DENVER – The University of Denver men's soccer program got goals on either side of halftime from Bryce Willoughby and Kyle McGowan and Isaac Nehme earned a four-save clean sheet to lead the Pioneers in knocking [RV/24] Delaware off the list of unbeaten teams in the country with a 2-0 win over the Blue Hens on Saturday afternoon at the University of Denver Soccer Stadium.
Scoring Summary:
Denver: Willoughby 38' (Kelly, Semelsberger), McGowan 60' (Collins)
[RV] Delaware:
Notes:
- The Pioneers improved to 7-6 on the season, and jumped to 23 in the RPI at the conclusion of their match.
- Denver kept its second cleansheet of the season, and its first since the season-opening 2-0 win over Washington at the University of Denver Soccer Stadium.
- The Pioneers shut out a Delaware team that entered the match ranking second in the country in goals per game at 2.8.
- Denver scored two goals on a Delaware defense that ranked fifth in the country coming into the weekend, allowing just four goals entering play Saturday.
- The Pioneers also improved to 62-9-9 in Summit League regular season play since joining the league in 2013, moving a top the Summit League table with the victory.
- DU improved to 131-45-33 since the start of the 2015 season, staying sixth in the country in wins over the last 10 seasons.
- Isaac Nehme made five saves en-route to earning his program record 31st career shutout and his record 48th career win.
- Nehme and starting centerback Trevor Wright made their 76th career starts on Saturday, moving into a tie for third in program history with Nat Borchers and Destan Norman.
- Dylan Akau made appearance number 78 on Saturday, moving into a tie for 10th in program history with Chandler Crosswait (2012-16) and Karsten Hanlin (2013-16).
- Denver improved to 113-23-19 at the University of Denver Soccer Stadium since it opened in 2009.
- The Pioneers improved to 103-14-13 since Jack and Sheila Weinberg Head Men's Soccer Coach Jamie Franks arrived on campus in 2012, and 78-10-10 since he took over as head coach in 2015.
- With the win on Saturday, Denver improved to 12-8-4 against teams receiving votes in the United Soccer Coaches' Poll, including 7-5-2 at home.
- Denver improved to 152-11-19 when scoring the first goal, including 6-1 this season.
- Bryce Willoughby scored his third goal of the season to open things in the first half. The tally was the 13th of his three-year Pioneer career.
- Willoughby's game-winning goal was the seventh of his career, moving him into a tie for fifth in program history.
- Kyle McGowan scored his team-high fourth goal of the season, which is also the seventh goal of his career.
- Keegan Kelly earned the primary assist on Willoughby's breakthrough, his second of the season and the fifth of his two-year Pioneer career.
- Aidan Semelsberger's secondary assist on Willoughby's opener was his third of the season, and of his career.
- Erik Collins earned the first assist of his career on McGowan's goal to double Denver's lead.
First Half:
7' After Will King picked off a Delaware switch ball and one-touched it to Bryce Willoughby, Willoughby dribbled 50 yards down the Denver right before cutting to the middle of the field at the top of the box and whipping a shot to the back post, but he rattled the underside of the crossbar and bounced back out into the field of play. The ball bounced over the attempted header of Luke Schultz to finish the rebound and Delaware cleared.
32' After balanced back and forth possession without any clear chances, substitute Erik Collins beat his defender to the center of the park and uncorked a shot from the top of the box, trying to bend it inside the far post, but he couldn't keep it inside the woodwork, and it went in behind for a goal kick.
38' Willoughby made no mistake on his second chance of the afternoon. Aidan Semelsberger won a Delaware throw in the midfield, before playing it into Keegan Kelly in the middle of the park. Kelly one-timed slid Willoughby in behind and the striker beat the keeper 1v1 to put the Pios in-front.
41' Willoughby nearly made it 2-0 minutes later, getting in behind but on a far worse angle, and the keeper was able to cut the chance down with a diving save and Delaware cleared.
45' Delaware nearly leveled the match right before the break when Marius Stenner curled a shot past
Isaac Nehme, but redshirt-freshman
Grant Lund sprung into action, diving towards his own goal to clear the ball wide of the frame.
Second Half:
47' Holger Olsson nearly made it 2-0 right out of the locker room when he picked out the top corner, but the Delaware keeper pushed it off the crossbar to keep the Pioneers lead at one.
60' Denver got its deserved second when Collins dribbled towards the goal down the left. When Collins took a touch outside to his left, Kyle McGowan took the ball right off his foot, charged by the Delaware defender and finished his strike inside the near post to double Denver's advantage.
63' Jan Schroeder tried to provide an immediate response for Delaware, having a rip from the top corner of the box, but
Isaac Nehme dove to his left to save it out in behind for a corner.
63' On the ensuing short corner, Joe Richards had a hit from nearly the same spot as his teammate less than a minute earlier, but Richards' shot beat Nehme and rattled the cross bar.
69' Mikey Johnson tried to pull one back for the visitors from inside the area, but Nehme made a diving save down to his right. Johnson got to the rebound first, but a great effort from captain
Trevor Wright broke up the second shot and sent it in behind for a corner.
Up Next
Denver will pack its bags to return to the east coast on Tuesday when the Pioneers head to Pittsburgh. Opening kickoff on October 14 is set for 5 p.m. MT, and the match will be broadcast on ACC Network.
Ticket Information:
Tickets are on sale now for the 2025 Denver men's soccer season. Purchase tickets for the rest of the 2025 campaign here.
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