Colorado Defeats Crimson Tide 3-1

Friday, September 17

Boulder, Colo.

TBA

Colorado

4-3-0

Alabama

3-3-0

Alabama

Colorado

September 17, 1999 | Soccer

Box Score

By: Lindsay Lew, Assistant Director

BOULDER, Colo. --The University of Colorado women's soccer team ( 4-3-0, 1-1-0 Big 12) continued its winning streak at home with a 3-1 victory over the University of Alabama (3-3-0, 0-2-0 SEC) Friday afternoon. This win extends the Buffs' streak to three consecutive undefeated games at home this season.

After coming off a difficult weekend in North Carolina last week, head coach Austin Daniels was pleased with his team's performance against. "We got off to a great start, which is what you need," Daniels said. "The second half wasn't that strong, but we were able to hold them off and do our jobs."

Junior forward Melissa Cartmell started the scoring fifteen minutes into the game. Junior midfielder Andrea Matassa began the play with a powerful shot on Alabama keeper Rachel Brown, forcing her to go down to make the save. Cartmell knocked in the rebound for her fourth goal of the season, and the 15th of her career. With that goal, Melissa Cartmell became the top career goal scorer in CU soccer history, passing senior Shawn Kenyon who currently sits at 14.

The Buffalo scoring continued as sophomore forward Suzy Kiefer contributed two goals before the half, her second and third goals of the year. Kiefer's first goal came at the 35-minute mark, when Cartmell laid a ball back to her at the 18 yard mark. Kiefer blasted the ball past the outstretched hands of Brown to put the Buffs up 2-0. With five minutes left in the half Kiefer struck again, dribbling the ball across the box and ripping a shot into the upper right corner, just past Brown.

"I owe all my credit to the team," commented Kiefer on her performance. "I was just lucky I was the person in there, but I would not have those opportunities if not for the hard work of the other players on the field. We controlled the ball, kept it to ourselves, and kept it moving, which helped us."

CU led 3-0 at the half, marking the second time in history the Buffs have scored three goals in the first half and the second time they have led 3-0 at halftime, both marks coming against Oklahoma (Oct. 2, 1998, 3-0). Colorado tallied 11 shots to Alabama's four in the first half and limited UA to one corner kick. Cartmell and Kiefer each tallied four shots, bringing their shot totals on the season to 23 and 15 respectively.

The momentum changed in the second half, as Alabama got on the board at 55:58 with a goal from senior defender Kathleen Foody. She dribbled through the box and squeezed the ball just past CU keeper Danielle Bassett, shooting from the right side and finishing to the far post. Alabama forced Bassett to make six saves in the half, giving her nine saves on the 11 Tide chances. Brown finished with eight saves on 19 Buffalo shots.

The 1999 Buffaloes continue to make CU soccer history as this is the first time Colorado has reached the four-win mark after seven games, and the first time the Buffs have been above .500 after seven games. The next best winning percentage at this point in the season was 1996 when CU was .500 (3-3-1 ). The Buffs' 12 goals after seven games is also a best ( 11 in 1997 was the previous mark).

The Buffs continue their homestand Sunday, Sept. 19 at 1:00 p.m. against in-state rival Colorado College. This game will mark the second of Colorado's five game homestand, and the beginning of the "bragging rights" series, during which the Buffs will take on CC, Air Force and Denver all in the next two weeks. All home games are held at the Pleasant View Soccer Complex and are free to the public.