Sunday, August 16
Fort Collins, Colo.
12 p.m. MT
University of Denver
0-1-1, 0-0-0
0
at
1
Colorado State
1-1-0, 0-0-0
| Team | 1 | 2 | Final F |
|---|---|---|---|
| Denver | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Colorado St. | 0 | 1 | 1 |
Players Mentioned
Midfielder
/ Women's Soccer
Goalkeeper
/ Women's Soccer
Midfielder
/ Women's Soccer
Midfielder
/ Women's Soccer
Midfielder/Defender
/ Women's Soccer
Midfielder
/ Women's Soccer
Midfielder
/ Women's Soccer
Forward
/ Women's Soccer
Forward
/ Women's Soccer
Forward
/ Women's Soccer
Defender
/ Women's Soccer
Midfielder/Defender
/ Women's Soccer
Defender
/ Women's SoccerTeam Stats
DEN
CSU
Goals
0
1
Shots
11
19
Shots on Goal
2
6
Saves
5
2
Corners
3
8
Fouls
8
7
Scoring Plays
Ava Wallhead (2)
Assisted By: Mia Casey
GOAL by CSU Wallhead, Ava Assist by Casey, Mia.
69:23
Game Leaders
Shots
4
SOG
0
Goals
0
Assists
0
Shots
2
SOG
1
Goals
0
Assists
0
Shots
1
SOG
1
Goals
0
Assists
0
mid
Shots
1
SOG
0
Goals
0
Assists
0
Photo by: Leeann Albers
Shorthanded DU Women’s Soccer Drops Tight Match at CSU
8/16/2026 2:49:00 PM | Women's Soccer
Denver goes down to 10 in 67th minute, narrowly misses multiple equalizers in final 15 minutes
FORT COLLINS, Colorado – The University of Denver women's soccer team (0-1-0, 0-0-0 WCC) fell at Colorado State, 0-1, in what was its first completed match of the season on Sunday afternoon at CSU Soccer Stadium.
Denver played the final 23 minutes with only 10 student-athletes after freshman Keirra Venson was shown her second yellow card of the day. Despite playing shorthanded, Denver led in offensive chances and shot attempts for the remainder of the match but was unable to find the equalizer – including a hit off the post from senior Shay Payne in the 76th minute,
The match kicked off three hours before its originally scheduled time in anticipation of adverse weather conditions for the afternoon. The change allowed DU to play a full 90 minutes for the first time in 2026 after its match at Northern Colorado on August 13 was suspended in the 20th minute due to weather.
SIGNIFICANT STATS:
KEY MOMENTS:
7' | An awkward arcing ball snuck over Garnsey's fingertips and into the back of the net, but the goal was disallowed due to an offside call.
15' | Three Pios combined to keep the match scoreless with blocks inside the six from Mooney and R. Morgan with Garnsey finishing off the attack with a save to her left.
21' | S. Dreiling found Mooney on DU's second corner of the match. The junior got her header toward the target but saw the ball land on top of the net.
47' | The first shot of the second half came off Staats' right foot for her first collegiate attempt, but the ball went wide right.
48'| Almost immediately off the restart, S. Dreiling gained possession and took a look from 25 yards out, just barely seeing it clip off the bottom of the crossbar. A video review confirmed the ball stayed out on its bounce.
52' | LaPiano collected the ball and fed it behind the defense where S. Dreiling got a cross into the box and found Palacios, but a CSU defender cleared it just before the DU sophomore could get a shot off.
67' | Venson was shown her second yellow card of the day after getting tangled up with a CSU attacker, leaving Denver with 10 players for the remainder of the match.
70' | CSU's Mia Casey made a run down the left side of the box and found Ava Wallhead in the box, who redirected the ball just inside the post and past Garnsey for a 1-0 CSU lead.
76' | From deep in the Denver end, Payne made a run down the left side of the pitch and eventually beat her defender to take a shot from outside the box but saw it hit the inside of the far post and ricochet out.
WHAT'S NEXT:
Denver heads out of state for the first time in 2026 with a road trip to Chicago to play at DePaul and at Northwestern on August 19 and 23, respectively.
DU's home opener is scheduled for Thursday, August 27, against Colorado College. Kickoff at University of Denver Soccer Stadium is set for 7 p.m. MT.
TICKETS
Tickets for the 2026 season are now on sale, starting at $79, and are available for purchase online or by visiting the Ritchie Center Box Office.
