Thursday, September 17
Denver, Colo.
7 p.m. MT
University of Denver
1-5-2, 0-0-0
1
vs
2
Air Force
5-2-0, 0-0-0
| Team | 1 | 2 | Final F |
|---|---|---|---|
| Air Force | 0 | 2 | 2 |
| Denver | 1 | 0 | 1 |
Photo by: Carter Schwent/Denver Athletics
DU Women’s Soccer Falls to Air Force on Thursday
9/17/2026 10:23:00 PM | Women's Soccer
Nguyen scores third goal of 2026; Falcons go on to win, 2-1
DENVER – The University of Denver women's soccer team (1-5-2, 0-0-0 WCC) ended its 2026 non-conference slate with a 1-2 loss to Air Force at University of Denver Soccer Stadium on Thursday evening.
Denver claimed a 1-0 lead off senior Kera Nguyen's third goal of the year in the 19th minute and carried the advantage into halftime. Air Force's Annika Jost scored an equalizer 63 seconds into the second half on a rebound that ultimately left DU starting goalkeeper Lucy Garnsey injured.
Senior Jaidin Kinch stepped into goal for Denver and finished out the final 44 minutes of play, making two critical saves. AFA's Chase Borntreger was the only one able to beat Kinch, narrowly arching a ball over the DU keeper's fingertips for what would be the winner in the 73rd minute.
SCORING SUMMARY:
18:50 (DEN): Kera Nguyen
46:03 (AFA): Annika Jost (Doyle)
72:38 (AFA): Chase Borntreger
SIGNIFICANT STATS:
15' | Garnsey's second save of the night saw her meet the ball midair and push it over the crossbar to deny an Air Force shot on goal.
19' | Freshmen Caitlin Staats and Keirra Venson combined to usher the ball inside the box from down the right side of the pitch. A flick back from Staats found Nguyen at the back of the 18 and though a defender denied the senior's initial shift toward goal, Nguyen reset and beat the keeper at the upper right corner.
33' | R. Morgan's second shot of the night came from the edge of the penalty area and forced Air Force's Sydney Nelms into a diving save.
47' | Garnsey denied AFA's Jost on an initial shot at her left post, but Jost gathered the rebound and forced it up over Garnsey and into the back of the net. Garnsey was unable to return to play following the goal.
54' | With Kinch now in goal, DU's new goalkeeper faced her first test and was able to easily corral a shot from the edge of the box.
59' | Sixth-year Samantha Dreiling took a look from 20 yards out and nearly curled the ball inside the post, only to have it saved as the last moment.
73' | An arching ball from Air Force's Borntreger slipped just over Kinch's outstretched arms and into the back of the net.
84' | The referee went to video review for a possible foul against Staats inside the Air Force box, though the decision for no foul was upheld due to not enough video evidence.
WHAT'S NEXT:
The University of Denver women's soccer team begins its inaugural West Coast Conference schedule when it hosts Saint Mary's on Saturday, September 26, at 7 p.m. MT at University of Denver Soccer Stadium.
TICKETS
Season and single-match tickets for the 2026 season are on sale now, available for purchase online or by visiting the Ritchie Center Box Office.
Denver claimed a 1-0 lead off senior Kera Nguyen's third goal of the year in the 19th minute and carried the advantage into halftime. Air Force's Annika Jost scored an equalizer 63 seconds into the second half on a rebound that ultimately left DU starting goalkeeper Lucy Garnsey injured.
Senior Jaidin Kinch stepped into goal for Denver and finished out the final 44 minutes of play, making two critical saves. AFA's Chase Borntreger was the only one able to beat Kinch, narrowly arching a ball over the DU keeper's fingertips for what would be the winner in the 73rd minute.
SCORING SUMMARY:
18:50 (DEN): Kera Nguyen
46:03 (AFA): Annika Jost (Doyle)
72:38 (AFA): Chase Borntreger
SIGNIFICANT STATS:
- With Thursday's result, Denver now sits at 8-3-0 against Air Force and 5-1-0 at home.
- Senior Liv Moritz made her long-awaited return to the Denver pitch, entering as a substitution in the 34th minute.
- Moritz missed the entire 2025 season while pursuing a potential Olympic spot in alpine skiing for Team USA.
