Bobby Muuss had yet to dig himself as deep a hole. Let alone step into it.
The former Wake Forest assistant soccer coach was accustomed to No. 1 rankings and conference titles and Final Four appearances.
So when the second-year Denver Pioneers coach had his team at 0-3 to start this season, things looked bleak. When October turned and the team was 2-5, things were sinking still.
It was like a Raymond Chandler novel come to life.
A pool of darkness opened at my feet and was far, far deeper than the blackest night.
I dived into it. It had no bottom.
It was an unusual slump to face for Muuss, who in six seasons at Wake Forest was the toast of the Atlantic Coast Conference.
At Denver, a team that’s crept near the national rankings in recent seasons but had yet to break through, Muuss and the Pioneers players weren’t lost. They rattled off a five-game winning streak and went undefeated over 10 consecutive games, doing well enough to earn the team’s first NCAA Tournament bid since they re-entered Division I in 1998.
“We recommitted ourselves, saying we have a new opportunity,” Muuss told DU radio announcer Mitch Hyder this week. “Not often in a season do you get a second chance. We had a second chance with the conference starting and the guys made the most of it.”
Denver (10-6-2) on Saturday will face host Cal-Davis (12-4-4) in the first round. It is Denver’s second NCAA berth and first since 1970.
The Pioneers, winners of the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation, enter the 48-team NCAA field as one of the hottest in the nation. The Pios have lost just one game in their past 11.
“I think we’re a capable team,” Muuss said of a squad led by MPSF player of the year Kyle Christensen and the league’s top assist man, Joey Mathot. “We played some good teams.”
Four of DU’s first seven games were against tournament qualifiers.
“You have to be optimistic no matter who you play. We’re excited to be in the tournament,” Muuss said.
And tougher tests remain. Saturday’s winner will face No. 11 Michigan in the second round. And Muuss’ former team, No. 1 Wake Forest, is favored on the other side of the bracket.
NCAA Div. I men’s soccer tournament
The field of 48 starts whittling down today.
Saturday: Denver (10-6-2) at Cal-Davis (12-4-4), 2 p.m.
Final Four: At Pizza Hut Park in Frisco, Texas, Dec. 12
Championship: Dec. 14. Airing on ESPN2
AROUND TOWN
Gophers come to town.
Break out your Replacements and Prince albums and whip up some Jell-O salad — Minnesota is coming to Colorado this weekend.
Two University of Minnesota teams come to the Front Range for weekend games:
• The Gophers’ men’s basketball team travels to Fort Collins on Saturday for an 8:30 p.m. game. A Big Ten stalwart helmed by second-year coach and former Kentucky mainstay Tubby Smith, Minnesota is going to Fort Collins for just the second time after playing there in 1987.
• The Gophers’ hockey team comes to Denver for a two-game WCHA series today and Saturday against the Pioneers. As the nation’s top-ranked team, Minnesota’s matchups with No. 10 Denver will air on FSN Friday at 7:30 p.m. and Saturday at 7 p.m.
STAY ON THE COUCH
It’s still the Broncos-Raiders.
There seemed to be some discussion this week whether the Broncos-Raiders game is still a rivalry. The Raiders, having played themselves into irrelevancy in recent seasons, are not up to the task of challenging the Broncos in a rivalry, some say.
Regardless, the Denver-Oakland tilt remains one of the hottest tickets on the Broncos’ home schedule. And with the AFC West race nearing the homestretch, every division game matters.
Sunday’s 2:05 p.m. game airs on KCNC-4, with Dick Enberg and Randy Cross handling broadcast duties.
GET OFF THE COUCH
Brighton’s Turkey Trot.
Some say the turkey is the most noble of animals. Racers in Brighton might agree. Among the slew of Thanksgiving-themed runs and walks in the coming week across Colorado, one of the longest-running seasonal races will kick things off Saturday north of Denver.
Brighton’s annual Turkey Trot will race for the 24th time starting at 8:30 a.m. at the city’s recreational center. The casual 5-kilometer race and walk will also feature post-race food for participants. But not of the poultry variety. Burritos are on the menu instead.
Check for more information.
WHAT WE’D LIKE TO SEE
Prep gridiron action.
There’s no shortage of quality football games this weekend. But the real gridiron fans know where to find the action.
The Colorado prep football playoffs will determine champions in Class 1A and 8-man. And title games will be set with semifinals in Classes 5A through 2A.
Check for full schedules, stories, scores, stats, photos and video.
