Buff Soccer
Jerman dominates Rebels in Omni Hotels championship
Sep 24th
BOULDER – Behind two goals by junior Darcy Jerman, the University of Colorado soccer team defeated UNLV 3-1 in the final game of the Omni Hotels Colorado Women’s Soccer Classic.
In front of 1,211 fans, the Buffaloes shined for a full 90 minutes in another record-breaker. Colorado concludes non-conference play with a stellar 8-1 record, with their only loss coming to then-ranked No. 16 Denver.
After starting the season a program-best perfect 6-0, the Buffs continue one of their best starts. Colorado won a record eight conference games this season, topping the previous bests of seven in 1998, 2003, ’04 and ’08. This is also only the third time in program history the Buffs have won at least eight of their first nine games.
“It’s awesome just because we’re starting Pac-12 next weekend, and I feel like we really hit a lot of momentum,” Jerman said. “We’re making good strides and we’re really working hard this season, so it’s good to win this last one and be 8-1 going into the Pac-12.”
A tie on Friday and a loss to the Buffs moves UNLV to a 5-3-2 record.
Colorado held UNLV to just six shots, all coming in the second half. For the fifth time this season, the Buffs took at least 20 shots, this time striking the ball 23 times, ranking in the top 20 at CU for most shots in a single game. The win is the Buffs’ sixth multiple goal game of the season.
Once again, the Buffs scored early and in the closing minutes. Darcy Jerman put the Buffs up 1-0 in just the third minute of the game, scoring off an assist from Brie Hooks. Defender Heather Ward helped give the Buffs some insurance before the break, heading one in off an Anne Stuller corner kick. UNLV’s Brittney Gideon, who led the Rebels with three shots, got her team on the board in the 77th minute to remain in contention. Colorado put the game away in the 82nd minute when Tori Cooper got fouled in the box. Darcy Jerman booted the ball in from a penalty kick to give the Buffs the 3-1 victory.
“Well, the first goal was a great run from Brie,” CU head coach Danny Sanchez said. “She got to the end line and we’ve been talking a lot about when you get into dangerous spots, picking people out and she was able to pick out Darcy and it was good for Darcy to get that first goal. The second goal, and we had quite a few corner kicks in a row, we had some good service … So it was a very good finish on the corner. And the third goal was really just Tori Cooper’s work to get in the box and get pulled down and Darcy debarred the penalty kick. So, pretty good goals, maybe could have had a couple more. But at the end of the day three goals is a good performance.”
The Buffs were on an early attack all weekend. At 2:40, the Buffs not only took the first shot of the game, but netted the first goal. Hooks at the right found Jerman at the center of the net. From 18 yards out, Jerman had on open look and booted it in.
The goal was 12th fastest in program history. After scoring at the 2:15 mark against Stony Brook on Friday, the Buffs have now scored two goals in the first three minutes of the game twice this season. The only other times the Buffs have accomplished that feat was in 2007 and 2009. (Nikki Marshall scored at the 23 second and 2:36 marks against St. Mary’s College in the Buffs’ 8-1 blowout in ’09.)
“It felt really good just because I’ve been having chances earlier this season, it just hasn’t come together,” Jerman said. “Brie had a beautiful cross in there and I was just there and shot and it was awesome. It feels good to get one under my belt, well two now.”
The Buffs kept dominating the offense, taking four more consecutive shots in four minutes. Stuller was blocked in 11th minute, and Olivia Pappalardo got her head on the ball following a corner, but Kylie Wassell grabbed the save. Wassell had to work again just one minute later, when Madison Krauser had a great look in front of the net.
In the 25th minute, the Buffs had another chance, with Krauser closing in on the net and finding her ball saved at the left corner. Stuller was ready for the quick rebound, but Colorado was called offsides.
With less than 14 minutes left in the first half, Hayley Hughes rushed from deep to close to the net, up against two defenders, she shot the ball wide left. The Buffs kept the pressure, but the Rebels grabbed three consecutive saves.
