DENVER, Colo. – South Dakota State captured its second #SummitWSOC Championship in three seasons on Saturday, defeating Denver 4-2 in the title match at the University of Denver Soccer Stadium. The second-seeded Jackrabbits clinched their sixth automatic berth to the NCAA Tournament as a Summit League member.

The first half saw the league's top two goal scorers come through for their respective teams as both registered impressive goals. First to score was Denver as the Pioneers did not waste any time in doing so. Junior forward Sydney Sharp found the back of the net in the opening minute when she headed home a pass from the league's all-time assist leader Natalie Beckman. Sharp's goal was her 16th of the season and, coming at the 26-second mark, proved to be the third-fastest goal to start a match in DU Division I history and its fastest goal to start a match in the postseason.

The next 23 minutes saw the defending champions put up five additional shots, but Jackrabbit goalkeeper Jocelyn Tanner, the Summit League Goalkeeper of the Year, kept the Pioneers from adding to their lead. She made two key saves during a two-minute stretch that allowed Maya Hansen to bring things even just minutes later. The Jackrabbit senior scored the 24^th-minute as she put a shot out of the reach of DU goalkeeper Nerea Arrazola for her 14th goal of the season. Teani Arakawa registered her third assist of the season.

Ten minutes later, SDSU took the lead as freshman Laney Murdzek put some moves on a Denver defender and drilled a goal into the top left corner of the frame.

Tanner came up with five saves in the opening 45 minutes to keep her squad up 2-1 heading into halftime. 

Senior defender Rachel Preston, the Championship MVP, put SDSU up 3-1 in the 54^th-minute of play when she headed home a corner kick.

The Jackrabbits added one more goal in the 85^th-minute as Hansen found an open Cece Limongi to her left for SDSU's fourth and final goal of the match.

One minute later, Denver added a goal of its own when Devan McSwain made it a 4-2 contest, but that would be as close as the top seed would get in this one.

The Jackrabbits will find out their NCAA Tournament destination on Monday following the Selection Show slated for a 3:30 p.m. CT start.

Turning point

• Senior Rachel Preston scored her second game-winning goal of of the season in the 54^th-minute of play off a corner kick.

Inside the box score

• Murdzek scored her fifth goal of the season, which is the most by a Jackrabbit freshman this season.
• Maya Hansen scored a goal in both #SummitWSOC games and tallied an assist on SDSU's fourth goal of the championship match.
• SDSU, who had registered a single-season record 130 corner kicks entering the tournament, put up 10 against Denver.

News & Notes

• South Dakota State's victory gave the Jackrabbits their second tournament title in three seasons with both coming as the No. 2 seed and in triumphs against top-seeded Denver. 
• Denver had yielded just four goals to Summit League opponents in 10 matches (nine regular season, one tournament).
• Senior Rachel Preston's goal was her third of the season.
• Maya Hansen's 14th goal of the season moved her into a tie for second most in a single season by a Jackrabbit.
• The six combined goals were the most in a championship game since 2013 when No. 1 Denver (5 goals) beat No. 3 North Dakota State (1 goal).

2021 All-Tournament Team
Rachel Preston, South Dakota State (MVP)
Katherine Jones, South Dakota State
Karlee Manding, South Dakota State
Katie Zabel, South Dakota State
Sydney Sharp, Denver
Devan McSwain, Denver
Brittney Lewis, Denver
Grace Ostergaard, Omaha
Jordyn West, Omaha
Maddison Sullivan, South Dakota
Joana Zanin, South Dakota

#SummitWSOC