-The University of Denver women’s soccer team started their Sun Belt Conference play this weekend with a pair of wins.
Friday, the Pioneers faced the Louisiana Lafayette Rajin’ Cajuns in Lafayette while Sunday the Pioneers faced the Louisiana Monroe Warhawks.
In Lafayette, the Pioneers got off to a fast start, scoring two goals within the first 25 minutes of play.
Senior forward Lleane Grimditch scored the first goal of the game at 9:28 on assists from sophomore defender Jessica Keller and junior midfielder Jenna Billingsley.
The second goal was scored by Billingsley off another assist from Keller.
The Pioneers led 2-0 at the half, before Lafayette’s Lindsay Webb scored on a penalty kick early in the second half.
Grimditch would get the winning goal, her fourth goal of season, assisted once again by Keller and Billingsley.
Lafayette would score one more goal, but it was not enough, as the Pioneers held the Rajin’ Cajun to just two goals to win by one.
In the net for the Pioneers was senior keeper Danielle Wiley, who played for 82 minutes making one save and allowing one goal. Goalie Mackenzie Snyder, a red shirt freshman, allowed the other goal, while playing for eight minutes.
Sunday was the first meeting between Denver and Monroe, as the Pioneers dominated the game both on offense and defense.
The Pioneers held the Warhawks to no shots on goal and only three total shots for the entire game.
The Pioneers, however, shot the ball an astounding 22 times, scoring five unanswered goals.
Freshman midfielder Lizzy Carlson had a career day for the Pioneers, scoring the first three goals of her career. Also scoring for the Pioneers was Freshman forward Mariah Johnston and sophomore midfielder Emily Hines.
The shut-out was Denver’s fifth of the season and Snyder and Wiley both shared time in net, with Wiley playing the majority of time, 76 minutes.
The Pioneers are now 6-2-1 on the season and are undefeated in Sun Belt Conference play, 2-0-0.
They return home this week to take on Florida Atlantic Friday, September 29. a.Pioneer Field.
