Buff Soccer
CU soccer team needs overtime to beat U of Washington
Oct 14th
SEATTLE – After a slow start at the Husky Soccer Complex, senior Anne Stuller gave the University of Colorado soccer team the upper-hand over Washington, netting the game-winner in the sixth minute of overtime.
The Pac-12 Conference leader in shots and corner kicks, the Buffs have had to fight against tough defensive pressure in their first true road trip of the season. Though they entered the game averaging 9.31 first half shots, the Huskies limited the Buffs to just one shot in the opening 45 minutes, marking just the fourth time this season the Buffs have taken fewer than five shots in the first half.
“Washington is great defensively and they have a very good goalkeeper,” CU head coach Danny Sanchez said. “There just wasn’t a lot of chances to be had either way for us. I felt that defensively, we were really tight and we limited their opportunities. We knew that there wouldn’t be a lot of chances to be had, but fortunately for us, the one good chance we had, we took care of.”
With their first road victory of the season, Colorado improves to 11-3 overall, 3-2 Pac-12. The Buffs are now a perfect 2-0 in overtime matches in 2013. Despite taking only one shot in the first half, CU outshot UW 15-11, including a six to two differential on goal. Continuing to shine in the net, Annie Brunner has become just the third CU keeper to record at least 11 wins in a single season. The shutout was Brunner’s eighth of the season, topping her 2012 total of 7.1.
Previously undefeated in Pac-12 play, with wins over USC and Utah and a double-overtime tie against then No. 3 UCLA, Washington slips to 6-6-2, 2-1-2 Pac-12. Redshirt junior Kate Bennett led the Huskies with five shots, taking both of the team’s shots on goal.
“It was a hard fought Pac-12 match,” Sanchez said. “Washington’s on a great roll. They’re tough to score on. They hadn’t given up a goal in Pac-12 play, so we knew it’d take something special. Anne Stuller did something special to win it for us.”
The Buffs got an opportunity in the opening 15 minutes when Madison Krauser, who led the Buffs with six shots, got the ball deep in Washington territory. From the 18 yard line, defensive pressure forced her to make a move, but she couldn’t get enough power on the kick to take a shot. Washington was quick to respond, causing commotion near the Buffs’ net, but CU finally got a good clearance to send the ball back in the other direction.
It wasn’t until the 27th minute that the Huskies were able to take the first shot of the game. A cross found Bennett at the net, but her shot was blocked, and Brunner came out to meet it. Less than four minutes later, UW was back on the attack, but this time Bennett sent the ball wide from close range. The Huskies continued to press the net. Brooke Rice looked strong on the defensive side of the ball, blocking any looks at the net. Though UW got a corner kick, the shot went long and helped the Buffs take over on the offense.
CU got its best chance of the half in the 36th minute. From the middle of the box, Darcy Jerman crossed left to Krauser, who was stopped by her defender, setting up a corner kick. Alex Huynh got her head on the ball, but the Buffs’ sole shot of the half was blocked. The Buffs retained possession, but a CU foul finally allowed UW to get the ball.
In the final five minutes, Washington caused several close calls for the Buffs. Getting the ball from the right corner of the box, Jaclyn Softli got within 12 yards, but her header was blocked by a CU defender. Though the Buffs got back deep into UW territory, a final throw in got away from them, allowing the Huskies to rush to the Buffs’ net. Brunner came out of the net in anticipation, leaving an empty net for Softli. Softli slammed the ball just left of the post, keeping the game scoreless at the break.
After taking just one shot in the first 45 minutes, the Buffs opened the second half on an offensive stride, with Krauser taking two shots in the first nine minutes. The Buffs continued to press the net and dictate the tempo, getting another opportunity off back-to-back shots by Krauser and Stuller.
Washington couldn’t regroup on the offense until the 69th minute, with Bennett shooting at the keeper. Bennett was on it again at 70:20, this time getting blocked. Following a corner kick, the Huskies sent another shot wide. Unwilling to remain in a defensive fight, the Buffs attacked the UW net. Tori Cooper got to the net and shot from close range, striking at Megan Kufeld, who had come out of the net.
The Huskies responded with a great chance of their own in the 77th minute. Lindsay Elston got to the net, but Brunner punched the ball away, and the Huskies were unable to convert on the following corner kick.
The Buffs continued to dominate in the final 10 minutes of regulation. Bianca Jones sent a deep ball to the net, where several Buffs got touches, even forcing Kufeld out of the net for a moment, but couldn’t find a shot. Following a corner kick, Krauser took the ball behind the box, forcing a shot that got blocked. She found the rebound and hit the ball just high.
