Smith’s Brace Sends [8] Denver to 8-0-2

September 24, 2016

Denver 4-3 Fort Wayne (DU: Smith 24’ 79’, Elder 25’, Hanlin (pen) 55’ | FW: Tom 32’, Murphy 48’, Lieshout 57’)

DENVER – Junior defensive midfielder Graham Smith (Highlands Ranch, Colo.) scored the opener and the game-winner, goals two and three of his career, to send the [8/9] University of Denver men’s soccer team to a 4-3 win against visiting Fort Wayne on Saturday night at CIBER Field at the University of Denver Soccer Stadium.

“This was a really weird game for us,” head coach Jamie Franks said. “We’ve played six games in 16 days, and I thought it was just a bit sloppy from us tonight. We usually don’t foul and give up the amount of free kicks that we did tonight. Give a lot of credit to Fort Wayne they came out and played us.”

In addition to Smith’s first career Brace, Denver got a goal and two assists from redshirt-senior winger Karsten Hanlin (Centennial, Colo.), while redshirt-junior Blake Elder (Fort Worth, Texas) scored his fifth goal in six matches to double Denver’s early advantage.

Smith forced the match into the first half media timeout with his goal in the 24^th minute, a shot from the top of the box off buildup play from Hanlin and MAC Hermann Trophy Watch List selection Reagan Dunk (Dallas, Texas). Hanlin played a long ball down the right channel to the run of Dunk, giving his classmate the opportunity to pick his pass and slide the ball back to Smith on top of the 18. Smith buried his second of the season to give the Pioneers their eighth opening goal in 10 matches (8-0-0).

On the other side of the media timeout, Elder sent the Pioneers 2-0 up 46 seconds later (clock time) off a well-paced feed from redshirt-senior midfielder Chandler Crosswait (Bedford, Texas). Saturday night’s goal was the eighth of Elder’s career, and Crosswait’s fourth assist of 2016.

Fort Wayne pegged Denver back in the 32^nd minute with a great piece of individual play by Zach Tom to earn him his fourth goal of the season. Tom was fouled on the top of the box, but referee Chris Greer played advantage long enough for Tom to get back up to his feet, and slot a strike from on top of the 18 into the far side netting.

Tom setup the Fort Wayne leveler on the other side of halftime, picking off a Denver throw in and playing a long ball over the top to Jacob Murphy, who beat redshirt-sophomore Nick Gardner (Marvin, N.C.) for his fourth of the campaign in the 48^th minute. Fort Wayne’s two goals to equalize are just the second and third goals Denver has allowed in the run of play all season.

Denver regained the lead in the 55^th minute on its first penalty kick of the season. Junior centerback Kortne Ford (Greeley, Colo.) was pushed from behind by Keelan Baker on his run, forcing Greer to point to the spot. Hanlin finished his second career spot kick to give the Pioneers a 3-2 advantage.

Matthew Lieshout gave the Mastodons their second equalizer of the night in the 57^th minute, playing a free kick from outside the box into a dangerous area and tucking it inside the far post.

“Scoring the next goal after they equalized twice, that’s one of the reasons I think that this is a Championship team,” Franks said. “This group handles the adversity that comes up through the course of the season very well and battles through it together.”

Smith’s first career game-winner came in the 79^th minute. Hanlin earned a free kick for Denver down the left channel, and served the set-piece just outside the six-yard box for Smith to head in from close range. With his two assists tonight, Hanlin now has 10 for his career.

“I think this game is a great wakeup call for the group,” Franks said. “When you’re the eighth ranked team in the country, teams are going to be excited to come and play you and give you their best shot. Again, credit Fort Wayne, they did that tonight.”

Denver outshot Fort Wayne 20-10 on the night, including 12-5 in the second 45 minutes.

Notes:

Denver improved to 12-0-0 when scoring 4+ goals in a match since Franks arrival as an assistant in 2012.

DU is 33-2-2 when leading at halftime

The Pioneers are now unbeaten in their last 27 regular season matches (Halloween, 2014)