DENVER – The University of Denver women's soccer team (0-2-0, 0-0-0 Summit) finished the first weekend of the 2024 season with a 1-0 loss to Idaho State at University of Denver Soccer Stadium on Sunday afternoon.
 
The Bengals had the only goal of the contest after the ball bounced out of DU goalkeeper Alina Santos' hands and sneaked just barely across the line in the 58^th minute. Denver answered by finishing with the majority of the attacking chances to finish out the match, including the final six shots, but ultimately could not find the equalizer.
 
SIGNIFICANT STATS:                                 

• Denver outshot the Bengals, 18-7, overall and put up an 11-3 shot margin in the first half.
• Six Pioneers finished with multiple shot attempts, led by three apiece from redshirt sophomore Emma Thielbahr and sophomore Liv Moritz.
  • Thielbahr and Moritz joined fifth-year student Jordan Crockett and senior Ella Frost with one shot on target each.
  • In total, 10 DU players registered at least one shot attempt.
• DU held ISU without a corner kick in the second half and just a single corner in the entire match.
• Santos made not just her first start but her first minutes played as a Pioneer. Joining her in making her collegiate debut on Sunday were also redshirt freshmen Shay Payne and Nora Zelazny.
  • Senior Delaney McGowan made her seventh-career start and her first since the 2022 season as well.

FIRST HALF:
10' | On the second touch off a short corner, Crockett launched one toward the net that went just inches above the crossbar.
 
13' | In similar fashion to Crockett's shot, Delaney McGowan took a shot from 30 yards out and also barely sent it high over the net.
 
32' | Thielbahr found the ball at her feet after a bit of a scramble and forced the ISU keeper to tip the ball clear.
 
37' | Santos faced her first and only test of the first half, easily grabbing an air-bound ISU shot from outside the 18-yard box.
 
SECOND HALF:
58' | ISU's Paige Harris put a shot on target from a sharp angle down the right side of the pitch that bounced around in Santos' hands before trickling in.
 
71' | Frost sent a low shot with some speed behind at the net from 25 yards out and forced the ISU keeper to push it clear.
 
86' | Moritz carried the ball in toward the box and dodged around an ISU defender to get a clear look at the net but directed it right at the keeper for a save.
 
89' | Moritz sent a cross into the center of the box from the right sideline and connected with Payne, who could not quite get a clean touch on the shot.
 
90' | Frost drew a foul just a foot from the penalty area with 49 seconds left on the clock. After the initial service from senior Jadyn Goodrich fell to the ground inside the six-yard box, Thielbahr got her foot under the ball but tipped over the crossbar.
 
WHAT'S NEXT:
DU (0-2-0, 0-0-0 Summit) heads to the state of Texas for its first road trip of the season, playing at No. 25-ranked Texas A&M on Wednesday, August 21, before visiting Lamar on Sunday, August 25.
 
TICKETS
Season and single-match tickets for the 2024 University of Denver women's soccer season are now on sale and can be purchased at denverpioneers.com/tickets or by calling the Ritchie Center Box Office at 303-871-4625.
 
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