It was another extra-time win for the No. 5 Denver Pioneers as freshman Stefan DeLeone (Fort Collins, Colo.) scored in the 105th minute to give the Pioneers a crucial win over the No. 8 Creighton Bluejays. The away win preserved the Pioneers’ undefeated streak with a record of 9-0-2.

The first half was a deadlock between the two teams as both defenses stood strong. The Pioneers and Bluejays split their chances evenly with five shots apiece in a scoreless half.

The second half was a different story as the Bluejays took advantage of their home field and placed extreme pressure on the backline of the Pioneers. Redshirt sophomore Will Palmquist (Denver, Colo.), with this first start of the 2018 season, and the backline witnessed fourteen shots in the second half. This was a great test of their skill and resilience to keep their team in the game. At the end of regulation, the score was still 0-0 sending the game to extra-time.

In the first extra-time, the Bluejays continued their offensive pressure and kept a normally hot Pioneer offense, shotless. In the closing second of the first extra-time, Palmquist made an incredible double save after keeping out a 22-yard shot, he then quickly recovered to then collapse on a shot from a Bluejay trying to capitalize on the rebound.

The second extra-time saw the Pioneers beginning to pick up the pressure creating a pair of shots early. Inside the Bluejays’ box, a mistouched ball by a defender was picked up by DeLeone and slipped into the back of the net from twelve yards out. It was DeLeone’s second goal of the season and one to remember in his young career as a Pioneer.

The No. 5 Pioneers continue to impress their fans and the nation with their resilience as they get closer to championship season. The Pioneers will look to continue their undefeated streak when they take on Purdue-Fort Wayne on October 5th at 7 p.m. MST.