Though the Huskies would get another chance, forcing Brunner to grab another save, it was the Buffs who continued to shine offensively in the closing minutes, with Stuller and Jerman each taking two shots in the final five minutes of regulation.
CU didn’t slow down in just their second overtime match of the season, quickly taking over on the offense. In the first minute, Krauser got an open look, but her shot went just over the crossbar. The Huskies were able to respond with a shot of their own in the 95th minute, but their attack wouldn’t last long.
A Washington foul just outside the box helped set up the Buffs’ game-winner. From 22 yards out, Stuller booted a free kick to the near post to give the Buffs the 1-0 victory.
“She was from a bit of a wide angle, and she just had a great strike,” Sanchez said. “… We were starting to pressure and get the ball into deeper spots. I think the game-winning goal was a by-product of that.”
With eight goals this season, Stuller matches her total from last season, which ranks in the top eight for a single season at CU. Her 22 total points this season ties for the most by a CU senior.
The Buffs conclude their three game road trip in Berkeley, Calif. (the site of their first ever Pac-12 Conference win). CU takes on No. 8 California at 1:30 p.m. MT on Friday, Oct. 18 before returning to Prentup Field for their final two home games of the season.
“I told the team after the match, this is the Pac-12, and after the game on Friday, we had to bounce back,” Sanchez said. “Nobody’s feeling sorry for anybody and the games are going to be like this. We have to continue the momentum and play with confidence. They’re a top 10, top 15 team with one loss … We know the challenge of being on the road. Hopefully we’re a little more comfortable with it and we’ll come out and play.”
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Marlee Horn
Graduate Assistant SID
University of Colorado
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CU soccer rolls over the Ducks for 10th win
Oct 7th
BOULDER – Hayley Hughes lit a spark for the University of Colorado soccer team, pushing the Buffaloes past the Oregon Ducks 1-0 at Prentup Field on Sunday.
Hughes led the team with four shots, all on goal. In the 63rd minute, Hughes got the ball from 40 yards out, and didn’t waste any time blasting the ball toward the net and into the right corner for her first goal of the season.
“Hayley spent half of the season last year as a striker so we know she’s dangerous going forward,” CU head coach Danny Sanchez said. “It was just a great shot, their goal keeper Abby Steele is a great goal keeper. I feel she’s one of the top goal keepers in the league and to beat her today, we needed something special and that was a special shot from Hayley.”
With continued defensive pressure, the Buffs’ 1-0 lead would hold through regulation to give the Buffs their 10th win of the season. The win was the Buffs’ first over the Ducks in four meetings. The Buffs (10-2 overall, 1-1 Pac-12 Conference) have recorded back-to-back conference wins for the second time since joining the Pac-12, with the previous consecutive wins coming at USC and Arizona last season.
Oregon falls to 2-6-3, 0-2-1 Pac-12, with all of their defeats being determined by a single goal.
“All twelve teams (in the conference) are quality, and I think it’s maybe more of a situation where Oregon is desperate for result with where their season is going and that’s a dangerous team.” Sanchez said. “You can see the dangerous players that they have. I’m really pleased with how we came out, both halves. I felt the first twenty minutes of the game and the first twenty minutes of the second half were very good. And then at the end of the day … we defended great. They have dangerous players. So I’m just really pleased to get the result and to get a shut out.”
Though Oregon outshot Colorado 15-13 (including a nine to five differential in the second half), the Buffs were consistently more on target, hitting nine to Oregon’s four on goal.
The game was also a battle of two outstanding goal keepers, who combined for a total of 12 saves. Oregon’s Abby Steele leads the conference in saves and ranks in Oregon’s all-time top four in shutouts, wins and saves. Annie Brunner continues to have the best season of her career at Colorado. She currently ranks in the conference’s top five in shutouts and goals-against average.
With Sunday’s victory, Brunner becomes one of just four CU keepers to record at least 10 wins in a single season. For the second straight season, Brunner has shutout at least seven opponents (joining 2003 Big 12 Championship team member Jessica Keller as the only Buffs to have had back-to-back seasons with at least seven shutouts each year).
“I think at the end of the day it was just a good hard fought Pac-12 game,” Sanchez said. “I thought both goal keepers were very good. I thought Brunner was rock solid today dealing with those set pieces and a lot of corner kicks late when Oregon was pushing numbers. I thought it was a good hard fought game.”
The game began with Oregon keeping pressure in Buffs’ territory, but not being able to get any good looks at the net or retain possession for long.