- She spent the 2026 preseason with the Pioneer women's soccer team for the preseason before continuing ski training, then rejoined soccer training at Denver the second week of September.
- It had been 679 days since Moritz's last action for the Denver women's soccer team (the 2024 Summit League semifinals on November 7, 2024).
- Freshman Maeve Morgan made her collegiate debut, also entering as a sub in the 34th minute and totaled 25 minutes on the night.
- For the first time this season, sophomore Annie Philbin played the full 90 minutes – after playing all but 10 minutes of the entire 2025 season.
- Kinch made her Denver debut after subbing in for the injured Garnsey in the second half.
- The senior has now played in six career collegiate matches after playing in five contests while playing at South Alabama in 2025 before transferring to Denver.
- Kinch, Moritz and M. Morgan became the 22nd, 23rd and 24th Pioneers to see minutes so far in 2026.
- Freshman Reese Morgan set a new personal best with four shot attempts, the most for a player on either team in Friday's match.
- She also led the DU squad with two shots on target, the first of her young NCAA career.
- The freshman also played the full 90 minutes for the second time.
- Senior Shay Payne matched her career high with two shot attempts (also: August 31, 2025, against Southern Utah).
- For the first time in 2026, Denver was without senior captain Nora Zelazny, who was held out of play due to injury.
15' | Garnsey's second save of the night saw her meet the ball midair and push it over the crossbar to deny an Air Force shot on goal.
19' | Freshmen Caitlin Staats and Keirra Venson combined to usher the ball inside the box from down the right side of the pitch. A flick back from Staats found Nguyen at the back of the 18 and though a defender denied the senior's initial shift toward goal, Nguyen reset and beat the keeper at the upper right corner.
33' | R. Morgan's second shot of the night came from the edge of the penalty area and forced Air Force's Sydney Nelms into a diving save.
47' | Garnsey denied AFA's Jost on an initial shot at her left post, but Jost gathered the rebound and forced it up over Garnsey and into the back of the net. Garnsey was unable to return to play following the goal.
54' | With Kinch now in goal, DU's new goalkeeper faced her first test and was able to easily corral a shot from the edge of the box.
59' | Sixth-year Samantha Dreiling took a look from 20 yards out and nearly curled the ball inside the post, only to have it saved as the last moment.
73' | An arching ball from Air Force's Borntreger slipped just over Kinch's outstretched arms and into the back of the net.
84' | The referee went to video review for a possible foul against Staats inside the Air Force box, though the decision for no foul was upheld due to not enough video evidence.
WHAT'S NEXT:
The University of Denver women's soccer team begins its inaugural West Coast Conference schedule when it hosts Saint Mary's on Saturday, September 26, at 7 p.m. MT at University of Denver Soccer Stadium.
TICKETS
Season and single-match tickets for the 2026 season are on sale now, available for purchase online or by visiting the Ritchie Center Box Office.
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Players Mentioned
Midfielder
/ Women's Soccer
Goalkeeper
/ Women's Soccer
Goalkeeper
/ Women's Soccer
Forward
/ Women's Soccer
Midfielder
/ Women's Soccer
Midfielder
/ Women's Soccer
Midfielder
/ Women's Soccer
Forward
/ Women's Soccer
Defender
/ Women's Soccer
Forward
/ Women's Soccer
Defender
/ Women's Soccer
Defender
/ Women's SoccerTeam Stats
AFA
DEN
Goals
2
1
Shots
13
10
Shots on Goal
7
6
Saves
5
5
Corners
8
3
Fouls
7
12
Scoring Plays
Kera Nguyen (3)
GOAL by DEN Nguyen, Kera.
18:50
Annika Jost (4)
Assisted By: Addie Doyle
GOAL by AFA Jost, Annika Assist by Doyle, Addie.
46:03
Chase Borntreger (1)
GOAL by AFA Borntreger, Chase.
72:38
Game Leaders
mid
Shots
1
SOG
1
Goals
1
Assists
0
mid
Shots
4
SOG
2
Goals
0
Assists
0
fwd
Shots
2
SOG
1
Goals
0
Assists
0
Shots
1
SOG
1
Goals
0
Assists
0
Thursday, September 17
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