Despite the defensive pressure, the Buffs kept the pace, with back-to-back corners. On the second, Stuller set up a great ball to Ward at the far post. Ward headed the ball in low to give the Buffs the 2-0 lead with six minutes remaining before halftime. Ward, who has shine as one of the starting four in the backline, has taken just four shots in two seasons with the Buffs, with three on goal.
“It was a great ball from Anne,” Ward said. “It was kind of outside the box and she just chipped it in to the back post and I was able to get up and get my head on it.”
The Rebels looked to even the score early in the second half. In the 48th minute, A UNLV corner kept the ball on the left side of the net. After some solid pressure by the Buffs, Susie Bernal took the Rebel’s first shot of the game from close range. Annie Brunner hopped on the ball for the save. Though the ball got loose, Hooks swooped by the left side of the net to clear the ball and keep the Buffs out of danger.
UNLV had another great opportunity in the in the 54th, but Brittney Gideon just missed the net with a hard shot at the crossbar. The Buffs quickly responded, with Tori Cooper taking her second straight shot. She got the ball from Krauser at the left, and with few defenders took a close range shot, but sent the ball high. Colorado was at it again in the 62nd. Stuller approached from the left, and edged the net at the right post. With the keeper out of the net, Stuller had an open look but knocked the crossbar.
Both teams kept up pressure, with the Rebels forcing Brunner to work for a save in the 65th minute. The Buffs then went on a 5-0 shooting run in a seven minute span, but couldn’t reach the back of the net. A Rebel line change helped give the squad some momentum. Less than a minute after the substitutions, UNLV got on the board. The Rebels created some space, and Gideon was able to get a look from 18 yards to score in the 77th minute. Gaby Vasquez and Jenn Wolfe were credited with the assists.
“We were winning 2-0, and that’s a dangerous lead in soccer,” Jerman said. “We might have relaxed for a minute and I think that their goal sparked us back up again, and we came back strong.”
Gideon went for it again at 80:39, but shot the ball just high. The Buffs got back on the attack, and with less than nine minutes remaining in regulation, Cooper drew a foul in the box to set up a penalty kick. Jerman took the shot in the 82nd minute, hitting the ball to the left corner and just past the keeper.
Jerman scored her first goals of the season and had her first multiple goal game of her career in the victory. She is the third player this season to have a multi-goal performance, joining Hooks and Stuller. This is just the fifth time in program history that at least three players have had a multi-goal game in a single season.
The Buffs are pleased with the win and hope to keep their momentum going, but know that a big challenge awaits them next weekend as Pac-12 Conference play begins against No. 2 Stanford.
“I feel like we’re ready,” Jerman said. “We’re at a way better spot than we were last year, and I’m just ready to prove a point in the Pac-12 because we have everything to prove and nothing to lose.”
Stand Shoulder to Shoulder with your CU soccer team as they play 2012 NCAA runner-up Stanford in the first Pac-12 match of the season! The first 500 fans to the match will receive a FREE pair of CU sunglasses. Make sure to sit in the Buff Brigade cheering section and help give CU soccer a real home field advantage!
UNC (4-3-2) took down Stony Brook (5-3-1) in Sunday’s opener. The 1-0 victory helped the Bears to a runner-up performance at the Classic.
CU Soccer Matches Record-Setting Start
Aug 31st
BOULDER – The University of Colorado is in familiar territory. Three games into the 2013 season, the Buffaloes have tied last year’s program record of three straight shutouts to begin the season, and Annie Stuller has notched the fifth multiple goal game of her career.
The Buffs took down the Air Force Falcons 2-0 for the second straight year. Colorado has matched its record-setting start to the season to earn a 3-0 record. The Falcons fall to 0-2-1 after facing Big 12 and Pac-12 Conference opponents in back-to-back games.
Defense was the name of the game for 72 minutes, until the Buffs went on an offensive frenzy. At the 72:47 mark, Olivia Pappalardo edged the net, slamming the left post. Just seconds later, Anne Stuller was ready on the attack for her first goal of the season. Less than five minutes later, Stuller was at it again, scoring off an assist from Alex Huynh.