Though Colorado and Oregon State had scored all three of their goals in the first 14 minutes on Friday, it wasn’t until the 14th minute on Sunday that a team was able to take a shot. A Bianca Jones free kick was sent over the wall, where Olivia Pappalardo was able to get her head on the ball, though she couldn’t get a shot. Darcy Jerman was ready for the rebound, but sent the ball just high. The Buffs continued on the attack, with Hughes, Jerman and Madison Krauser all making Steele work for saves in just over a one minute span.
Nineteen minutes into the first half, Oregon was finally able to get their first shot off, though Pugh was off her mark. The Buffs got back-to-back looks at the net in the following minutes, with Anne Stuller sending a free kick just over the post in the 22nd minute.
The Ducks responded with three consecutive shots of their own. Maryn Beutler and Lilly Archer were both blocked by the strong CU defense. Oregon continued to press the Buffs’ net, but Pugh once again shot wide.
The Buffs would only get one more opportunity before halftime. With under seven minutes remaining, they took a corner kick. Though no Buff got the first ball, Paxton was able to take it back and edge to the left side, but was blocked.
Oregon caused a stir in front of the net in the final three minutes of the first half. Ryann Davie got to the net, but shot the ball high. Following the Ducks’ corner kick, Riley Smith was right at the net, but got blocked, keeping the game scoreless at the break.
The opening of the second half was full of action. The Ducks and Buffs would trade off two shots apiece in the first nine minutes. For CU, Krauser was blocked in the 47th and Hughes sent a deep shot at Steele in the 51st. In the 48th and 54th minutes, Oregon’s Archer and Pugh both made Brunner work for saves.
In the 63rd minute, Hughes took an amazing shot from deep to put the Buffs up 1-0.
“The ball just kind of popped out, I was at the top of the box and it just happened to hit me,” Hughes said. “I chested it and it just fell perfectly to my feet and not I’m going to say I was aiming for the top corner, but you know, I kind of just got a good strike on it and it just bent kind of into that corner away from the keeper. I’m really pumped about it. It’s my first goal this season.”
The Buffs kept the pressure high following Hughes’ goal. CU and Oregon traded off shots in the following six minutes, with Alyssa Herwatt getting the ball from the right and taking a close range shot that Steele had to hop on for the save. The Buffs backline had a few close calls in the 71st minute. First, Beutler shot the ball to the far post, forcing Brunner to dive for the save. The ball was deflected off Brunner’s fingertips and Ashlee Schulz came in for the rebound at the left post, but hit the ball just wide.
“That’s a really athletic team,” Hughes said. “They’re good players. It’s great to get up 1-0, but then you know the attack is going to be after you. I think us four in the back, obviously just the whole team had to stay really compact and just work off each other and I think we had great coverage. I’m just really proud of everyone. We defended as a team.”
The Buffs continued to focus on defense, allowing just three more shots in the final 16 minutes.
“It‘s awesome,” Brunner said of the win. “I feel like we finally have the grit. We were in all these games last year, but we finally have the grit to get it through and win.”
The Buffs leave the Centennial State for the first time this season for a three game road trip. CU takes on Washington State at 2 p.m. MT on Friday, Oct. 11 and faces Washington at noon MT on Sunday, Oct. 13. The Buffs return to Berkeley, Calif. to take on California (where they earned their first victory in the Pac-12) at 1:30 p.m. MT on Friday, Oct. 18 before returning for their final two home games.
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Marlee Horn Graduate Assistant SID University of Colorado O: 303.492.7525 C: 719.821.0689 marlee.horn@colorado.edu CUBuffs.com
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CU Women’s Soccer Defeat Oregon State For First Pac-12 Home Victory
Oct 5th
BOULDER – The season of firsts continues for the University of Colorado soccer team, as the Buffaloes defeated Oregon State 2-1 on Friday at Prentup Field.
The victory was the Buffs’ first home win in the Pac-12 since joining the conference in 2011, and their first win over OSU. The Buffs got revenge on Oregon State after the Beavers handed CU its biggest conference loss of 2012 when they downed the Buffs 2-0 at Prentup.
“I feel like we played, not to overstate it, like warriors today, especially the last 15 minutes of the game,” CU head coach Danny Sanchez said. “We played tough today. I think we’ve hopefully turned a corner. We always talked about that first Pac-12 home win. But we’re only worried about this year. We’re 1-1 in Pac-12 play going into the game on Sunday against Oregon.”
Two goals in the first 14 minutes and a strong second-half defense gave the Buffs the win and helped extend their record to a stellar 9-2 (1-1 in Pac-12 play). Despite getting on the board just seconds after the Buffs’ second goal, Oregon State could never find the equalizer. After one of the nation’s most difficult non-conference schedules, Oregon State falls to 2-7-2 overall, 0-1-1 Pac-12.
