turned the other way and created a chance of their own, but
Ian Smith's attempt bounced up on him and out for a goal kick.
83' Bazini found the leveler for Vermont, getting in behind Denver's backline and finishing the 1v1 finish off a feed from Nathan Simeon. The play was checked for offside, but there was not an angle that showed the player when the ball was kicked, so the play stood.
First Period of Extra Time
93' Ofunrein got on the end of a
Dylan Akau cross, but his header was wide of the target.
96' Zach Barrett got free for Vermont to get a shot off and with Nehme diving one way, Belloli blocked it the other way, and Denver was able to clear the danger.
Second Period of Extra Time
108' Vermont had the best chance in the second period of extra time, trying to hit Denver on the counter, but the 20-yard effort from Ryan Zellefrow was over the bar.
109' Ofunrein got a header off a cross in from
Jake Smith, but the header was wide of the target.
Penalty Shootout
Both teams scored in the first two rounds before
Ben Smith had his penalty saved, and Vermont converted in the third round to take the lead. Denver and Vermont both scored in the fourth round before
Trevor Wright's penalty rattled the woodwork to send Vermont on to Monday's national title game.
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