Photo: Courtesy of UNO
Denver (13-5-2, 7-0-1 Summit, #2 Seed) continued their mastery over the University of Nebraska Omaha (8-11-2, 4-4-1, #4 Seed) with a 4-0 victory at the Summit League Championship Tournament at South Dakota State’s Fishback Soccer Complex. DU advances to the NCAA playoffs for a second consecutive season.
UNO continues to fall to Denver in Summit League play. However, unlike many of the past contests, this was one-sided from the start as Denver had the Mavericks on their heels all afternoon.
DU dominated UNO for the first 30 minutes but could not find net. Near the end of the first half, DU had 12 shots and 6 shots-on-goal to 0 shots and 0 shots-on-goal by the Mavs. DU’s Hanna Adler finally ended the deadlock when she scored in traffic at 40:40 with an assist from Samantha Feller. The half ended 1-0 Denver with DU leading on the scoreboard and every statistical category (DU 16 shots and 7 SOG to 0/0 for Omaha).
ADLER!!!!!!
The Denver junior's 20th career goal has the Pioneers ahead in the @summitchamps Final. pic.twitter.com/XXh8q9anpx— Denver Women's Soccer (@DU_WSoccer) November 3, 2018
After the break, Denver moved to 2-0 at the 52nd minute on a goal by Cameron MacMillan and an assist by Samantha Feller. At that point, DU was out-shooting the reeling Omaha side 20-0. Five minutes later, Leah Swander trekked down the right side of the field and sent a volley into the box that Camryn MacMillen buried to make it 3-0 and shovel dirt on the Mavericks chances.
MACMILLAN MAKES IT 3!
The freshman nets her third of the 2018 @summitchamps and her second of the game to put the Pioneers 3-0 up just before the hour mark. #PioneerTogether #DENvOMA pic.twitter.com/Dq9d25xI4n— Denver Women's Soccer (@DU_WSoccer) November 3, 2018
An own-goal by the Mavs on a DU corner kick made it 4-0, Denver at 74:54 of the second period. The rest of the half was scoreless. Pioneers had 25 total shots to the Mavericks 4 and DU had 14 shots-on-goal to only 2 for Omaha.
DU’s head coach Jeff Hooker’s career record moves to 351-149-46 women’s record – and an overall career record (including men’s wins) of 371-161-50. The long-time premier women’s athletic program at DU stumbled for several years before last season but is clearly back on track. With only one senior starter, Leah Swander, for today’s match the future looks bright for DU Women’s soccer.
DU will know their NCAA Tournament draw on Monday at 2:30 p.m. MT on NCAA.com.