The Game
The South Dakota women's soccer team continues the home weekend with a Sunday matinee against the Summit League preseason favorite Denver Pioneers. USD and DU will get underway at noon from First Bank & Trust Complex. Sunday's game is also the annual pink game for South Dakota. The game will be streamed live on goyotes.com and live stats are available as well.
 
The Series
Denver has owned the series with South Dakota, claiming a 9-1-2 record between these two teams. The lone win for South Dakota came in 2015 in a 4-1 win at home. The Coyotes and Pioneers met in the penultimate game of the season and the first round of the Summit League Tournament. Both games ended in a 1-1 tie at Denver's home field with the conference tournament game coming down to penalty kicks. The Pioneers converted four kicks compared to two for the Coyotes and moved on to the 2021 Summit League Championship game.
 
The Coyotes
 South Dakota opened the conference with back-to-back draws against South Dakota State and Omaha. In the game against Omaha two nights ago, the Mavericks broke the scoreless draw early in the second half before USD's Ashby Johnston found the equalizer with less than seven minutes remaining in the contest. Goalkeeper Caroline Lewis held her ground to keep the game within striking distance for the Coyotes by making three saves on the evening.
 
After Johnston netted her first goal of the season on Friday, there are now nine Coyotes that have scored a goal so far this season with Shaylee Gailus leading the team with three. Gailus, Taylor Cotter, and Joana Zanin have taken double-digit shots in 2022. South Dakota ranks second in the Summit League with 106 shots on the season.
 
The Pioneers
Denver is in its 31st season under head coach Jeff Hooker. Hooker led Denver to its fifth regular-season conference title last season and a spot in the Summit League championship match. The Pioneers claimed the 2021 conference Offensive and Defensive Players of the Year in Natalie Beckman and Devan McSwain. McSwain returned for her graduate year and was named to the Summit League's preseason Players to Watch list.
 
DU heads into Vermillion with a 5-4-3 record including a 2-0-1 Summit League record. Denver opened conference play with two 2-0 victories over the North Dakota schools and earned a scoreless draw against South Dakota State on Friday. Forward Camryn MacMillan leads the team with four goals while midfielder Sami Feller leads the team with 10 points on three goals and four assists. Feller and Ella Frost have taken 20 shots apiece for the Pioneers.
 
One Last Thing
With a win or draw in today's game, the Coyotes will have opened conference play unbeaten through three games. It could be the first time they have done such a task since the 2014 season when they opened up with two ties and a win in the first three Summit League games.