Regular season soccer is nearing its end for DU’s men’s and women’s teams. The programs will prepare for conference tournament play and hopefully NCAA tournament action after their regular seasons conclude on Nov. 3 and Oct. 30, respectively. The men’s team currently boasts a 14-0-2 overall record and a conference record of 5-0-0. Meanwhile, the women’s team is 6-9-1 overall and 3-2-1 in conference contests.
The No. 5 men’s team recently defeated New Mexico University 2-1 on Oct. 19 and Oral Roberts University 2-0 on Oct. 22.
Striking in dramatic fashion in extra time, sophomore forward Andre Shinyashiki (Sao Paulo, Brazil) secured the victory over New Mexico. With eight seconds remaining in the second overtime, redshirt-senior midfielder Karsten Hanlin (Centennial, Colorado) sent a corner kick into the box. The cross was headed by a New Mexico defender and redirected by Shinyashiki to net the game-winner.
Denver was the first to get on the scoreboard following a scoreless first half. Hanlin struck a one-timer past New Mexico’s goalie off of a cross sent by sophomore Kenny Akamatsu (Niigata, Japan) from the right flank. Hanlin’s delayed run behind Shinyashiki timed the cross precisely to create the conversion during the 52nd minute.
With one minute remaining in regulation, New Mexico’s Nicholas Rochowski equalized the score. A shot taken by New Mexico outside of the penalty area created chaos in front of the net, leaving a loose ball open for Rochowski to finish, sending the game to extra time.
Shinyashiki and redshirt junior Blake Elder (Fort Worth, Texas) lifted the Pioneers over Oral Roberts. Shinyashiki sent a volley to the upper-90 off of a distribution from redshirt senior Chandler Crosswait (Bedford, Texas) in the 29th minute.
In the 59th minute, Elder finished his team-high seventh goal off of a corner kick sent from Hanlin. The two wins extended the Pioneers’ regular season unbeaten streak to 33 consecutive games.
The unranked women’s team dropped matches to Oral Roberts 1-0 on Oct. 20 and South Dakota State 2-0 on Oct. 23.
The Pioneers battled with a man-down as freshman centerback Cheyenne Shorts (Denver, Colorado) was red carded for preventing Oral Roberts from converting around the penalty area during the 14th minute. Oral Roberts tallied its game winner in the 18th minute after redirecting a clearance from senior goalkeeper Cassidy Rey (Arcadia, California).
Playing the following game again without Shorts guiding the back line, DU allotted South Dakota State to score its two goals during the second half. Freshman goalkeeper Brittany Wilson (Denver, Colorado) saw action against South Dakota State. In the 58th minute, a low cross from a short corner provided the opportunity for a one-touch finish to beat Wilson and tally South Dakota State’s first marker.
With 10 seconds remaining, South Dakota State took a corner kick that was trapped and sent upper-90 to double the score over the Pioneers.
Denver men’s soccer looks to clinch its fourth-regular season title as they travel to the respected University of Nebraska Omaha Mavericks on Oct. 29 at 1 p.m. The women’s team’s next regular season game is on Oct. 28 at 6 p.m., hosting Fort Wayne University.
