All season long, the 5th-seeded Denver Pioneers’ (21-0) calling card was defense. Even if the offense wasn’t there on any given day, they knew that they were just as comfortable winning a 5-4 game as they were winning a 23-6 game. That’s the reality for a team that hasn’t given up more than 9 goals in any game this season – as long as the defense shows up, they can and will win. In Friday’s NCAA Tournament, First-Round matchup against the USC Trojans, the Pios’ defense showed up to hold the high-flying, fast-paced Pac-12 champions to seven goals. In their follow-up performance n the Second Round against the UAlbany Great Danes (13-7), a team that scored 13 of its 16 goals in the second half of their first-round matchup against Virginia, DU held the visitors to just six goals as they won 8-6 at Peter Barton Lacrosse Stadium to advance to the Quarterfinals for the second time in program history. Continue reading Pioneers Clinch Second-Ever NCAA Quarterfinals Berth with 8-6 Victory over UAlbany →

Nobody ever said it was going to be easy. Even with a 6-0 second-quarter lead in NCAA Tournament play, advancing to the second round was never guaranteed. Against the Pac-12 Champion USC Trojans (16-4) at Peter Barton Lacrosse Stadium in first-round NCAA Tournament action, the 5th-seeded Denver Pioneers (20-0) had to withstand a valiant five-goal third-quarter rally from the Trojans – which erased their five-goal halftime lead – to win 10-7. It wasn’t exactly how head coach Liza Kelly drew it up but in the first-ever NCAA Tournament game in the Mile High City, the Pioneers showed up and treated a raucous crowd to an instant classic. Continue reading Pioneers Survive Furious Third-Quarter Southern Cal Rally to Advance to Second Round →

When 5th-seeded Denver Women’s Lacrosse (19-0) plays the University of Southern California (16-3) Friday at 3:00 pm MT at Peter Barton Lacrosse Stadium, two similar teams will take the field. Despite the controversy regarding Denver’s lower-than-deserved seed, the Pioneers have a challenging game ahead of them against the defensive-minded USC Trojans – a team that mirrors the Pioneers in many ways. Continue reading NCAA Tournament Preview: Round One A Clash of Similar styles →

All of the prognostications from the east coast lacrosse media establishment proved true. The country’s only unbeaten team,  BIG EAST regular season and tournament champions Denver (19-0, 6-0 BIG EAST), will not be one of the top four seeds in the NCAA Tournament, which starts next weekend. The top four seeds, as predicted were Northwestern, Syracuse, Boston College, and North Carolina. Denver is the #5 overall seed and will host the Pac-12 champion USC in the first round next weekend. The other first-round game that Denver will host is between Virginia and Albany. Should the Pioneers beat the Trojans, they will play the winner of that game.

The full bracket is below: Continue reading Denver Women Named #5 Seed in NCAA Tournament →

BIG EAST Champions. Yet again. The Denver Women’s Lacrosse program reached the pinnacle of the conference three years ago and they haven’t left. Using timely offense, dominant draw control play, and yet another masterful defensive performance, the #5(lol) and top-seeded Denver Pioneers (19-0, 6-0 BIG EAST) topped the #24 UConn Huskies (12-5, 4-2) by a score of 11-6 in Storrs, Connecticut, on the Huskies’ own turf. The Pioneers clinched the regular season conference title with a victory over Marquette and with today’s victory, they clinched the conference double. But, as great as the two championships are, the Pioneers’ goal – a national championship – is still in front of them. Continue reading Pioneers Win Third-Straight BIG EAST Title, Enter NCAA Tournament As Country’s Only Unbeaten Team →

Rain was falling in Milwaukee and the women’s lacrosse game was moved to Valley Fields Dome Saturday morning as #3 Denver  (17-0, 6-0) battled Marquette (15-2, 5-1) for the BIG EAST title. Trademark defensive stands in the first and fourth quarters, shutting out the Golden Eagles and forcing 27 turnovers, sealed the Denver win and regular season title. Continue reading Denver Wins BIG EAST Regular Season Championship, 12-5 →

The #3 Denver Pioneers (16-0, 5-0 BIG EAST) are rolling. There is arguably no better women’s lacrosse team in the country and there is inarguably no hotter team than DU. With yesterday’s 15-2 Senior Day throttling of the Georgetown Hoyas (6-10, 1-4 BIG EAST), Denver remains the only unbeaten team in the country. #5 Boston College’s instant-classic victory over #1 Syracuse on Friday night sealed that status and gives the Pios an outside shot at earning their first #1 ranking in program history. Continue reading Pioneers Send Seniors Off with 15-2 Georgetown Beatdown →

It’s April 21st and the Denver Women’s Lacrosse program is ranked #3 in the country.  They enter tomorrow’s Senior Day as the country’s only unbeaten team at 15-0 and have wins over national powerhouses Maryland and Boston College among their, count ’em, five Top-25 victories. For head coach Liza Kelly who just signed an extension that will keep her in Crimson & Gold through what will be her 22nd year as the DU head coach in 2028, this comes as no surprise. In fact, this was always part of the plan. To be the best, you have to beat the best, right? Continue reading Unbeaten Season & Multi-Year Extension a Culmination of Sorts for Liza Kelly →