DENVER – The [2/2] University of Denver men's soccer program fell behind early before scoring the final four of the evening to defeat Yale 4-1 in the Pioneers home opener in-front of a record crowd on Saturday at the University of Denver Soccer Stadium.
Scoring Summary:
[2] Denver: Bassett 25' (pen), Willoughby 39' (J. Smith), Bassett 40' (Willoughby, Fisher), Ofunrein 79' (B. Smith, Akau)
Yale: Baryboy 22' (Orson)
Significant Stats:
- Denver' home opener was played in-front of 1803, a new Denver men's soccer attendance record.
- Denver is seven matches unbeaten for the first time since opening the 2018 season on a 12-match unbeaten run.
- The Pioneers scored their second and third goals 44 seconds apart, the fifth-fastest consecutive goals in Denver's DI history, and the fastest since 2012.
- Denver outshot Yale 19-4, its widest shot margin this season.
- Yale scored on its only shot on goal allowed by Denver's backline. Yale had four shots total, two of which came on the opening goal.
- Sam Bassett's first-half brace was the third of his career.
- Bassett's goals brough his total to four on the season and his point total up to 13 seven matches in.
- Bassett now has 19 career goals and 56 career points.
- Bassett's career goal total moved him into a tie with Jarod Stigall for fourth (19).
- Bassett's career point total moved him into a tie with Zach Bolden for fourth in Denver's Division I history.
- Bassett built on his DU record from the penalty spot, improving to 6-of-6 in his career.
- Bryce Willoughby's goal was his second of the season and the seventh of his Pioneer career.
- Willoughby's assist on Denver's third goal was the second of his career.
- Jake Smith assisted Willoughby's goal, his first point of his Pioneer career.
- Lukas Fisher earned the secondary assist on Denver's third goal, his second helper of the season and the 11th of his career.
- Oje Ofunrein's second-half tally was his third of the season and the 16th of his career.
- Ofunrein's 16th career goal is good for ninth on Denver's DI list.
- Ofunrein's career points total of 35 moved him into a tie with Alex Tarnoczi for 17th on DU's DI list.
- Ben Smith's assist on the Ofunrein goal was his first of the season and the fifth of his career.
- Dylan Akau's secondary assist of the fourth goal was his second of the season and the eighth of his Pioneer career.
First Half:
8' Dylan Akau got the first shot off of the evening, but his shot from the right flank was pulled wide.
22' Against the run of play, Yale mounted a good counter attack that earned an attacking throw. Joseph Farouz quickly after the throw got a shot off that rattled the bar but Quanah Brayboy volleyed the rebound into the back of the net to give the visitors the advantage.
25' The Pioneers quickly responded with a penalty kick to level things in the Pios home opener. Ian Smith was chopped down from behind in the left side of the area forcing the referee to point to the spot. Sam Bassett put his penalty into the corner to make it 1-1.
39' Right after coming on from the bench, Bryce Willoughby gave Denver its first lead of the evening. Jake Smith got Willoughby in behind and he made no mistake, smashing it by the keeper from inside 12-yards to give Denver the advantage.
40' Denver didn't sit on its advantage, quickly doubling its lead less than a minute later. Lukas Fisher played Willoughby in-behind again, but this time the Denver forward centered a cross on the ground right into the run of Bassett, who slotted it into the open part of the net for his second of the evening.
Second Half:
50' Ian Welch had the first clear look of the second half for the Pioneers as they chased a fourth. The redshirt freshman dribbled by his defender and uncorked a shot from the top of the box, but the Yale keeper made a well-stretched save to his left to push it behind for a corner.
53' Denver's next opportunity fell to the feet of Jake Smith who took a bouncing ball just outside the box and fired it off the woodwork.
58' On a recycled ball off a Denver corner kick, Jason Belloli got on the end of a cross into the center of the box, but his header flashed wide.
76' Looking for his hat trick, Bassett whipped one in from the top corner of the box, but he couldn't curl it inside the far post and it went in behind for a goal kick.
79' Oje Ofunrein made it 4-1 with just over 10 minutes to play. Dylan Akau played it into Ben Smith who crossed it to the left of the penalty spot and Ofunrein glanced his header over the keeper and into the twine to stretch the Pios lead to three.
UP NEXT:
The Pioneers will continue their five-match homestand on Thursday night when Denver welcomes Portland to the University of Denver Soccer Stadium. Opening kickoff on the Summit League Network is set for 7 p.m. MT.
TICKET INFORMATION:
Tickets for the 2024 season are on sale now and can be purchased here.
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