University of Denver
5-8-4, 4-1-3
San Diego
11-4-3, 5-1-2
| Team | 1 | 2 | Final F |
|---|---|---|---|
| Denver | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| San Diego | 1 | 1 | 2 |
11/11/2026 5:06:00 PM | Men's Soccer
The Pioneers wrap-up their first season in the West Coast Conference
PORTLAND – The University of Denver men's soccer program equalized just after halftime but an instant San Diego response proved the difference in a 2-1 Toreros win in the first ever West Coast Conference Semifinal on Wednesday afternoon at Merlo Field.
San Diego will take on the winner of top-seeded Portland and fourth-seeded San Francisco in the WCC Championship on Saturday at 8 p.m. MT/7 p.m. PT on ESPN+.
NOTES:
- Bryce Willoughby scored in the early stages of the second half to make things 1-1 in Portland.
- Willoughby's goal was his fourth of the season and the 18th of his career.
- Willoughby made his 80th career appearance on Wednesday, tying with Alex Underwood for the 10th most in the program's modern DI history.
- Willoughby's point total moved to 48 career points on Wednesday, tying with Nick Hartman (1999-02) for the seventh most in the modern era.
- Willoughby's goal was the 18th of his career, moving him into a tie with Brian Todd (1998-99) for the seventh-most in the Pioneers DI era.
- Tyler Schommer earned the primary assist on the Willoughby leveler, his second assist of the season and the eighth of his career.
- Schommer's goal contribution was the 13th of his career.
- Luke Schultz earned the secondary assist on the Willoughby goal, his third helper of the season and the eighth of his career.
- The goal contribution from Schultz was the 13th of his career. Â
- Freshman Alex Hohl made seven saves on Wednesday afternoon, moving his season total to 74, good for a tie with Parker Jarvis for third in a single season in Denver's modern DI era.
- Freshman Tomi Giwa made his first career start and fifth overall appearance in Wednesday's WCC Semifinal.
- Classmate Chase Stewart made his second career start, joining Giwa on the forward line for the Pioneers.
- Fifth-year centerback Collin Keller made his second-consecutive start, after contributing to the cleansheet on Senior Day last Friday.
HOW IT HAPPENED
3' San Diego scored on the first shot of the day when Samy Kanaan got it on his left foot and curled it around Alex Hohl and into the side netting.
10' USD looked to double its advantage when Taj Eagleston got free for a shot, but missed it left of the goal mouth.
25' Hohl's first save of the day came just before the half hour mark when Iain Wagner looked to pick a corner but the freshman keeper kept it out.
41' Denver's best chance of the first half fell to the feet of Ethan Orchard, who turned his defender 10-yards out, but his attempt rose just over the bar.
52' Combination play from Luke Schultz and Tyler Schommer in the middle of the park led to a ball in behind that Bryce Willoughby ran around San Diego's defense, got a touch to the ball and touched it around the keeper before knocking the equalizer into the back of the net.
53' Tyler Schommer had a half chance to get Denver's noses in-front, but his back heel was wide of the target.
53' San Diego took advantage of a Pioneer defensive mistake and Steven Ramirez bounced a shot over the hands of Hohl to put the Toreros back in-front.
63' Willoughby had Denver's first attempt at a second leveler when he got on the end of recycled ball off a Denver corner, but his header didn't have enough on it to trouble the San Diego keeper.
76' USD's Luca Fava fired a free kick from 30 yards out, but Hohl got his body behind the ball and made the save. The Toreros earned another free kick less than a minute later from the same area of the field but five yards closer to goal. Fava had another go, but Hohl made his fifth save on the chance.
83' As Denver pushed to make it 2-2, Fava got down the San Diego left, but facing Hohl 1v1 was denied for a third time in a 10 minute stretch.
87' Chase Stewart got on the end of an Anthony Masino cross in behind the San Diego backline, but couldn't get the required pace on it from his angle, and it was saved comfortably.Â
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Players Mentioned
Team Stats
Samy Kanaan (2)
Assisted By: Elijah Zelkind , Iain Wagner
GOAL by USD Kanaan, Samy Assist by Zelkind, Elijah and Wagner, Iain.
02:35
Bryce Willoughby (4)
Assisted By: Tyler Schommer , Luke Schultz
GOAL by DEN Willoughby, Bryce Assist by Schommer, Tyler and Schultz, Luke.
51:41
Steven Ramirez (10)
Assisted By: Tobias Polz , Iain Wagner
GOAL by USD Ramirez, Steven Assist by Polz, Tobias and Wagner, Iain.
52:52
