In last season’s NCAA College Cup, the University of Denver and Vermont played to a 1-1 draw through regulation and two 10-minute overtime periods. The match was decided on a penalty shootout, which Vermont won 4-3 to advance to the final. Despite playing an outstanding match on the road Sunday night. Denver men’s soccer (12-8-2) met a similar fate in the second round of the NCAA Tournament. Denver and Portland were knotted 2-2 in regulation and OT. The match went to penalty kicks. Denver missed one of their five tries and the Pilots went 5-for-5 to end Denver’s season.

Denver drew first-blood early. DU was awarded an early penalty kick two and a half minutes into the game. Holger Olson calmly faked goalie Miguel-Angel Hernandez to the left and calmly rolled the ball into the right-side of the goal, 1-0 Pioneers. Following the PK, the Pioneers fell back and began absorbing pressure on the defensive end. Portland took three dangerous corners and the Pioneers were called for a penalty kick. DU’s Grant Lund was cited for running up the back of the Pilot’s Joe Highfield in the box for the penalty call. Highfield took the kick and sent a low shot up the middle into goal, 1-1 (@19:50). Denver started to earn sustained possession in the Pilots end midway through the half and Denver looked to be gaining confidence in the Pilots’ half of the field. With 5:30 left in the first half, Bryce Willoughby made a dangerous run into the Pilots box and nearly scored. The ball found the foot of Luke Schultz who pulled his shot wide to the right of goal. The teams played even-up over the final ten minutes. The Pioneers had 6 shots-on-goal to the Pilots 2 for the half.

The early pace of play in the second half fell to Portland but the Denver defense held strong. Eight minutes into the half, Denver created a quick counter- attack from Luke Schultz who missed a clean opportunity to score with a shot that went to the right of the goal. Several minutes later, Bryce Willoughby took a turn-around shot in the box, saved by Miguel-Angel Hernandez. The Pioneers began to gain field position on the Pilots.  A quick counter-attack from Portland sent a ball to Diego Rosas outside the box. Rosas cut right to the center of the field and launched a bending shot past keeper Isaac Nahme, 2-1 Portland (@64:18). Denver started to press forward. The Pioneers launched the ball into the Pilot’s box and Keegan Kelly sent a ball to Kyle Mcgowan’s foot. Mcgowan knotted the game, 2-2 (@76:28). In the final ten minutes of regulation, Denver pressured the ball and put the Pilots on the back foot. Regulation ended 2-2 with two ten-minute overtimes and Golden Goal rules.

The only scoring threat in the first extra period came from Portland’s Alex Waggoner in a crowded box. Isaac Nahme saved the point-blank shot to extend the game.

Early in the second extra period, DU’s Holger Olson shot to the right of the Pilot goal, missing a solid scoring opportunity. The Pilots gained more control in the remaining overtime period but were unable to get the ball past Isaac Nahme. The match went to penalty kicks.

On the five penalty kicks taken by Denver, Miguel-Angel Hernandez stopped Dylan Akau on Denver’s second penalty kick try. The Pilots nailed all five of their tries and that marked the bittersweet end of the season for Denver and outstanding keeper Isaac Nehme.

Denver faced UC Irvine Thursday afternoon in first-round NCAA action at Pioneer Field. It was a defensive first 70 minutes before Denver found paydirt and broke the scoring drought. Kyle McGowan scored the game winner and Luke Schultz added an insurance goal three minutes later to send the Pioneers to the second round NCAA Tournament play. Continue reading DU Solves UC Irvine, Advances to NCAA Second Round →