Colorado Drops 2-1 Decision At San Francisco

Friday, September 7

San Francisco, Calif.

TBA

Colorado

1-2-0

San Francisco

1-1-0

Colorado

San Francisco

September 07, 2001 | Soccer

Box Score

By: Colleen Reilly Krueger, Associate Director

SAN FRANCISCO - Despite dominating the game for 90 minutes and keeping the San Francisco defense on their heels the majority of the game, Colorado (1-2) came up on the short end of a 2-1 score at San Francisco (1-1) in front of 214 fans at Negoesco Stadium here Friday.

Colorado had an uncharacteristically aggressive first half, getting four shots off on Dons goalkeeper Jennifer Orantes in the first 45 minutes of play. A trio of scoring opportunities presented themselves to the visitors in the first 14 minutes. Just five minutes into the game (a Heather Zonker cross that missed Meghan Swanzy), at 36:58 (a Jessica Wollow shot from Heather Hawkins that trickled off Orantes' fingers when she dove for the save), and at 33:44 (Zonker from Hawkins).

With the game knotted at 0-0 at halftime, Colorado had out shot USF 4-1, Orantes had three saves while Peterson had yet to be contested while the Dons had the edge in corner kicks, 5-4. The Buffs also held the tactical edge at the half as USF had 11 fouls to CU's six.

"I don't know what the difference was between this game and the first two," said CU head coach Bill Hempen. "Maybe being away from home and getting a good night's sleep helped. They seemed very focused, quiet and anxious to get the game started. Coming out strong was an issue coming into the game and a point of emphasis. It was the difference between talking about it and doing something about it."

The game marked the first career start for freshman Alyssa Burgess, who joined the Buff squad via walk-on tryouts. Burgess was crucial in stopping USF's first and only shot on goal in the opening stanza, as she got credit for the block when the shot from the Dons' Sara Simpson passed Peterson before reaching Burgess.

Colorado maintained its offensive intensity into the second half, getting three shots off in the first 10 minutes, two by freshman Danielle Bickley who had the first one blocked by a USF defender, second going just right of the near post.

On just the Dons second shot of the game, Ashley Davies took a shot from the left elbow of the box with 25:37 left in the game, and sailed it over the left shoulder of CU keeper Whitney Peterson for the 1-0 lead. The USF celebration was short as the Buffs responded when CU freshman Monique Gillaspie, a Bellflower, Calif. native, registered her first career goal from 12 yards out in the middle of the box, an unassisted goal that fired up the middle past Orantes with 23:39 remaining on the clock.

She nearly registered her second, and go-ahead-goal, with 7: 18 left when she took a pass passed the center circle and while challenged from behind by a USF player, was able to get a solid shot off that hit the left post.

"I feel like I've been coming off two games where I didn't play the way that I knew that I could," said Gillaspie on the homecoming goal. "I feel comfortable being "home• and just wanted to show my teammates what I could do."

San Francisco took the final lead of the game when the Dons' Meghan Daly headed a pass from Katie Mingst passed a diving right Whitney Peterson with 3:42 left to play. It was just USF's seventh shot on goal on the day. The goal left a disappointing taste after dominating the game offensively.

"We learned a lesson about coming out flat the last two games," said senior Heather Zonker. "We don't win the air balls and we're already playing a step behind when we come out on the field. Today we were winning second balls and getting our crosses off. It's really disappointing to lose this game. They finished the opportunities they had and we didn't."

Colorado continues its Golden State road trip when the Buffs take on Fresno State in an 11 a.m. (MST) kickoff on Sunday, Sept. 9. The Buffs return to Boulder for the first of a three-game homestand when they take on Denver on Wednesday, Sept. 12 at 4 p.m. at the Pleasant View Soccer Complex.

NOTE: Colorado's 11 a.m. (MST) gametime at Fresno State is a recent change from its originally slated 12 noon (MST) kickoff.