To close out their home slate in the regular season, the University of Denver women’s soccer team played their last home game against the Kansas City Roo’s in a match for the ages. Denver fought hard to keep up their status as the Summit League dominators and did so with an unwavering edge, winning their final home game, 1-0. 

The game began with intensity, both teams battling to get any sort of lead. Denver took the first chance they got to swerve the Roos, when sophomore midfielder Hannah Tate practically had dust up behind her. She sped to the goal with a target in sight less than five minutes into the game, but she attempted a shot that was too far right to score. 

Junior forward Samantha Dreiling followed this up immediately, and not even 20 seconds later, Denver was up to two shots on goal, but no goal to go along with it. The pressure was starting to build, and Denver had to keep up the intensity they started the game with to get on the scoreboard. 

The Roos took their chance to try to get ahead, and when Denver started struggling to get the ball forward, the Roos sped to the Denver goal. They were, however, no match for the Crimson and Gold defensive line, who immediately pushed the ball back up. Less than three minutes passed when freshman forward Liv Moritz put another strike on goal, but this time was just barely saved by the Roos junior goalkeeper Riley Moore. 

Denver kept up their pressure and the Roos defensive line was no match for the fervent energy of the Crimson and Gold pushing straight towards the goal. With nine shots on goal, freshman forward Michaela McGowan knew she had to push forward, and with 11 minutes left in the first half, she did so with help from junior midfielder Jadyn Goodrich and sophomore midfielder Lily O’Grady. The combined effort led to McGowan tallying the first and only goal of the contest.. 

This excitement carried straight into the second half, where Denver’s energy never waivered. Moritz was nothing short of inspired to keep the game going, bringing a total of three more shots on goal to the scoreboard. 

Towards the end of the match, most of the time was spent in Denver’s offensive end trying to push through for another goal. While this attempt was futile, the Crimson and Gold had a strong effort and carried their energy through to the last seconds of the game. In the end, Denver came out victorious, 1-0, and increased their lossless streak to six.  

The Crimson and Gold will be traveling to North Dakota to compete against the North Dakota State Bison on Thursday, Oct. 19, looking to maintain their dominating status in Summit League play.