Soccer Beats E. Illinois 4-1

Friday, September 20

Boulder, Colo.

TBA

Colorado

3-3-0

Eastern Illinois

2-4-1

Eastern Illinois

Colorado

September 20, 2002 | Soccer

Box Score

By: CUBuffs.com

BOULDER - Colorado freshman Neda Talyai came off the bench and scored her first career goal, and the game-winner, in the 41st minute of play as the Buffs ended a three-game skid with a 4-1 win over Eastern Illinois in the inaugural Colorado Women's Soccer Classic at the Pleasant View Soccer Complex here Friday.

In the Classic's opening match, 21st-ranked Denver's Kristin Warren scored in the 28th minute and Jenni Harris in the 66th as the Pioneers shutout Maine 2-0 in a physical match that resulted in six cautions issued, all in the second half of play.

With the win, Colorado climbs back to .500 on the season at 3-3-0 while Eastern Illinois drops to 2-4-1. Nationally-ranked Denver improves to 3-1-2 while Maine falls to 2-4-0 overall.

The win was what Bill Hempen called Colorado's most complete game in his two seasons in Boulder, "It had everything. We scored first, then we lost the momentum when they scored, and we got it back before halftime."

In the offensive effort of the day, Colorado senior Lindsay Galas had opportunities to make it a 4-0 game in the first 16 minutes of play, but came up short only in the result on all four attempts at Eastern Illinois keeper Tiffany Groene.

"You can't teach speed, and the kid can run," said Hempen of Galas' first-half effort. "Something good will happen eventually. But her effort and speed you can't afford to take off the field."

The Buffs were the first on the scoreboard when Kristina Lamberty notched her first career goal in the 19th minute of play off a Nicholle Taylor pass. Almost four minutes later the Panthers notched the game at one apiece when Beth Liesen took a corner kick, originally thought to be a goal kick by the field players and contested by Hempen, which was headed by Rachel Dorfman and finished by Cara LeMaster for her third score of the season. The Buffs answered back in the 41st minute when Talyai took a header of her own from Ashlie Mihalcin for what would end up being the game-winner to go into the halftime break with a 2-1 advantage.

"Especially that late in the half, that goal made a huge difference," explained Hempen.

Five minutes into the second stanza, it was Galas again who took a pass from Jen Thais just off the right post for the shot which Groene was credited for one of her game-high four saves. Colorado freshman Jeanne Rankin had the save of the season when in the 56th minute of play, LeMaster took what looked to be a cross from Rankin's right side of the field but made it's way in front of Rankin who managed to get a hand on it for the tip and clear past the opposite post.

"I was able to get an Eastern Illinois player out of the way and (luckily) got my other hand on the ball," explained Rankin who with two starts in three games under her belt, is solidifying her position as the Buffs' top keeper.

"She definitely got one that she was not supposed to save," complimented Hempen. "It was to her advantage to play at the regional level in high school and she's where she is because she's had that opportunity. She's still sharpening her decision-making skills, but she'll probably start again against Maine on Sunday."

Buff sophomore Ellen Falender made it a 3-1 Colorado lead on her second career goal in the 73rd minute of play. Fran Munnelly took a free kick from 20 yards out which worked its way from Lamberty to Galas before Falender for the score, her first of the season. Munnelly would put the exclamation point on the contest when she score in the 81st minute off a Jen Thais pass. It was Munnelly's second goal of the season, first since the season opener.

The opening match between Denver and Maine started off as an evenly matched contest, with neither team maintaining complete domination. Throughout the first half, the ball was played more in the air, than on the ground. The aggression between the players was at a high as the two teams struggled to get on the scoreboard. In the 28th minute of the game, Denver's offense pushed forward into Maine's goal box, and what almost seemed like planned chaos, Mycheal Movius served a ball to Kristin Warren who managed to get a shot off, which went through Maine's Jen Buckley's legs and into the net, giving the Pioneers a 1-0 lead going into the half-time break.

Going into the second half, DU came in strong and controlled the field, increasing their pressure, and seemed to win almost every 50/50 ball. In the 66th minute, Denver's Jamie Norwood won a goal kick in the air and fed it to junior Jenni Harris who took the shot and scored, increasing their lead to 2-0. Struggling to recover, Maine's Black Bears stepped up their game and brought the ball into Denver's half of the field. Maine left full back Annie Hamel made some great runs up the sideline, but didn't receive adequate balls to finish, but gave Denver a run for their money. In the end, the Black Bears didn't have what it takes to come back.

Play continues Sunday when Denver faces Eastern Illinois at 10 a.m. and Colorado looks to make it two straight when it hosts Maine at noon at the Pleasant View Soccer Complex in north Boulder. Admission and parking is free.