BOULDER – Sometimes it's just the luck of the draw. Fortunately for the Colorado women's soccer team, the luck was on its side on Saturday. The Buffaloes started the season with a 1-0 overtime decision against in-state rival Denver.
It had been 422 days since CU last played a competitive soccer match, falling 1-0 to North Carolina in the NCAA Tournament. A ton has changed for the Buffs since the end of the 2019 season.
"I think we didn't really know what to expect," head coach Danny Sanchez commented. "Looking at it two hours later, it's probably what we expected. Both teams are a little choppy. I thought we were a little bit impatient. I think as the game went on, I thought our players start to feel more comfortable. Denver is a very good team. They are going to win the Summit League and make the NCAA Tournament."
The Buffs and Pioneers played 96 minutes of scoreless soccer in front of a sparse and distant crowd of family and friends at Prentup Field. Colorado got the only break of the game in the 97th minute, coming off an own goal from the Pioneers.
The win marks the first time in CU history that a Buffaloes team has won a 1-0 game with an own goal.
The Buffs totaled more shots (12) in the contest, but Pioneers got the upper hand by putting six on target. Colorado goalkeeper Dani Hansen, making her Buffs' debut, made all six saves on the afternoon.
How it happened: The first half was played evenly across the board. Denver opened with the first shot of the game in the 6th minute, getting Hansen involved early on. Denver finished the first half with four shots, forcing Hansen to make three saves in the period.
Roo Yarnell-Williams had CU's first good chance of the afternoon. In the 10th minute, she caught the DU keeper out of the net, but couldn't get the shot through the Denver defenders.
Junior Hannah Sharts had CU's closest call of the day in the 27th minute. She received the corner kick from Shanade Hopcroft at the back post and put a solid header on net. DU's Nerea Arrazola stuck out her left hand and just deflected the ball, keeping it out of the net.
Out of the half the Buffs took control, launching 10 shots in the second frame. Kayleigh Webb got it rolling for CU, but it was Hopcroft who would get two great looks at the net in the 52nd minute. Hopcroft stepped to a free-kick just outside the goal box, sending it into the DU wall. She pounced on the rebound but her second attempt couldn't get past the defensive block.
CU got one last chance in the 79th minute off the foot of Allie Palangi. The ball bounced her way after a throw-in, and she put a floater on target that was tipped over the crossbar by Arrazola.
The Buffs got the only corner kick in the extra time and used the set-piece to their advantage. The ball made its way to Sofia Weiner, who played it in the box, looking for a streaking Tessa Barton. The ball bounced off the DU defender and straight across the goal line, giving the Buffs the winner.
BY THE NUMBERS:
Colorado
Goals: 1
Shots: 12
Fouls: 11
Saves: 6
Denver
Goals: 0
Shots: 8
Fouls: 11
Saves: 5
Up Next: Colorado will have an NCAA Tournament rematch against Northern Colorado on Feb. 13. CU beat the Bears by a combined 10-0 in the two matches last season.
Notes: Seven new faces made their debut for the Buffs…Rachel Rosen, Shyra James and Lawson Willis each got the starts in their collegiate debut…Hopcroft had four shots in her first CU appearance…Hansen becomes the first CU goalkeeper, not named Tompkins, to record a win since Scout Watson made two saves in a shutout win over UTSA in 2018.
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February 07, 2021 at 06:14AM
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