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Western Illinois University Athletics

MSOC FP
0
Western Illinois WIU (6-11-1 (3-3-0 Summit)
4
Winner Denver DEN (14-0-3 (5-0-1 Summit)
Western Illinois WIU
(6-11-1 (3-3-0 Summit)
0
Final
4
Denver DEN
(14-0-3 (5-0-1 Summit)
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 F
Western Illinois WIU 0 0 0
Denver DEN 2 2 4

Game Recap: Men's Soccer | | WIU Athletic Communications

Leatherneck Men's Soccer Falls to Denver in Summit League Semifinal

WIU concludes 2015 season with defeat to top-seeded Denver in opening round of Summit League Men's Soccer Championship

DENVER, Colo. – The Western Illinois men's soccer team faced off against Denver in the semifinal round of The Summit League Men's Soccer Championship on Thursday (Nov. 12) evening. The Leathernecks, who entered the tournament as the No. 4 seed, were looking to upset the top-seeded Pioneers, but fell by a score of 4-0. The decision caps Western's 2015 season at 6-11-1 while Denver remains the only unbeaten team in Division I men's soccer, improving to 14-0-3.

"I'm really proud of our guys. The score doesn't reflect the game but hats off to Denver," said head coach Dr. Eric Johnson. "Every time they had a chance they finished. They didn't have a lot of chances but they sure made it look like they did. It was frustrating to start the game two minutes in and give up a corner kick which turns into a goal. So right away we are playing from behind and chasing the game, so we had to expend a lot of energy. Denver is the type of team that can make you chase because they keep it and are good on the ball, and they showed tonight why they haven't been beat."
 
Eighty seconds into the match, Denver struck first behind the foot of Scott De Voss following a corner kick from Alex Underwood. The Pioneers would strike again in the 25th minute when Chandler Crosswait found the back of the next to extend Denver's lead to 2-0.
 
Western looked to respond two minutes later when Alejandro Pacheco fired off a shot from the top of box, but Denver keeper Dan Jackson was there to make the stop.
 
The Fighting Leathernecks' offensive attack heated up during the later half of the first period. In the 38th minute, Drew Whalen, The Summit League's Offensive Player of the Year, placed a header right into Jackson's hands following a free kick from Diego Lopez. Moments later, Austin Gochneaur bent his free kick around a trio of Denver defenders, forcing Jackson to come up with another save.
 
Despite having outshot the Pioneers, 5-4, during the first 45 minutes of play, Denver owned a 2-0 lead going into halftime.
 
In the opening minutes of the second half, Denver's Reagan Dunk connected on a pass to Cole Stevenson, who found the back the net to extend the Pioneers' lead to 3-0.
 
Western's best chance to score came in the 56th minute when Whalen cracked off a shot that was stopped by Jackson. It would mark the only time in the second half in which Jackson would be called upon to make a save. 
 
Denver would strike for the fourth time in the 82nd minute, closing out a 4-0 victory.

"On the other side of the ball I thought we were really good but we couldn't find a way to get past their keeper and their back line. They did a great job defending us, but we had some good moments as well so I am proud of our team. I thought they represented the university really well tonight. It is just a sudden ending and I feel really bad for our seniors but they were really good for the program and represented our team and our program and it's sad to see their season end a lot earlier than they wanted it to," added Johnson.
 
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