[11/13] Denver Wins Home Opener 4-1

September 9, 2016

Full Release | Denver 4-1 UC Riverside (Ford 21’, Lomeli 23’, Akamatsu 37’, DeVoss 43’, Elder 87’) | Photos | Highlights

DENVER – The [11/13] University of Denver men’s soccer team got four goals from four different players, held an 18-7 edge in shots and a 10-1 advantage in corners to secure a 4-1 win against UC Riverside in Denver’s home opener on Friday night at CIBER Field at the University of Denver Soccer Stadium.

Friday’s win is Denver’s (4-0-1) fourth on the trot after a season opening draw at [NR/30] Monmouth.

Junior centerback Kortne Ford (Greeley, Colo.) scored for the second game running, heading in a 21^st minute set-piece to open the scoring. Sophomore Kenny Akamatsu (Niigata, Japan) scored his second in a Crimson and Gold kit on Friday, while redshirt-sophomore centerback Scott DeVoss (Centennial, Colo.) and Blake Elder (Fort Worth, Texas) scored insurance goals for Denver, their third and fourth collegiate goals, respectively.

Ford’s breakthrough came in the 21^st minute off a corner kick service from junior midfielder Alex Underwood (Winnetka, Ill.). The centerback finished the set piece from 10-yards out.

UC Riverside (2-2-0) got its lone goal from Romario Lomeli, an 18-yard strike to knot things up at 1-1 in the 23^rd minute.

Akamatsu answered with his first of the campaign in the 37^th minute off a good piece of build-up play. Senior captain Sam Hamilton (Evergreen, Colo.) played the ball out to the run of redshirt-senior right back Reagan Dunk (Dallas, Texas). The 2015 NSCAA All-America selection served a cross that was laid off through two attacking runs to Akamatsu for the eight-yard finish.

DeVoss made it 3-1 before halftime as Denver got a goal off yet another set piece. Ford was the man once again to get on the end of a Karsten Hanlin (Centennial, Colo.) corner kick. This time Ford’s header bounced off the post, but his center-half partner was there to clean-up the rebound in the 43^rd minute.

Elder finished the scoring in the 87^th minute with his first in a Denver uniform coming from Underwood’s second assist of the night. The Air Force transfer clipped a ball out wide to Underwood, who returned the favor by crossing the ball back into the striker’s run setting up a volley finish from in close.

The Pioneers scored four goals twice a season ago, including the 2015 Summit League Semifinals.