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The sixth-seeded [4/3] University of Denver men’s soccer program went to extra time for the sixth time this season, but for the first time since being knocked out by SMU in extra time in the 2015 NCAA Second Round, the Pioneers’ fell on the wrong side of the scoreline, dropping Friday’s National Semifinal by a score of 2-1 to second-seeded [2/2] Wake Forest at BBVA Compass Stadium, home of the Houston Dynamo.
Denver (20-1-3) finished the 2016 regular season unbeaten, and will enter the 2017 campaign on a 35-match unbeaten stretch. The Pioneers’ senior class finishes with a record of 59-13-11, the third-best record in the country during that span. Denver’s 20 wins in the 2016 campaign tied for the highest mark in program history (1988 – NAIA).
Led by second-year captain Sam Hamilton (Evergreen, Colo.) and second-year head coach Jamie Franks, the Pioneers are 35-2-6 over the course of the last two seasons, and have taken the program to new heights, earning the program’s first two NCAA byes in program history and reaching the program’s first College Cup this weekend. Hamilton finished his career with 83 CAPS, the most of any Pioneer in program history.
After falling behind thanks to a Wake Forest seventh-minute breakthrough, sophomore Andre Shinyashiki (Sao Paulo, Brazil) pulled the Pioneers level in the 17th off a 50-yard ball over the top from junior defensive mid Graham Smith (Highlands Ranch, Colo.). The goal was the ninth of the season for Shinyashiki and the 14th of his career. With the two points from the goal on Friday, Shinyashiki moved into a tie for sixth in Denver’s Division I single-season record book with 23, and his 14thgoal ties the sophomore for seventh in Denver’s DI career record book.
Wake’s Ian Harkes was the beneficiary of a 3-on-1 Deacs’ counter to end the match with his fifth of the season in the 102ndminute.