Denver played the final 23 minutes with only 10 student-athletes after freshman Keirra Venson was shown her second yellow card of the day. Despite playing shorthanded, Denver led in offensive chances and shot attempts for the remainder of the match but was unable to find the equalizer – including a hit off the post from senior Shay Payne in the 76th minute,
The match kicked off three hours before its originally scheduled time in anticipation of adverse weather conditions for the afternoon. The change allowed DU to play a full 90 minutes for the first time in 2026 after its match at Northern Colorado on August 13 was suspended in the 20th minute due to weather.
SIGNIFICANT STATS:
- Of DU's 18 student-athletes to see minutes in the match, eight made their first official appearances for Denver.
- Seven Pioneers made their official collegiate debuts on Sunday including four starters in freshmen Reese Morgan, Caitlin Staats and Keirra Venson, and sophomore Lucy Garnsey.
- Freshman Jacqui Wilson made her debut as a substitution in the 27th minute.
- Sophomore Olivia Kroska also made her collegiate debut as a sub in the 40th minute.
- Sophomore Riley Jeffries came in for her collegiate debut as a sub in the 42nd minute.
- Sophomore Camila Palacios made her Denver debut, subbing into the match in the 31st minute.
- With the result, Denver moved to 14-11-4 in season openers and 5-7-2 in openers held on the road.
- Under head coach Julianne Sitch, Denver is now 2-2-1 in season openers.
- DU now leads its head-to-head against CSU, 5-4-2, and is now 2-2-0 in Fort Collins.
- DU started the second half with the first three shot attempts for either team including a narrow miss off the crossbar from S. Dreiling in the 48th minute.
- In the final 23 minutes after Venson was sent off for her second yellow card, Denver outshot CSU, 7-4, and led 2-1 in shots on goal.
- Twice, Denver hit the woodwork: sixth-year Samantha Dreiling hit the crossbar in the 48th minute, and senior Shay Payne hit the right post in the 76th minute.
- Three Pioneers played the full 90 minutes in Garnsey, Staats and senior Nora Zelazny.
- Among the Pioneers to set or tie a career high for minutes played were junior Kit Mooney (72), senior Kera Nguyen (70), Payne (57).
- After CSU held the edge in shot attempts in the first half, Denver held the advantage in the second 45 at 10-8.
- Garnsey led both goalkeepers with five saves in what was her first collegiate appearance, which equaled the most by a DU keeper in a season opener since Nerea Arrazola also had five in 2021.
- Staats' four shot attempts were the most by single player on either team and the most by a Denver freshman in a season opener since Jocelyn Loomis also had four in the 2014 opener.
KEY MOMENTS:
7' | An awkward arcing ball snuck over Garnsey's fingertips and into the back of the net, but the goal was disallowed due to an offside call.
15' | Three Pios combined to keep the match scoreless with blocks inside the six from Mooney and R. Morgan with Garnsey finishing off the attack with a save to her left.
21' | S. Dreiling found Mooney on DU's second corner of the match. The junior got her header toward the target but saw the ball land on top of the net.
47' | The first shot of the second half came off Staats' right foot for her first collegiate attempt, but the ball went wide right.
48'| Almost immediately off the restart, S. Dreiling gained possession and took a look from 25 yards out, just barely seeing it clip off the bottom of the crossbar. A video review confirmed the ball stayed out on its bounce.
52' | LaPiano collected the ball and fed it behind the defense where S. Dreiling got a cross into the box and found Palacios, but a CSU defender cleared it just before the DU sophomore could get a shot off.
67' | Venson was shown her second yellow card of the day after getting tangled up with a CSU attacker, leaving Denver with 10 players for the remainder of the match.
70' | CSU's Mia Casey made a run down the left side of the box and found Ava Wallhead in the box, who redirected the ball just inside the post and past Garnsey for a 1-0 CSU lead.
76' | From deep in the Denver end, Payne made a run down the left side of the pitch and eventually beat her defender to take a shot from outside the box but saw it hit the inside of the far post and ricochet out.
WHAT'S NEXT:
Denver heads out of state for the first time in 2026 with a road trip to Chicago to play at DePaul and at Northwestern on August 19 and 23, respectively.
DU's home opener is scheduled for Thursday, August 27, against Colorado College. Kickoff at University of Denver Soccer Stadium is set for 7 p.m. MT.
TICKETS
Tickets for the 2026 season are now on sale, starting at $79, and are available for purchase online or by visiting the Ritchie Center Box Office.
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