Senior Janet Liguori picked up her team-leading fourth goal of the season as she took a throw in and dribbled from the left side to fire a shot from 35 yards out. The shot made its way past the Pioneers defense and into the upper right corner for the goal. photo by Alex J. Hernandez

Box Score

MIAMI ? With a ball-controlling offense, the FIU women's soccer team dropped a 2-1 decision to Sun Belt Conference co-leader Denver on Friday night at University Park.

The Golden Panthers (3-4-4, 1-1-1 Sun Belt) maintained possession of the ball for most of the match, but the visiting Pioneers (6-5-1, 3-0 SBC) capitalized on a pair of opportunities for the win.

FIU nearly jumped out to an early lead, but the chance was negated by an offsides call. Four minutes later, Denver got on the board in the eighth minute of the match when forward Taryn Hemmings stole the ball away from the FIU defense. She picked up the loose ball and fired a shot to the lower right corner past FIU goalkeeper Madeline Gannon for the early lead. On the play, Hemmings - a first team All-Sun Belt Conference performer in 2004 - was injured on the play and did not return to the match.

The Golden Panthers created another opportunity in the 25th minute when senior Janet Liguori battled a collapsing Pioneers defense. She managed to get off a shot that was saved by Denver goalkeeper Danielle Wiley. FIU maintained possession on its half of the field for the remainder of the half as senior Tamara Kochen recorded a pair of shots that came up short.

In the second half, the Golden Panthers continued to battle for the equalizer but a Valerie Patrick shot was blocked and an Elizabeth Durozel attempt was denied by a pair of Pioneer defenders. Denver extended to its lead to 2-0 in the 65th minute when Rachael Fry scored off a pass from Dana Schonberger.

FIU got on the board when Liguori picked up her team-leading fourth goal of the season as she took a throw in and dribbled from the left side to fire a shot from 35 yards out. The shot made its way past the Pioneers defense and into the upper right corner for the goal.

Next, the schedule does not get any easier for the Golden Panthers as they host the other conference co-leader North Texas on Sunday at 1 p.m. The contest is a rematch of last year's championship game of the Sun Belt Conference in which the Mean Green scored with seven seconds left to win the match, 1-0.