QUICKLY:
The Buffaloes complete non-conference play against Wyoming and Air Force. The
new CU coaching staff faces a homecoming as the Buffs take on Wyoming in
Laramie, Wyo. on Friday at 4 p.m. Colorado head coach Danny Sanchez spent four
years at Wyoming where he led the Cowgirls to a 36-34-11 record, including a
Mountain West Conference Tournament runner-up finish in 2011. Your CU Soccer team will
return to Prentup Field on Sunday, Sept. 16 when they take on Air
Force. The game starts at 1:00 p.m., and the Buffs are encouraging fans to
ride their bicycles to the field. The first 100 fans who "Pedal to
Prentup" will receive a FREE CU t-shirt. Admission and parking are free so
grab your family and friends for a bike ride to Prentup Field and help cheer on
the Buffs!
COLORADO VS. WYOMING: The
Buffs and Cowgirls have met 11 times, with CU only dropping two games. Colorado
has won three of the last four match-ups, falling last year to new CU head
coach Danny Sanchez's squad. The Buffs are 3-1 at Louis S. Madrid Sports
Complex.
SCOUTING THE COWGIRLS: The
Cowgirls return nine starters from last year's squad. Wyoming is 6-2-0 in its
first season under head coach Pete Cuadrado. Junior Olivia Mohtadi leads the
way with four goals and an assist. The Cowgirls
lost to Washington State 3-2 on Sept. 9.
COLORADO VS. AIR FORCE:
The
Buffs have lost just once in four meetings with the Falcons, a 1-0 defeat in
1996. This will be the first time the Buffs and Falcons have played since CU
won 1-0 in 2004 at Prentup.
SCOUTING THE FALCONS: The Falcons are off to a 4-1-2 start and will
take on Colgate on Friday before facing the Buffs. Air Force boasts two
Mountain West Conference Players of the Week in sophomore Kylie Williamson
(defense) and junior Leah Bratt (offense).
LAST WEEK: On Friday night, the Buffs suffered
defeat at the hands of the Pioneers, falling 4-1 on the host's field. The
Buffs only goal in the game was an own goal knocked in by a defender after a
header by Anne Stuller. Sunday's outcome was much better, as CU defeated Cincinnati 2-1. Hayley Hughes came out
strong, scoring her first goal of the
season off an assists from Olivia Pappalardo and Annie Brunner.
DU INVITATIONAL ALL-TOURNAMENT TEAM: Junior
Hayley Hughes and senior captain Amy Barczuk were named to the DU Invitational
All-Tournament team. Hughes scored her first goal of the season on Sunday to
help lead the Buffs to a 2-1 victory against Cincinnati. Hughes and the Buffs
came out strong, outshooting the Bearcats 25-9. In the eighth minute, Annie
Brunner kicked the ball down to the midfield where Olivia Pappalardo headed it
to Hughes who scored on the fast break. Amy Barczuk took four shots in Friday's
4-1 loss to Denver, moving her past Allsion Kidd (2004-07) and Meghan Swanzy
(1998-2002) for 10th on CU's list of shots attempted.
OWNED: For the first time in CU history, the Buffs
scored off of own goals twice in one season. An own goal after an Anne Stuller
header accounted for the Buffs only points in Friday's 4-1 loss to Denver. On Sunday
versus Cincinnati, a Bearcat defender knocked one in with Emily Paxton right at
the net to give the Buffs a 2-1 victory. CU has only scored off of own goals
two prior times. The first occurred in 2004 against Wake Forest, and the most
recent was in 2009 in an 8-1 win against St. Mary's College.
WINNING:
With Sunday's 2-1 victory
against Cincinnati, the Buffs tied last season's win total. In 2011, CU went 4-13-2 overall, 1-9-1 in its
first season in the Pac-12 Conference. The Buffs are off to a stellar
start in the 2012 season, tallying a 4-1-2 record. They remained undefeated
through their first five games, a first in program history.
RETURN TO WYOMING: Head coach Danny Sanchez and his
assistants Jason Green and Don Trentham return to Wyoming on Friday. Sanchez
spent four seasons with the Cowgirls, compiling a 36-34-11 record. In his first
season at Wyoming, he lead the Cowgirls to a 12-6-4 record, its best in school
history. Last season, Sanchez's Cowgirls beat the Buffs 1-0 at Prentup Field,
allowed just 12 goals in their final 19 games, and had a runner-up finish at
the Mountain West Conference Tournament.
ROCKY MOUNTAIN HIGH: The Buffs have four in-state
foes on their schedule
this season. They are 1-1-1 against Colorado competition. The Buffs shut out
Northern Colorado (3-0) and Colorado College (0-0, 2OT) during the Colorado
Cup, while suffering their first loss of the season to Denver (4-1) in the DU
Invitational.
PAC-12 NETWORKS: Sunday's game
versus Air Force will be the first of the team's six games broadcast on the
Pac-12 Networks. Christian Miles and Krista Blunk will be the game
commentators.
ALL STAR ATHLETES: Three Buffs
have received major honors this season. Most recently, freshman Madison Krauser
earned CU Athlete of the Week honors for scoring her first goal against
Northwestern. Krauser's goal came just minutes after captain Amy Barczuk scored
in the second half. Krauser tied the
game at 2-2, keeping the Buffs undefeated through five games, a program first.
She is the only freshman to have started every game.
Junior Anne Stuller was named
the Pac-12 Conference Offensive Player of the Week and the Soccer News Net
Women's Player of the Week and earned a spot on the Soccer America Women's Team
of the Week for her outstanding performance during the Omni Hotels Colorado
Women's Soccer Classic. She scored four goals in games against LIU Brooklyn and
Wright State. Stuller joined Nikki Marshall (2006) and Katie Griffin (2005) to
become only the third player in CU history to have three multiple goal games in
a single season, with her other two-goal game happening at Northern Colorado.
She currently leads the Pac-12 with 29 shots and six goals. She already ranks
sixth on CU's list of most goals by a junior, passing
Gianna DeSaverio (2007) and
Elizabeth Swan (1996), who both had five.
Goalkeeper Annie Brunner started
the season off hot, earning Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Week honors for her
impressive outing in the second annual Colorado Cup. Brunner shut out Northern Colorado
and Colorado College in the Cup. She also shut out LIU Brooklyn during the Omni
Hotels Colorado Women's Soccer Classic. It was the first time in CU history the
Buffs started their season with three shutouts and the first time since 2008
the team had three shutouts in a row.
PAC-12 COACHES POLL: Colorado
was picked to finish 11th in this year's Pac-12 Coaches Poll. Stanford,
the reigning NCAA Champion, received nine out of 11 possible first-place votes.
UCLA, Cal, Oregon State and Washington rounded out the top five. Arizona State and USC followed, with
Utah and Washington State tied for eighth. Oregon and Arizona were chosen as
10th and 12th.
COMING UP: The Buffs head to Eugene, Ore.
to begin Pac-12 play against Oregon. CU is 0-2 against the Ducks in two home
meetings. The game will be broadcast on the Pac-12 Networks.
Watch:
