WHO: Denver (1-0-0, 0-0-0 Summit) at Colorado College (1-0-0, 0-0-0 Mountain West)
WHAT: DU's second in-state road match
WHERE: Stewart Field (Colorado Springs, Colorado)
WHEN: Sunday, August 17, at 1 p.m. MT
LAST TIME OUT:
Denver began its 2025 campaign with a brace from redshirt senior
Samantha Dreiling to secure a 2-1 win at Air Force on Thursday, August 14. The match remained scoreless until midway through the second half when Dreiling opened the scoring in the 62
nd minute, tapping home a header from redshirt junior
Emma Thielbahr in a goal initiated by redshirt sophomore
Luci Vincent.
Dreiling struck again in the final 10 minutes with what would be the game winner, chipping the ball over the keeper to finish off a feed from senior
Isabella Chidiac. Redshirt senior
Audrey Miller set up the play with a pass from the center circle.
Air Force pulled within one off a converted penalty kick in the 83
rd minute following a DU hand ball in the box, though the Pioneers were able to hold off the Falcons for the final seven minutes to close out the win.
QUICK HITS:
- Dreiling's two-goal showing at Air Force was the second brace of her career and also marked the second game winner in her career.
- She is now the fourth DU player with a multi-goal performance in a season opener and the first since Kristen Hamilton also scored both Denver goals in a 2-1 double-overtime win against Northern Colorado in 2011.
- Thursday's win at Air Force marked the first time since 2006 that Denver earned the victory in a season opener that was held on the road (last: 4-0 versus Alabama in Nashville, Tenn., on August 25, 2006).
- Three Pioneers posted their first collegiate points on Thursday night, each with an assist: Chidiac, Miller and Vincent.
- Four DU freshmen made their collegiate debuts at Air Force including Annie Philbin and Lilly Lund, who were members of the starting XI.
- Vincent, too, saw her first collegiate minutes and did so as a starter.
- In total, five Denver players made their first career starts: Lund, redshirt sophomore Kera Nguyen, Philbin, Vincent and redshirt sophomore Nora Zelazny.
- Sunday's match between Denver and Colorado College will be one of three across the country featuring two opponents that each scored a brace on opening day (also: Eastern Kentucky at Tennessee, Western Georgia at Kentucky).
SCOUTING THE TIGERS:
Denver and Colorado College have met 15 times previously including in each of the last two seasons. The most recent meeting ended in a 2-0 win for DU at home on September 1, 2024, while the teams played to a 2-2 draw on August 20, 2023, in the last meeting at CC. DU leads the overall head-to-head, 7-6-2.
Similarly to Denver, Colorado College also posted a 2-1 win with a brace in its season opener against New Mexico State on Thursday. Kendall Memoly had both CC goals, opening scoring in 15
th minute before adding the game winner in the 26
th – scoring about two and half minutes after NMSU found an equalizer.
WHAT'S NEXT:
Denver heads to Missoula, Montana, for the Rumble in the Rockies where the Pioneers will play two neutral-site matches against Baylor and Seattle on August 21 and 24, respectively. Kickoff against Baylor is set for 3 p.m. MT, and the match against Seattle will start at 10:30 a.m. MT.
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.