From the opening minute, Oregon State was on the attack, looking to pull itself out of last place in the conference in goals scored, having netted only eight entering the match. OSU controlled the tempo early, taking the first shot in the first 48 seconds.
The Buffs began to gain possession, though struggled to find the right shot; that is until the sixth minute, when the Buffs took their first shot and also made their first goal. Following an Oregon State foul, Alex Huynh sent a great free kick in front of the net. Anne Stuller got away from the group, passing back to Madison Krauser. From 18 yards out, Krauser had an open look and shot to the right corner to give the Buffs the early lead.
The assist was Stuller’s sixth of the season, tying for the most by a senior and tying for eighth all time.
Both teams battled back and forth, with OSU senior forward Jenna Richardson getting blocked in the eighth minute and Stuller nearly sliding one past the keeper in the 13th.
Less than a minute after her near goal, Stuller found the back of the net. At 13:19, Bianca Jones rushed from right edge, and found Stuller who took the close range shot to net her seventh goal of the season. With one goal and one assist in the game, Stuller ties for second most points by a senior, with 20 total points this season.
Just 38 seconds after the Buffs’ second goal, Oregon State tightened CU’s lead to 2-1. Richardson was at it again, this time getting the ball from Erin Uchacz at the left corner. Just one touch was all Richardson needed to get the goal.
“They always say the most dangerous lead in soccer is 2-0, which of course it’s not; it’s 1-0,” Sanchez said. “I think at 2-0, we relaxed. They scored their goal a minute after we scored that goal. We made it more difficult than we needed to. I think after that the game settled down.”
Though both teams continued to get looks in the remainder of the first half, neither was able to score again. In the 22nd minute, Stuller sent one right at OSU keeper Sammy Jo Prudhomme. It wasn’t until the 34th minute that the Beavers were able to respond, with Natalie Meiggs sending the ball high after a corner kick. Prudhomme had two close calls at the net in the final six minutes. Stuller sent a ball just right of the post in the 39th minute. After Alyssa Herwatt subbed in for Stuller, she also came close to scoring, hitting the ball just to the left this time.
After the Beavers narrowed the Buffs’ lead in the first half, CU came out defensively minded in the second half.
“I know from my perspective, it just makes me work,” Krauser said about giving up the goal. “We were up and we didn’t want them to get another goal in. It makes me work harder, and I think most of my teammates are the same way. It almost motivates us more because we want to get that win. It pushes us harder.”
Colorado and Oregon State both looked to score again in the beginning of the second half. In the 52nd minute, from the right, Jones sent the ball to the net, where Olivia Pappalardo created space to get an open look, but sent the ball just left of the net. Seventeen seconds later, Stuller got a shot at the middle of the box, but sent the ball right to Prudhomme. Richardson responded for OSU, but was blocked once more by Heather Ward.
Though Oregon State had the advantage on offensive possession and tempo in the second half, the Buffs’ backline limited the Beavers to just four second half shots. At the 64 minute mark, Sabrina Santarossa caused a stir in front of the Colorado net, but Annie Brunner stopped the ball for one of her three saves.
After a nearly 14 minute shooting drought, Richardson nearly snuck one in, but was once again stopped short, finding her shot blocked. One minute later, the Buffs claimed possession and rushed down the field with Darcy Jerman shooting one for the Buffs.
With just four minutes remaining in regulation, Richardson nearly tied things up. She dodged defenders to shoot the ball to the far post, but Brunner dived for the save. OSU was unable to get back to the net on their ensuing corner kick, helping the Buffs’ early 2-1 lead hold for the remainder.
Stand Shoulder to Shoulder with head coach Danny Sanchez and your CU Soccer team as they take on the Oregon Ducks on Sunday, Oct. 6 at 2 p.m.
“They’re athletic, and they had a good result against Washington State in their first (Pac-12) home game,” Sanchez said. “We’ll see how they do tonight. Utah’s tough to beat at home, especially if the weather’s icy there. We’re going to enjoy this for a few minutes, and tomorrow we’ll start thinking about Oregon.”
To celebrate family day on Sunday, we will be giving out FREE T-shirts to the first 500 fans and there will be a face painter at the game. Be sure to get to the game early to see Ralphie run. Also, celebrate the 10 year anniversary of the 2003 Big 12 Conference Champions as they are honored at halftime!
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Marlee Horn Graduate Assistant SID University of Colorado [includeme src="http://c1n.tv/boulder/media/bouldersponsors.html" frameborder="0" width="670" height="300"]