WHO: Denver (8-4-4, 5-1-1 Summit) vs. South Dakota (7-4-6, 3-2-2 Summit)
WHAT: Denver's regular-season finale and Senior Day
WHERE: University of Denver Soccer Stadium (Denver, Colorado)
WHEN: Sunday, October 26, at 1 p.m. MT
 
LAST TIME OUT:
Denver posted a 2-1 win in its regular-season road finale at Omaha on October 19. Senior Lily O'Grady netted the opening goal with her first of the season to put Denver ahead at halftime. Redshirt sophomore Kera Nguyen doubled Denver's lead in the 63^rd minute with her first collegiate goal. Omaha pulled one back five minutes later, but Denver retained its one-goal lead to finish out the match and secure the win.
 
QUICK HITS:

• Denver has secured the No. 2 seed for the Summit League Championship, regardless of results across the League on Sunday.
  • DU can earn a share of the Summit League regular-season title with a win on Sunday and an Oral Roberts loss at South Dakota State.
  • With the No. 2 seed, Denver receives a bye through the quarterfinals and will next play in the semifinals against the winner of the No. 3/No. 6 quarterfinal, teams yet to be determined.
• Denver goalkeeper Alina Santos has been called up to the New Zealand Women's National Team for three friendlies against Mexico and the United States this week.
  • She will miss Sunday's match against South Dakota but will return to Denver ahead of the Summit League semifinals on November 6.
• DU will celebrate Senior Day in a post-match ceremony on Sunday.
  • Denver will honor its six seniors in Brooke Ahern, Isabella Chidiac, O'Grady, Santos, Hannah Tate and Emma Thielbahr. DU will also recognize its two redshirt seniors in Samantha Dreiling and Audrey Miller.
  • The six seniors have combined for 309 matches played, 16 goals scored and 49 points earned.

SCOUTING THE COYOTES:
Denver holds a 12-1-2 record against South Dakota entering this weekend including a 6-0-2 record at home. DU earned a 2-0 shutout in the teams' regular-season meeting last year in Vermillion, S.D., and finished with a 4-1 win the last time USD made the trip to Denver during the 2023 regular season.
 
South Dakota is coming off a 2-0 win at Omaha in its penultimate regular-season match on October 23. Ashby Johnston scored just 13 minutes in before Klarissa Vega gave the Coyotes a 2-0 lead with a converted penalty kick in the 36^th minute.
 
Vega owns a team-leading eight goals now on the season with her opener at Omaha on Thursday. She also leads USD with 19 total points. Three Coyotes have a team-best three assists this year in Vega, Brooke Conway and Rylee Haldeman. Fisher Campbell has played the majority of the season in goal, though Kelsie Luquin played for the full 90 at Omaha.
 
UP NEXT:
Denver will be the No. 2 seed for the upcoming 2025 Summit League Women's Soccer Championship and will thus be on a bye through the quarterfinals. DU will play in the semifinals, hosted by Oral Roberts, on Thursday, November 6, against the winner of the quarterfinal between the yet-to-be-determined No. 3 and No. 6 seeds, scheduled for November 1 or 2.
 
TICKETS:
Tickets for the 2025 Denver women's soccer season are now on sale and available for purchase online, by calling 303-871-4625 or by visiting the Ritchie Center Box Office.