August 19, 2012

Soccer's early lead doesn't hold vs. Pioneers

By RYAN PFEIFER
UNCBears.com

COLORADO SPRINGS -- Northern Colorado Soccer fell 2-1 to Denver on Sunday afternoon at Stewart Field on the campus of Colorado College. The game was part of the second leg of the Colorado Cup.

The Bears (0-2) will have a few days off before taking to the pitch again at 7 p.m. Friday, Aug. 24, when they host Colorado College at Jackson Stadium.

Northern Colorado got out to a quick start Sunday, scoring in the 16th minute when sophomore forward Juliana Grover (Littleton, Colo.) took a shot from the right side and slipped it in the goal off the left post.

Grover's  goal was set up by nice ball movement by the entire team, with the final pass coming from junior forward Brittany Dunn (Centennial, Colo.), giving her a first assist on the year.

"The team knows the balls I love are over the top," Grover said. "I was able to beat the defender on the side, and [I] love to put the ball across a lot."

Denver attacked the Bears all game and knotted the score 13 minutes later off a goal by senior forward Kaitlin Bast, which was set up by freshman forward Francesca Garzelloni.

Bast also scored the Pioneers' other goal, just over six minutes later for the 2-1 lead. Junior midfielder Nicolette DiGiacomo sent a cross into the goal box, and Bast was able to put it away.

"We got a good effort from our reserves today," Northern Colorado coach Tim Barrera said. "It made a big difference with being able to put some pressure on at the end with the fresh legs out there."

Senior goalkeeper Natalie D'Adamio (Littleton, Colo.) helped keep the Bears in the game with seven saves, including five in the second half. One of the bigger ones came with 18 minutes left in the game when  she blocked Kristen Hamilton, Denver's leading scorer from last year.

"Natalie did everything we asked of her," Barrera said. "She made everything kind of look easy today, which is great."

The Bears had a few close chances in the second half to tie up the score but just couldn't capitalize.

The first came from freshman forward Essence Ortiz-Laneir (Denver), who, just after entering the match, made a cross to Dunn that went just wide of the net.

Another chance came when senior midfielder Laura Vallen (Flagstaff, Ariz.) had a corner kick that was headed by senior forward JJ Wykstra (Flagstaff, Ariz.), but got blocked.