Photo courtesy Denver Athletics
The University of Denver Pioneers women’s soccer program is going back to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2013 thanks to the 85th minute heroics of senior forward Angelica Pacheco. Her goal gave the Pioneers a 2-1 lead after North Dakota State had tied it at 1 just minutes before on a penalty kick. The Pioneers bled out the rest of the clock to clinch the 2017 Summit League title and a berth in the NCAA Tournament.
85′ PACHECO PUTS THE PIONEERS BACK IN-FRONT!!!!!!! The Denver senior gets behind the back four and touches it by the keeper. #SummitWSOC
— Denver WSoccer (@DU_WSoccer) November 4, 2017
The Pioneers will certainly be watching the NCAA Tournament selection show intently on Monday, November 6th to find out who they will be playing in the first round. This berth marks the return of a proud, talented program. It will be exciting to see what the Pios can do over the next week or two and hopefully beyond in the NCAAs.
The women’s soccer team clinched their berth just before the men’s team clinched the number one overall seed in the men’s Summit League tournament, which starts Thursday, November 9th in Omaha. The men topped Western Illinois in a less chaotic fashion, which doctors say is good for the heart, as they made Alex Underwood’s 9th-minute goal stand up.
Pios take the 1 seed in next weeks @thesummitleague Tournament. #DU1NATION
— Denver MSoccer (@DU_MSoccer) November 4, 2017
After a frustrating stretch early on during nonconference play, the Pioneers were still able to finish conference play unbeaten and will enter the Summit League Tournament once again as the favorites to take home the title and secure the NCAA Tournament berth.
It’s been a great day to be a Denver soccer fan. Both programs are flying high and are entering their respective postseason tournaments on a roll. Who knows how far they’ll each go over the next month, but for now, damn it’s a great day to be a Pioneer.
The 2017 Champs. #DU1NATION pic.twitter.com/LZWJkN0BH8
— Denver WSoccer (@DU_WSoccer) November 4, 2017
Watched the DU women win today in what was capped by a great piece of senior leadership when they needed most. NDSU was really pushing around the Pios for most of the second half, and when the Bison equalized 1-1 with 7 minutes left on their frigid home field in Fargo, you could sense that the Pios might not survive the game or the season as DU tried so hard just to hang on…
However, Dancy and Pacheco, a pair of DU seniors who have been through a lot of poor Pio soccer in recent years, saved their best for last. It was as if the switch was suddenly turned on, and the two seniors combined to win the game with nice combination goal with five minutes left.
The Pios got to celebrate on NDSU’s home field, while the Bison players cried, and even if the Pios, ranked about #230 nationally in the RPI, turn out to be a visiting NCAA punching bag for some ranked team next week, it’s good to see Coach Hooker and and the seniors get back to the big dance.
Some video highlights here:
Watched the DU women win today in what was capped by a great piece of senior leadership when they needed most. NDSU was really pushing around the Pios for most of the second half, and when the Bison equalized 1-1 with 7 minutes left on their frigid home field in Fargo, you could sense that the Pios might not survive the game or the season as DU tried so hard just to hang on…
However, Dancy and Pacheco, a pair of DU seniors who have been through a lot of poor Pio soccer in recent years, saved their best for last. It was as if the switch was suddenly turned on, and the two seniors combined to win the game with nice combination goal with five minutes left.
The Pios got to celebrate on NDSU’s home field, while the Bison players cried, and even if the Pios, ranked about #230 nationally in the RPI, turn out to be a visiting NCAA punching bag for some ranked team next week, it’s good to see Coach Hooker and and the seniors get back to the big dance.
Some video highlights here: