DENVER – The University of Denver women's soccer team (7-4-1, 1-0-1 Summit) logged its first draw of the season after a 0-0 finish against North Dakota at home on Sunday.
 
Denver dominated the stats sheet with a season high-shattering 36 shot attempts and 63 percent in time of possession, but the Pioneers were unable to find a breakthrough goal. Senior Blythe Sales came the closest for DU, having a goal disallowed after she was ruled offside midway through the first half.
 
COACH'S NOTES: From head coach Julianne Sitch: "It's disappointing to be at home, in the conference (home) opener and not come away with three points, especially when you put that many shots on goal or shots in general, and be in the attacking half for 90 percent of the game. It's disappointing to walk away with no goals to show for that. The quality in the final third wasn't quite there for us today. I don't fault the effort. The effort was great. North Dakota came in here and did well. They defended their tails off."
 
SIGNIFICANT STATS:                                 

• DU's 36 shots on Sunday were 15 more than the team's previous high on the season so far (21 against Colorado College).
  • Denver had 20 shots in the second half alone, which were more than the team had in all but one complete match (September 1 against Colorado College).
  • It is the sixth-most shot attempts DU has had in a single match in its Division I history and the most since having 39 against Purdue Fort Wayne on October 27, 2019.
• A total of 15 Pioneers had at least one shot attempt, and 12 had multiple shots in the match.
  • Senior Riley Baker led the way with five shots, a new career high for a single match and equaling sophomore Michaela McGowan for the most by a Pioneer in a match this season (vs. Colorado College on September 1 and at Colorado on September 5).
• Denver has now had a scoreless draw in Summit League play in each of the last three seasons, though this is the first one to happen at home.
  • The last time DU finished in a 0-0 tie at home in a conference match was September 30, 2012, against Utah State in a WAC contest.

FIRST HALF:
8' | Baker had Denver's first quality look at net but curled a ball too far above the far upper corner of the frame.
 
22' | Redshirt sophomore Emma Thielbahr and Baker each tried to push a bouncing ball across the line from inside the six-yard box but had the ball cleared a UND defender and the keeper, respectively.
 
36' | UND's keeper made a diving save off a M. McGowan shot. Sales tapped the rebound into the back of the net but was ruled offside.
 
43' | Sophomore Molly Wissman made her biggest save of the night, blocking away a point-blank shot from inside the six-yard box.
 
SECOND HALF:
48' | On DU's first corner of the second half, senior Ella Frost took the kick short and sent it to redshirt senior Addisyn Hyrup, though the UND keeper was able to make a comfortable save on Hyrup's shot.
 
52' | Redshirt junior Samantha Dreiling sent a well-placed cross to the top of the box, connecting immediately with sophomore Liv Moritz, whose one-touch shot narrowly missed the far post.
 
74' | Some quick feet from Sales at the edge of the box resulted in an on-target shot with some pace, but the UND keeper made the save.
 
WHAT'S NEXT:
DU (7-4-1, 1-0-1 Summit) continues Summit League play when it visits Oral Roberts on Saturday, October 5, at 12 p.m. CT/11 a.m. MT before returning to University of Denver Soccer Stadium for its final three regular-season home matches, beginning with St. Thomas on Thursday, October 10.
 
TICKETS
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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