For the second consecutive season, the DU’s men’s soccer team finished its regular season unbeaten after topping the University of Portland 2-1 in overtime on Thursday, Nov. 3 at CIBER Field. The victory closed Denver’s regular season record to 15-0-3, 5-0-1 in conference and extended the Pioneers’ regular season unbeaten streak to 37 matches.
Sophomore forward Andre Shinyashiki (Sao Paulo, Brazil) netted Denver’s equalizer in the 45th minute and the golden goal in the 108th minute. Shinyashiki’s brace marked the first of his 2016-17 campaign, second of his career and third game-winning goal of the season.
Portland drew the first blood in the 37th minute. A deflected cross was sent outside to the top of the box where Gio Magana-Rivera drilled the ball into the back of the net. Down by one goal with less than 10 minutes in the first half, Denver maintained composure and drive.
With 34 seconds remaining in the half, redshirt senior midfielder Karsten Hanlin (Centennial, Colorado) sent a loose ball to the back-post run of Shinyashiki. Shinyashiki headed the ball past Portland’s goalie to draw even (1-1) heading into the locker room.
Denver outshot Portland 7-1 during the second half but couldn’t successfully find the back of the net. Heading into an all-too-familiar 10-minute overtime, Shinyashiki danced around Portland’s defenders to secure the victory for the Pioneers.
With two minutes remaining in extra time, junior midfielder Graham Smith (Highlands Ranch, Colorado) fed Shinyashiki out on the left flank. Shinyashiki shifted past two defenders before curving his shot near side, past the keeper.
The Pioneers finished the game with a 16-3 shots on goal edge over Portland and took eight corner kicks. Furthermore, Denver is the first Division l team to complete two unbeaten regular seasons since Clemson University did so during the 1977-78 season.
Under coach Jamie Franks, the Pioneers have remained victorious (43-3-4) in 47 of 50 matches since Franks joined the program as an assistant coach in 2012.
Denver moved up to No. 11 in the RPI and is currently ranked No. 3 by College Soccer News and No. 9 by Top Drawer Soccer.
The Pioneers host their second-consecutive Summit League Finals Tournament on Nov. 10 and 12 at CIBER Field. Denver is guaranteed to obtain a top-two seed entering the tournament after earning a share of the Summit League regular season title following their tie with the University of Nebraska Omaha on Oct. 29.
