Box Score April 28, 2016 Final Stats
STANFORD, Calif. - Senior Sam Axenroth scored a goal and an assist while fellow senior attacker Ellie Delich added a goal and four draw controls, but fourth-seeded UC Davis could not keep pace with a speedy Denver squad, falling by a 15-4 final in the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation quarterfinal game at Laird Q. Cagan Stadium Thursday night.
The Aggies end their season with a 7-8 record, making their first trip to the MPSF tournament in six years. The Pioneers improve to 9-8 overall, and will face top-seeded USC in their quest to make a third NCAA tournament appearance.
Freshman Taylor Cuenin and junior Melissa Kellan also had goals for UC Davis, while freshman Shannon Cross added another assist. Sophomore Shannon Geary matched Delich for the team lead of four draw controls while junior Tess Kevorkian posted two of her team's six steals. Sophomore goalkeeper Lauren Ali notched six saves and three ground balls.
Thursday's game also marked the career finale for six Aggie seniors: Axenroth, Delich, midfielders Mary Doyle and Courtney Neff, and defenders Morgan Sissler and Savannah Hadley.
For Denver, Christa Reese tallied four goals and two assists while attacker Nicole Martindale finished with a hat trick, four assists and three draw controls.
As it had in a previous win over DU this season, UC Davis jumped to a quick start. Ali stopped Martindale's shot in the opening possession, then Axenroth assisted Cuenin for the game's first goal in the third minute. A second-chance goal by Denver's Sarah Kasun equalized soon after, but Cross picked Denver's Kendra Lanuza, scooped up the ground ball, then hit Axenroth in transition to give the Aggies a 2-1 lead.
However, Denver responded with six straight goals for the remainder of the half, holding an 8-2 lead at the break, with another six unanswered to start the second half. Delich ended the run with her goal in the 46th minute and Kellan split the posts with her eight-meter conversion in the 50th, but Denver's midfield speed and defense kept the game out of the Aggies' reach for most of the contest.
The Pioneers outshot the Aggies by a 27-18 margin and committed just eight turnovers. UC Davis outdrew DU, 11-9, but suffered from 12 turnovers, six of which led directly to Pioneer goals.
The Aggies finished the first year under new head coach Tee Ladouceur at 5-4 in MPSF play, the first winning conference ledger since 2000, four years before the MPSF began sponsoring the sport. Senior Ellie Delich and freshman Taylor Cuenin were announced as all-conference selections earlier in the week.
MOUNTAIN PACIFIC SPORTS FEDERATION TOURNAMENT
Quarterfinal round
Laird Q. Cagan Stadium, Stanford University
| Denver (9-8) | 8 | 7 | - | 15 |
| UC Davis (7-8) | 2 | 2 | - | 4 |
GOALS - DU: Christa Reese 4; Nicole Martindale 3; Elizabeth Behrins 2; Audrey Schreck 1; Kendra Lanuza 1; Monica Lucas 1; Sarah Kasun 1; Caitlin Derry 1; Casey White 1. UC DAVIS: Sam Axenroth 1, Taylor Cuenin 1, Melissa Kellan 1, Ellie Delich 1.
ASSISTS - DU: Nicole Martindale 4; Christa Reese 2; Elizabeth Behrins 1; Audrey Schreck 1. UC DAVIS: Sam Axenroth 1, Shannon Cross 1.
GOALIE SAVES - DU: Maddy Steveson 8 (60:00). UC DAVIS: Lauren Ali 6 (60:00).