“I think the first half she was pressing a little bit, trying a little bit too much,” CU head coach Danny Sanchez said. “The first goal is the kind of goal we want her scoring. Where she’s inside the box and can shoot from there, instead of having to do stuff from midfield. The second goal was just a great ball from Alex to release her and a quality finish. It’s good for her to open her 2013 account, but obviously we’re just counting on her to score some goals this year … I don’t think it’s any big secret that she’s dangerous. We need to get her on the end of stuff. When she does that, she’s obviously good around the box.”
Stuller is just the fourth Buff to record at least four multiple goal games in her Colorado career. She joins Fran Munnelly (four) and Nikki Marshall and Katie Griffin, who each had seven. In each of the last three seasons, Stuller has had at least one multiple goal game.
“It’s totally a confidence boaster,” Stuller said. “It helps me just feel like, ‘OK, I can play with these girls. I can do this.’ It feels good, but more than anything it feels good to win. I’m just more happy about that than anything else.”
The Buffs shined in the second half, outshooting the Falcons 11-6 during the game, taking nine shots in the second half alone and limiting Air Force to just one second half shot. CU also had three opportunities off corner kicks, while Air Force had none. Both Annie Brunner and Kelly Stambaugh both grabbed three saves in their respective nets.
“I think Air Force has much improved,” Sanchez said of the team the Buffs also defeated 2-0 last season. “You know they’re always going to work hard and be organized. I think they have some quality on the field. I was pleased with how we turned it on at the end, but obviously the first half we didn’t play our best soccer. The second half, especially those last 20 minutes, I felt like we really started connecting and had a little bit more run of the play. A lot of credit to Air Force, they played very well today.”
Colorado’s first shot came in the first 41 seconds off the boot of leading scorer Brie Hooks. The Buffs wouldn’t get another shot off until the 39th minute, when Darcy Jerman got blocked.
Brunner picked up her first save in the seventh minute. Just over two minutes later, Air Force sent off another shot, this time sending the ball wide.
The Buffs got a lot of touches in the first half, but couldn’t seem to keep total control of the ball, with neither team successfully dominating the offense.
With 10 minutes remaining before the half, the Falcons gained momentum, but Ashley Greco’s shot made for an easy save. The Buffs backline held off any more attacks, with Lizzy Heral stopping a ball by the left post to prevent a close call at a shot attempt.
“Hats off to our defense,” Stuller said. “Everyone’s been so solid. Brunner’s controlling the back line so well, Lizzy’s just a great senior leader and she makes it look easy. She’s a good defender. She makes some hard stops that she makes look pretty easy.”
Colorado picked up its intensity on both sides of the ball in the second half, attacking early. Huynh took a long free kick in the 49th minute to set the ball up for several Buffs at the net. Herzl got the first touch, hitting it just wide. Later, Hayley Hughes made contact, but once again the shot was wide.
The Falcons continued to press the Buffs’ net, but the CU defense refused to allow any shots to get past them. Air Force’s only shot of the half came at the 68:08 mark, but Brunner was ready for another save.
With 20 minutes remaining, Stuller was on the offensive, rushing from the backfield to the net, but she couldn’t control the ball. The Buffs quickly reassembled, with Bianca Jones sending one to the keeper from deep right. One minute later, Stuller, at the left corner of the field, found Emily Paxton at the net, who hit the ball high.
The Buffs’ drive couldn’t be stopped, keeping possession to set up their first goal. After an Air Force foul, the Buffs took charge. In the 73rd minute, Pappalardo hit a close one to the left post. Stuller was ready for the rebound, scoring just six seconds later.
“They felt really good to get,” Stuller said of her two goals. “As a forward, you want to score. There were two easy goals thanks to my teammates. Brie took the ball down on the first one, beat a girl, it was a good beat, and drove it across. It was a jumbled mess in there and I think Olivia got on it and got a touch and it came right to me. I just had to hit it far post, pretty easy goal because of my teammates.”
