Soccer Holds Off Iowa St, 1-0

Friday, October 11

Boulder, Colo.

TBA

Colorado

5-6-1, 1-3-1Big 12

Iowa State

5-6-1, 2-3-0Big 12

Iowa State

Colorado

October 11, 2002 | Soccer

Box Score

By: CUBuffs.com

BOULDER - Jen Thais had a pair of shots deflect off the crossbar, but it was Fran Munnelly's goal in the 31st minute that proved to be the game-winner as Colorado picked up its first win in Big 12 action and ended a four-game winless streak with a 1-0 victory over Iowa State at the Pleasant View Soccer Complex here Friday.

With the win, the Buffs start their inch back to the .500 mark and improve to 5-6-1 overall, 1-3-1 in league play. Iowa State's win streak was halted at two and the Cyclones fall to 5-6-1/2-3.

"We're finally clicking. We've had the desire to win, and we want to win. We just needed to find a way, and that's what we did today," said Thais, who between her and Munnelly had eight shots, three on goal.

Iowa State had a chance to get on the scoreboard in the eighth minute when miscommunication between Colorado back Lindsey Galas on a pass to keeper Sara Erskine inside the penalty box resulted in a free kick just inside the penalty area by ISU's Erin Weldon. Weldon's pass from Kristina Baughman was blocked by the CU defense just in front of the net.

It would be Colorado who would break the silence in the 31st minute when a breakdown in the Cyclone defense freed up Lindsey Galas on the left side of the box who got past an ISU defender, got a pass off to Nicholle Taylor who served Munnelly on the right side of the net. Munnelly was able to get the shot off while ISU keeper Karen Hasselman was still making her way across the goal line. Munnelly's team-leading fifth goal of the season was CU's first in three games and first at home since Sept. 22 vs. Maine.

Munnelly attempted the hat trick on CU's next two trips down the field. Her free kick in the 35th minute was snatched by Hasselman and in the 42nd minute the ball was mishandled by ISU defender Arlene Samuel and taken by Munnelly who worked her way past Hasselman who was down on her side, but was still able to trip up Munnelly who, as a result, unable to get the shot off from the left post.

Following the halftime break, both teams came out and fired 18 shots in the second half, but neither team was able to gain an advantage on the scoreboard. The Buffs took four shots, and a cross hit the crossbar, in the first six minutes against Hasselman. Ellen Falender's shot in the 47th minute, Munnelly's in the 48th and Taylor's in the 49th went wide. A corner, headed by Falender hit the crossbar in the 51st minute of action then a Tiffany Booth header a minute later also sailed wide.

Iowa State's Kristina Baughman answered with two shots of her own. In the 55th minute her shot to the high left post was headed out by CU senior Meghan Swanzy on the goal line and Baughman took her own rebound for the shot just seconds later, again at the left post, where Erksine bobbled the ball before falling on it for the save.

Ten minutes later Thais drilled a shot from just outside the penalty box that nailed the crossbar and came straight down before deflecting out. Like Baughman, she retrieved her own rebound and her second attempt went wide. She would repeat that effort in the 72nd minute, again it hit the crossbar, but Taylor picked up the rebound and her shot, wide of the net.

"I hit that bar all of the time," laughed Thais.

In CU's attempt to cushion it's lead, Tiffany Booth was fouled by Baughman in the penalty box to set up a CU penalty kick in the 84th minute. Perfect in their previous two attempts, Jen Thais' PK went right of the net.

"I'm shocked that she missed that PK. She's usually so confident, but I think she had those two previous shots on her mind. You just wish she could be rewarded for the effort that she puts in," said Hempen.

The Buffs would preserve the win with a series of defensive stands in the final minutes as the Cyclones came fighting back. The game's last stand, a header by CU defender Aimee Bugay as time expired, was met with some animosity by ISU's Erin Weldon, who was carded at the end of the game for her contact with Bugay after the final horn.

"We didn't do as good a job clearing the ball. There's a time to posses, and there's a time to clear," said Hempen. "But I'm glad that we found a way to win."

The Buffs conclude their four-game homestand Sunday when they host Northern Arizona at 1 p.m. at the Pleasant View Soccer Complex in north Boulder. Admission is free.