MISSOULA, Mont. – The University of Denver women's soccer team (1-0-2, 0-0-0 Summit) played with just 10 student-athletes for nearly 70 minutes of its neutral-site match against Baylor on Thursday afternoon but came away with a 0-0 draw thanks to and standout performance from redshirt junior Alina Santos in goal.
 
After DU redshirt sophomore Nora Zelazny was issued a red card in the 22^nd minute for denial of a goal scoring opportunity, Denver held strong defensively with Santos leading the way and kept the match scoreless until the final whistle.
 
SIGNIFICANT STATS:                                 

• Santos' eight saves match her career high (first set at Gonzaga on September 19, 2024).
  • It was also the second time in her career to preserve a result for Denver following a red card to one of the Pioneers (first: 2-0 win against Colorado College on September 1, 2024).
  • It was the second time that Santos logged consecutive clean sheets in her career as well (first: August 25 and September 1, 2024).
• Denver registered a ninth save on the day with redshirt junior Hannah Tate clearing a ball off the line in the 79^th minute.
• Three of the Pioneers' five shots came after the 22^nd-minute red card with senior Brooke Ahern 's two leading the roster.
• Five Pioneers played the full 90 minutes with Santos, freshman Annie Philbin and redshirt junior Emma Thielbahr extending their streak of playing every minute of the season thus far.
  • Redshirt senior Audrey Miller finished just shy of the full 90 at 87 minutes played, a new career high.
• Denver's 23 shots allowed were the most without conceding a goal since at least 2002 and tied for the second most in a tie (also: 1-1 against Illinois on August 30, 2009).
• With the tie, Denver moves to 15-11-5 against Big 12 Conference opponents since becoming a Division I program in 1998.
  • DU is now 1-1-1 in neutral-site matches and 6-7-3 away from home against Big 12 opponents.
  • Denver has also now gone 1-1-1 in its last three matches against Power-Four opponents – all three being held on the road.
• Thursday's result marked the first time in Denver's Division I history that the Pioneers finished with consecutive 0-0 results.
  • It was the 20^th scoreless draw in DU's DI history following the same result at Colorado College four days ago on August 17.

FIRST HALF:
5' | DU's first venture into the final third saw senior Isabella Chidiac feed Ahern through the center of the pitch before Ahern lifted the ball high over the crossbar.
 
19' | Despite pressure from a Baylor defender, Miller ultimately won possession and took a shot from 25 yards away, resulting in an easy BU save.
 
22' | Zelazny was issued a red card for denial of a goal scoring opportunity. On the subsequent free kick, the Denver wall easily blocked away the Bears' shot attempt.
 
33' | A fingertip touch from Santos pushed a Baylor shot high enough to deflect off the crossbar and away from danger to keep the match scoreless.
 
SECOND HALF:
47' | In similar fashion to her standout save from the first half, Santos got airborne to clear a shot from her right up and over the crossbar.
 
50' | Off an Ahern pass from near the center circle, redshirt senior Samantha Dreiling went on a run down the right side of the pitch and took a look at the far post from distance but saw the ball trickle wide.
 
53' | Santos made a sprawling save right at the edge of the six-yard box, getting enough of a touch off her hand to push to ball clear.
 
75' | Redshirt sophomore Luci Vincent set up S. Dreiling from midfield, who carried the ball in toward the box before sending in a cross that the BU keeper grabbed.
 
79' | After a Baylor free kick, Tate came up with a crucial block at the goal line before the Bears seemed to have found a goal off the rebound, though it was disallowed due to an offside call.
 
WHAT'S NEXT:
Denver continues play at the Rumble in the Rockies, hosted by the University of Montana, on Sunday, August 24, when it takes on Seattle in a neutral-site match 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.