In the 78th minute, Stuller was ready again, taking an open shot from Huynh behind the right side of the box to give the Buffs a 2-0 lead that would hold for the remainder of the game.
Come cheer on your CU Buffs soccer team as they take on the St. Mary’s Gaels on Sunday, Sept. 1 at 1 p.m. Remember to support the Buffaloes from the Buff Brigade cheering section located on the north end of Prentup Field.
“They’re a very good team, very athletic,” Sanchez said of the Gales. “West Coast Conference is a very good conference. They’re very tough. They play top end teams week in and week out. I expect a very end-to-end game. Their team likes to attack like we do, so I expect a very entertaining game on Sunday.”
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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"]
Two former CU Buffs go head-to-head in pro soccer championship
Aug 29th
ROCHESTER, N.Y. – The inaugural National Women’s Soccer League championship game will be a battle between two Buffaloes.
Former teammates on the University of Colorado soccer team, Amy Barczuk (2009-12) and Nikki Marshall (2006-09) will this time compete against each other as the Western New York Flash and Portland Thorns FC meet in the championship game at Sahlen’s Stadium on Saturday.
“We are very excited that Nikki and Amy will be representing Colorado soccer in the first NWSL final,” CU head coach Danny Sanchez said. “It is a tremendous accomplishment for both of them and their teams. I have no doubt that the league will continue to grow. We wish them both the best of luck!”
The Western New York Flash earned the NWSL Shield, winning the regular season with a 10-4-8 record. In last Saturday’s semifinals, the Flash met No. 4 seed Sky Blue FC. Behind two goals by Carli Lloyd, the Flash eased their way to the championship game.
Barczuk, who was selected by the Flash in the second round of the NWSL draft (14th overall), made her third professional start in the semifinal game. Though having what she described as an up and down season that saw her getting minutes in seven regular season games, Barczuk went into the playoff game ready to show her physicality.
“I came in because one of our starting midfielders was injured,” Barczuk said. “I played in the game before that against Boston, so our last three regular season games. Playing in that third game helped me get kind of settled in the midfield. Playing in the semifinal game, my coach kind of expected the same physical play out of me – winning everything in the middle and kind of just being that physical presence. If I get the opportunity to play in the championship game, I’m just going to bring that same attitude, and it definitely will help to have that semifinal game experience.”
Marshall has plenty of experience heading into this year’s championship game. She has four years of professional experience under her belt, including a WPSL Elite championship with the Flash in 2012. This season, Marshall has played in and started all of Portland’s games, just one of three Thorns to do so, has played 1,871 minutes, ranking third on the team, and contributed one assist during the regular season.
Thorns FC entered the semifinals as the No. 3 seed and fell behind FC Kansas City 2-0 in the first 25 minutes. Marshall says her team was really good on paper, though seemed to struggle putting everything together in the regular season. It wasn’t until the team’s most recent games that momentum began to swing in their way.
“We’ve had a turnaround,” Marshall said. “I think we’ve kind of realized that we should be a really good team, and we haven’t been performing. We had a couple of meetings before the game on Saturday and just kind of talked about the fact that we need to be more of a team and that we need to maybe be more positive and encouraging and love each other more and play with joy. I think that’s what we did on Saturday. We went out and said, ‘This is unacceptable,’ and then came out on top.”
Kansas City took the early lead behind goals by NWSL Rookie of the Year Erika Tymrak and Melissa Henderson. Tobin Heath helped get the Thorns on the board in the 33rd minute with her first ever goal with the squad. Though Portland had a 0-4-1 regular season record when trailing at halftime, the team’s change in attitude helped break that.
In the 65th minute, Marshall helped give Thorns FC the equalizer, sending a ball to the middle of the penalty box to Tiffany Weimer. With two minutes remaining in the first overtime, Allie Long put the game out of reach, clinching Portland’s ticket to the championship.
