Denver Women’s Soccer Falls at No. 18 Colorado, 1-0

Thursday, September 5

Boulder, Colo.

7 p.m. MT

University of Denver

4-3-0, 0-0-0

Colorado

5-1-0, 0-0-0

Team	1	2	Final F
Denver	0	0	0
Colorado	0	1	1

The University of Denver women's soccer team plays at Colorado on Thursday, September 5, 2024.

Photo by: Brittany Evans

Denver Women’s Soccer Falls at No. 18 Colorado, 1-0

9/5/2024 10:38:00 PM | Women's Soccer

Box Score Photo Gallery

DU holds Buffs scoreless until 78th minute to begin five-match road trip

BOULDER, Colo. – The University of Denver women's soccer team (4-3-0, 0-0-0 Summit) dropped its opening match of a five-game road trip with a tight 1-0 decision at No. 18-ranked Colorado on Thursday night.

For the fourth time through the season's first seven matches, Denver entered halftime in a scoreless tie. The night's only goal came in the 78^th minute when DU junior Alina Santos stopped an initial free kick from just beyond the 18-yard box before CU found the back of the net off the rebound.

SIGNIFICANT STATS:

Redshirt senior Addisyn Hyrup returned to the starting lineup for the first time since the 2022 season finale after missing the entire 2023 season with an injury.
- She also played the full 90 minutes for the first time in her career.
Sophomore Michaela McGowan led the team with five shot attempts, doing so for the second match in a row.
Also for the second-straight match, Santos had six saves to match her personal best while senior Riley Baker added a save of her own. Baker also had two more critical clears from deep in the six-yard box.
After allowing seven corners to the Buffs in the first half, Denver held CU to just a single corner in the last 45 minutes – the ninth time this season that the Pioneers have held an opponent to no more than one corner in a given half.
DU used its fewest number of players so far this season, subbing on only three student-athletes while seeing five Pioneers play for the full 90 minutes.

FIRST HALF:
12' | M. McGowan had DU's first attacking chance of the day with a run into the box but had her shot blocked.

14' & 15' | Twice, sophomore Liv Moritz had looks at the net, first seeing the CU keeper punch her ball just clear of the crossbar and then having her shot off a corner kick blocked.

22' | Santos faced her first real test of the contest and successfully dove to her left to block a CU shot clear.

30' | M. McGowan connected on a great service from Hyrup into the box but again had her shot blocked from just a couple yards out.

34' | CU had a look at the net, but Baker kept her cool to clear the shot from just in front of the goal line.

SECOND HALF:
56' | CU put two shots towards net from inside the 18-yard box, but both were cleared away including with a Baker header from the goal line.

67' | Redshirt sophomore Emma Thielbahr successfully ended a CU attack with a perfectly-timed tackle.

73' | After a CU shot rang off the crossbar, Baker yet again stepped up to push the ball away from net.

76' | Senior Ella Frost connected on a pass back from Moritz, sending her shot with some heat near the right post and forced the CU keeper to make the save.

78' | CU earned a free kick from just outside the penalty area. Santos made a decisive save on the initial shot through traffic, but the Buffs' Ava Priest was able to send the rebound into the back of the net.

85' | The Buffs cleared a late Denver corner, but M. McGowan collected the ball only to see her shot sail high.

WHAT'S NEXT:
DU (4-3-0, 0-0-0 Summit) heads west for the first time this year, making the trip to Southern Utah for a meeting on Sunday, September 8, at 12:30 p.m. MT.

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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