DENVER – For the third straight time in as many Colorado Cups, the University of Colorado struck lightning, shutting out the University of Northern Colorado 3-0.
Two weather delays in the Cup’s opening game at CIBER Field at the University of Denver Stadium couldn’t damper the Buffaloes’ play. The Buffs outshot the Bears 16-5, including a 7-2 advantage in the second half. Colorado extends its perfect record against Northern Colorado, never losing a game or allowing a goal in seven meetings.

It took just over 33 minutes for freshman Brie Hooks to score her first goal as a Buff, and then just another 45 to score again. She is the first Buff in program history to score two goals in her Colorado debut.

Freshman Brie Hooks scored the first two goals of the contest

“Scoring a couple goals is always a good debut,” CU head coach Danny Sanchez said. “Obviously she’s dynamic, she’s good with the ball and she had a couple nice finishes. I think it was the product of pressure on the second one. The first one was a great ball from Darcy. It was a good debut for sure.”

Other CU newcomers also made their presence felt, with Santa Clara transfer Brooke Rice and freshman Alex Huynh both making starts in their Colorado debuts.

“It was good to get in all six field player freshmen,” Sanchez said. “They got some time and did well and showed some good things. Obviously Alex (Huynh) did well in the midfield and obviously Brie (Hooks) with a couple of goals, but the other ones – we put Hannah (Dearborn) in the back and she did well. Big picture, it was good to get them some minutes so that when they go in again, there’s not that jittery first game.”

For the third time in as many games at CIBER Field, the Buffs scored off an own goal, getting on the board in the 21st minute.

In the first six minutes, Colorado took two corner kicks, but couldn’t get a shot off until the 14th minute, when co-captain Hayley Hughes booted one high. Northern Colorado responded, with a corner kick by Makayla McBride that led to a high shot by Tassie Forst at the 20:09 mark.

CU picked up the pace on offense, pressing the DU goal. With just less than 25 minutes remaining, the Buffs caused a commotion in front of the net. With 2012 Big Sky Goalkeeper of the Year Natalie D’Adamio out of the net, a UNC defender scrambled from the right of the box to keep the ball alive, but tapped the ball into the goal zone.

The goal was the third own goal in as many games that CU has played at CIBER Field. Of the five own goals in CU’s program history, four have happened at CIBER Field. Last season, CU had two own goals in the Denver Invitational. The own goal was the only point in CU’s 4-1 defeat to Denver and helped CU to a 2-1 victory over Cincinnati just two days later. Previously, CU scored off own goals in an 8-1 victory against St. Mary’s College on CIBER Field in 2009 and in a 2-1 win over Wake Forest in Winston-Salem, N.C. at the Wake Forest/adidas Soccer Classic.

Intensity built as CU keeper and co-captain Annie Brunner came up with a big save off a Juliana Grover header in the 24th minute. In just over a one minute span, CU took three corner kicks, but couldn’t get anything near the net. Both teams fouled, culminating with a yellow card on Darcy Jerman in the 33rd minute. Less than a minute later, Jerman redeemed herself, hitting the ball up the right side to Brie Hooks, who got contact at the right corner of the box, dribbled it in closer and kicked a hard one into the lower left corner of the net.

Hooks called the assist a great set up, allowing her to get a touch and shoot. “I just wanted to go out there and prove myself in the first game, to show what I can do,” Hooks said. And prove herself she did.

The Buffs stayed tough on offense, with Madison Krauser shooting at the keeper, and Anne Stuller hitting one into the left post, but a lightning delay suspended the momentum, putting the game on pause for just under an hour with 9:21 remaining in the first half.

CU remained aggressive in the closing minutes of the half, with Carly Bolyard, Lizzy Herzl and Olivia Pappalardo all taking shots. Bolyard nearly netted one in the 41st minute, taking a near range shot that was saved by the right post.

Another lightning delay made for an extended halftime, but as Sanchez said, the Buffs came out well after, and began the second half unfazed.

In the 47th minute, Stuller was already attacking on both offense and defense, as she blocked the first of UNC’s two second-half shots.

Rain starting falling with 40 minutes remaining in the half, but it couldn’t cool down Stuller’s offensive fire. In just over a five minute span, Stuller took a short range header and a big slammer, but D’Adamio came up with the save both times.

After a lot of back-and-forth movement to begin the half, a Paxton header in the 66th minute helped spur the Buffs’ offense. In the 77th minute, Stuller was at it again, meeting the keeper at the edge of the box, but once again, D’Adamio was prepared for the save. Though the ball got loose, the Buffs weren’t able to keep possession.

Less than a minute later, Hooks grabbed the ball off a defensive deflection, striking from the left for her second goal of the night. She said after the game that for her second goal, she was working against a couple players, saw space and went for the shot.

With just 10 minutes remaining in the game, both teams were still on the attack. In the 81st minute, UNC’s McBride sent one right at Annie Brunner off a free kick. After a lot of ball movement by the Buffs, Jerman shot one from the right, but a defender at the net came in for the block, closing out the game.

“I think defensively we’re very good,” Sanchez said. “UNC’s got some players with a lot of pace. We didn’t give up a lot, and we created. I think we could have finished a little bit better, but having said that, we got a little bit of a fortunate goal in the first one. It usually evens out.”

Hooks says she hopes to take the momentum from the Buffs’ solid start throughout the season.

“It’s definitely a good way to start the season and get us on a good roll and hopefully carry us on the rest of the weekend,” Hooks said.

Stand Shoulder to Shoulder with head coach Danny Sanchez and the CU soccer team as they host Colorado College in the first Buffs athletic event of the year. In honor of the first home game of the season, we will be celebrating Student Appreciation Day, where there will be free Half Fast Subs and prizes for students that attend.

Make sure to sit in the Buff Brigade cheering section and help give CU soccer a real home field advantage. Located at the north end of Prentup Field, the Brigade will be loud and spirited as they cheer the Buffs to victory!

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Marlee Horn
Graduate Assistant SID
University of Colorado

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