“That was just a really exciting game for us,” Marshall said. “We were losing 2-0 in the beginning of the game. We showed a lot of character, and like I said before, I think this is the first time our team, Portland Thorns, has come together and really done something special. So that’s been huge. Getting the assist was awesome. My teammates are incredible, so if I can cross the ball in there, they’re very world-class and can finish anything regardless of what kind of cross it is. That was really exciting. It’s just fun to be part of something like that, especially when we come back from 2-0. It was just awesome.”
Marshall said that that team mentality and positive attitude will be necessary in this Saturday’s final, especially against the Flash, who has won three consecutive championship titles.
“I think we have a solid game plan, and I think that’s probably why we’ve also been on a kind of winning streak, because we have adjusted and it’s the first time in the season that we have done so,” Marshall said. “I think that we have to be a first half and a second half team. We can’t just be a second half team, and we can’t just be a first half team, because that’s how we’ve been all season and that’s been killing us. I think just having that attacking mentality from the very beginning and also being solid defensively is going to be huge for us. It’s going to be a great game. I don’t think there’s a better championship match. We’re excited for it.”
Though having won the 2012 title with the Flash, Marshall says she feels no need for revenge on her former team. If anything, she feels she needs to play to the standards of Flash head coach Aaran Lines.
“I just want to go in there and perform my best because I know that Aaran believes in me,” Marshall said. “He’s given me so much and developed me so much last year as a player. I want to play up to his standards of what he thinks of me.”
Barczuk also feels the need to live up to the high expectations Lines’ has for all his players. In Barczuk’s defensive/midfield position, that means using her 5-10 height and physicality to change the field, winning every head ball and playing the ball simply.
“Coach Lines has developed a great winning culture,” Barczuk said. “He has always had great players play for him, but now it’s about the culture. This would be the fourth championship in, I think, six years at the professional or semi-pro level. That’s pretty impressive. To give him all the credit, he’s just really developed a winning culture here at Western New York.”
There’s also a culture of greatness throughout the league. Barczuk says she’s grown immensely as a player, getting to train with some of the best players in the world, including teammates and U.S. National Team “poster children” Abby Wambach and Carly Lloyd. Wambach and Lloyd will meet their Olympic gold medal teammate Alex Morgan in the championship, something Barczuk and Marshall both believe will help give the game national attention.
“When you have any big name players, it brings attention, especially with Alex Morgan and Abby Wambach playing against each other,” Marshall said. “That’s what makes this league so special as well. The competition is fierce, and there’s not a huge margin of difference between anyone on any of the teams. Everyone has great players, and that’s what makes this so much fun and fun to watch as well.”
The national stage also helps give a spotlight to the two Colorado standouts. Barczuk says that despite Colorado not yet being one of the biggest soccer schools, like North Carolina and Stanford, she and Marshall’s appearance in the title game proves that smaller soccer programs can produce top level professional level players.
Despite the competitive nature of their next meeting, Marshall and Barczuk are excited to play each other, both barely containing their affection for one another.
“I’m just really proud of her,” Marshall said of her former teammate. “It’s always fun to play against your friends. Off the field you’re friends and on the field, you’re still friends, but you’re competitive and you battle with each other. I think it makes it all the more fun. I’m just really excited for her getting this opportunity, and I’m just really proud of her. She’s done a really good job this year.”
While their strong friendship will remain unscathed, one of them will be victorious in Saturday’s championship. The teams’ two previous meetings have both been draws: their first a 1-1 tie in Portland on July 14, and their most recent, a 0-0 draw on August 10 in Rochester. Despite the previous finishes, Barczuk knows the championship will be a whole different game.
“Obviously we hope to one: win the game, and two: win the game in 90 minutes without going into overtime, with no PKs or anything like that,” Barczuk said. “You look back on the last two games, and yeah, they both were ties, but it’s the same two teams, and this the championship game. I think this is almost a completely new type of environment to play in. I think there will be lots of action on Saturday.”
The inaugural NWSL championship game will air on FOX Sports 2 and FOX Soccer on Saturday at 6 p.m. MT.
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Marlee Horn
Graduate Assistant SID
University of Colorado
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