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Freshmen help Pioneers win their first game at new soccer stadium
St. Mary’s defender Erin Kearney tries to strip the ball from University of Denver senior Kelli Breidenbach on Friday night at DU’s new soccer stadium. (photo by Tom Auclair/ColoradoSoccerNow.com)
It was the first time that the University of Denver women’s soccer team played on the turf of their new stadium.
And it didn’t hurt to start off by securing a 2-1 win against St. Mary’s College Friday night in the DU Invitational.
“It’s still early in the season, so it was great to open in our new stadium with a victory,” DU head coach Jeff Hooker said. “It’s great to have success delivered early in the year.”
Both teams held each other off until the second half, when Denver freshman Katy Van Lieshout dribbled into the left side of the box and slotted the ball into the low right corner of the goal.
Five minutes later, the DU women scored again. Freshman Kaitlin Bast beat the defender and passed to freshman Kalie Vaughn, who placed it the net from the middle of the box.
“I don’t remember too much, but Kaitlin … passed it to me, and I took a shot with my left foot,” Vaughn said. “It’s my first goal in college. I’m pretty excited.”
It wasn’t until the 66th minute when St. Mary’s senior Jessica Menzhuber received the ball from junior Caroline Shevlin and scored one for the Gaels.
Denver responded with some pressure in the box that led to a game-changing play. Caroline Kreuz, guarding the near post, stopped a shot from going into the Gaels’ net, but she used part of her arm to make the play. She received a red card, coach Kai Edwards got a yellow for dissent and the Pioneers got a penalty kick.
Bast, though, hit the post with the PK. In the moments that followed, she also just missed another goal on a cross from the right wing.
The two near misses gave the Gaels new life. They kept up their hard work — even when they had to play one player down — and dominated much of the final 10 minutes of play.
DU, though, held off the attack and was able to secure its second victory of the season.
The DU Invitational will resume at 11 a.m. Sunday as Colorado takes on St. Mary’s. The Pioneers will play No. 13 Illinois at 1:15 p.m.
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