The University of Denver’s women’s soccer team hosted Wyoming on April 25, in a spring season matchup. 

The game was not part of the official season and does not count towards team records. Instead, it served as a preview of the upcoming fall season and gave both teams a chance to test players in different formations. 

The match began with  30 minutes of standard, 11 versus 11 play. Denver showed strong ball movement early, connecting passes and staying organized on both sides of the field. 

Redshirt junior goalkeeper Alina Santos played defense for the day and helped lead a steady back line, while senior midfielder Isabella Chidiac shifted from her usual midfield role into defense and adjusted well.  

Redshirt junior goalkeeper Jaidin Kinch started in goal, making several key saves to keep Denver in the game. 

Denver created a few early chances. Redshirt sophomore midfielder Kera Nguyen received the ball at the top of the box and took a shot, but went straight to the goalkeeper. Freshman forward/defender Kacey Harvey also had a shot from the right side that was saved by Wyoming’s goalkeeper. 

Defensively, the Crimson and Gold stayed solid, with freshman midfielder Olivia Kroska making strong plays and the back line communicating well. 

Kinch stood out in goal, making a diving save to keep the score level and tipping a corner kick over the crossbar. 

However, Wyoming broke through late in the opening segment. A shot from the right side of the box was placed into the left side of the goal, giving Wyoming a 1-0 lead. 

After a short intermission, the match switched to a modified format with two 20 minute halves, 9 versus 9 on a smaller field. 

Redshirt junior defender Nora Zelazny blocked a shot that led to a Wyoming corner, but the defense cleared the ball. Denver thought they had scored when redshirt junior forward Shay Payne passed across the box to sophomore forward Lilly Lund who finished, but the goal was called offside. 

Harvey made an important defensive play with a slide tackle to stop a breakaway. Nguyen was very active throughout the half, constantly around the ball, helping the defense and pushing forward whenever possible.

Kinch added another save on a Wyoming free kick. Denver had a corner opportunity but could not convert. The score remained 1-0 going into the second intermission.

In the final 20 minutes, play was mostly in Denver’s defensive half as Wyoming applied pressure. Denver’s defense worked hard to hold down the back, and Kinch made another clean save on a free kick. 

Nguyen made a key block to stop a shot that could have been a goal.

Denver pushed forward at times but struggled to get clear shots on target. Senior midfielder Alanna Raimondo brought energy late in the game, trying to create some momentum for her team. Wyoming eventually scored again on a late breakaway, making it 2-0.

The game ended with a collision between a Wyoming player and Kinch. Both players were down briefly but were able to get up. Officials ended up calling the game two minutes early to avoid further injuries. 

Overall, the match gave Denver a useful look at its lineup and performance heading into next season.