University of Denver 2, Sacramento State University, 1
The University of Denver Pioneers outscored the Sacramento State Hornets 2-1 in the second game of the first round of the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation soccer championships Thursday night at the UNM soccer complex.
From the onset, both teams created ample scoring opportunities but neither team could capitalize. In the fifth minute of the first half it appeared that the Hornets would get the break they were chasing, as the ball found the back of the net. Unfortunately for them, the goal was nullified due to an offside call and the teams went into halftime scoreless.
The second half would bring an end to the scoring drought as Sacramento State took advantage of a defensive transition and scored the first goal of the match in the 62nd minute. For the majority of the second half it appeared that the Hornets' one goal would be a sufficient margin for victory. However, in the 74th minute the Pioneers captured the equalizing goal and tied the game 1-1 with less than twenty minutes remaining in regulation.
Four minutes later, the Pioneers found the back of the net again and gave DU the go-ahead goal. The second and final University of Denver goal proved to be all the Pioneers would need to secure victory and a second round berth against the Lobos.
The Lobos take on the University of Denver Pioneers tonight at the UNM soccer complex at 6:30 p.m.
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UNLV 1, Air Force 1 (OT)
It took a comeback and two overtimes, but the third-seeded Rebels were finally able to defeat the sixth-seeded Falcons 4-2 in a penalty kick shootout to advance to the second round of the MPSF tournament.
The game was scoreless in the first half, but was dominated by UNLV (11-7-0), which got four shots on goal while allowing Air Force (8-10-1) none. Penalty kicks would decide the game, both in regulation time and in overtime.
The Falcons were the first on the board. In the 56th minute AFA senior forward Paul Gagliardi was taken down in the penalty box. Freshman midfielder Daniel Wasson scored on the ensuing penalty kick.
The Rebels equalized with less than four minutes left in the match when senior forward Kelly Frederick was fouled in the penalty box. Junior midfielder Alex Hernandez banged home the shot to tie the game. The teams then played through two scoreless ten-minute overtime periods before the game went to a shootout.
UNLV advances to play San Jose State today at 4 p.m. The winners of the two semifinal matches play on Sunday at 1 p.m. for the MPSF championship
