DENVER – In an electrifying night complete with lightning in the distance, junior forward Kaitlin Bast (Centennial, Colo.) had two goals and sophomore forward Kristen Hamilton (Littleton, Colo.) scored her second game-winner of the season, sending the Pioneers to a 3-2 win over Nebraska at CIBER Field on Thursday night. 

“It was a very emotional game,” said Hooker. “That’s a Kristen type of goal. Everyone’s got a jersey, pulling her hair, pulling her shoulder, pulling her shorts. She spun, went with it, waited until she was on balance and kept it under the crossbar, which we weren’t able to do with our other chances late in the match.”

In what can best be described as a mad scramble in the box with 20 seconds on the clock, Hamilton fought through the defensive pressure to get to a quick pass from sophomore midfielder Nicholette DiGiacomo (Golden, Colo.) off a free kick from freshman defender Sam Harder (Centennial, Colo.), and pulled off another brilliant finish to send the Pioneers’ faithful home happy. 

Bast opened the scoring in the ninth minute of the match, beating the Nebraska (0-2-1) offside trap and finding the back of the net on a beautiful header off a cross from sophomore forward Cassidy Larson (Eldorado Springs, Colo.).

After the DU (3-0-0) goal, possession continued to be distributed back and forth.  Nebraska junior forward Morgan Marlborough took advantage of a DU miscue in the Pioneers’ defensive half, winning a tackle and striking the ball from 20 yards out and beating Pioneers’ junior goalkeeper Maria Khan (Aurora, Colo.). 

Denver produced another quality chance in the 29th minute as Bast fed a ball into the middle of the field just outside of the box to Hamilton, but NU’s defense recovered just in time, blocking Hamilton’s shot and giving the Pioneers a corner.

Marlborough put pressure on the Pioneers’ backline all evening.  In the 51st minute she scored her second goal of the match, dribbling through three defenders before unleashing an 18 yard laser from the top of the box. 

Bast continued her knack for being in the right place at the right time during the 75^th minute, giving herself an opportunity for an open chance.  Harder started the Pioneers second chance with a long ball deep into NU’s defensive half, where freshman midfielder Anna Willis (Centennial, Colo.) beat the Cornhusker’s offside trap to get on the end of Harder’s pass.  Willis drew the keeper off her line and played the ball to a wide open Bast inside the six yard box.  The goal was Bast’s second of the season and 28th of her career.  Her two goals (four points) put her in a tie for 10th with Jean Sagstetter (1989-92) on DU’s All-Time Scoring List with 86 points.

Denver controlled the possession for the last 6.5 minutes, outshooting NU 7-0 during the span to take a 22-20 advantage in the game. 

DU will have a little more than a week off before traveling to Berkeley, Calif., for the California Invitational.  The Pioneers will play San Francisco in a neutral site match on Friday, Sept. 2, before taking on host California on Sunday, Sept. 4.  

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