Troy University Athletics
Troy University
Denver
Trojans' Season Comes To A Close
11/4/2009 10:00:00 PM | Soccer
BOCA RATON, Fla. - One of the most successful seasons in Troy University soccer came to a close on Wednesday afternoon in the quarterfinal round of the Sun Belt Conference Tournament.
The Trojans earned a berth in the tournament for the first time since 2005, and the first time under current coach Chris Bentley, but ran into second-seeded and three-time defending Sun Belt Conference champion Denver in their first match of the tournament.
Troy (9-10-1) gave up a first half goal and was unable to rally in the second half, falling to the second-seeded Pioneers 3-0.
Unlike the first meeting of the season between the two teams, in which Denver scored in the opening 30 seconds, the two teams battled each other through the first 30 minutes of the contest scoreless until a corner kick for the Pioneers in the 31st minute of action.
Denver took advantage of the corner in the latter stages of the first half when All-Conference defender Kaitlin Bast took a ball from Mariah Johnston, beating Troy goalkeeper Ashley Branham for the first goal of the match. The ball was served from the top right of the 18, and headed past Branham by Bast to the upper right of the goal, giving Denver a 1-0 lead in the first half.
The Trojans had a chance to score the equalizer in the 55th minute on a set piece from 40 yards out. Senior Bridget Duke took the kick, which was headed out just outside the 18, in which a shot was fired wide by the Trojans.
Unfortunately for Troy, Denver pushed the lead to a pair on another corner kick shortly after the Trojans' set piece, early in the second half. The Pioneers' Bria Beardsley found the head of Jessie Rogers in the 57th minute for the second goal of the game for Denver.
Bast scored the third and final goal for the Pioneers with less than 10 minutes to go in the match, as she took a cross from the right flank and put the ball in the back of the net.
"We lost to a very good Denver team today," Bentley said. "This was a great experience to build on so we will not keep our heads down," Bentley said.
Troy finishes the season tying for the second-most wins with nine - matching the team in 2003 who finished with nine wins. The school record is 11 victories, set in 2001. The two-year total of 17 victories is the best two-year span for any Troy team in school history, bettering the mark of 15 set in 2001-02. The nine victories is also the most for Bentley at Troy, in just his second season at the helm of the Trojans.
The loss brings to an end the careers of Megan Bonfield, Duke, Laura Hopson, Katie Kolb and Nicole Targa.
"This year's senior class has left a lasting impression on our program," Bentley said.
Denver will move on to the semifinal round of the tournament as the three-time defending conference champion, where they will play the winner of the WKU-Arkansas State match.
