Soccer Falls 3-2 At Minnesota

Sunday, September 8

Minneapolis, Minn.

TBA

Colorado

2-1-0

Minnesota

3-1-0

Colorado

Minnesota

September 08, 2002 | Soccer

Box Score

By: CUBuffs.com

Sept. 8, 2002

Final Stats

MINNEAPOLIS - Lindsay Galas' shot to tie the game with 44 seconds to play was stuffed and Colorado fell on the short end of a 3-2 score to Minnesota, ending their early season win streak at two, in the Buffs first game away from Boulder at Elizabeth Lyle Robbie Stadium here Sunday.

With the loss, Colorado falls to 2-1, tying the 1999 CU team's start to the season, while Minnesota improves to 3-1.

The Buffs found themselves trailing for the first time this season when on UM's first shot in the game, Amanda McMahon placed the ball above and behind Colorado keeper Sara Erskine in the seventh minute of play.

Colorado senior Lindsey Galas would knot the game at 1-1 in the 26th minute when she beat Minnesota defender Tierney Palmer-Klein in the middle of the box and UM keeper Karli Kopietz gave up a rebound when making the save on Galas' initial shot. The rebounded ball fell back into Galas' possession just a foot away, which she placed low in the right corner for her third goal of the season.

Colorado's momentum lasted just six minutes when Minnesota would take a 2-1 lead on a Rachael Roth goal. Colorado's Erskine came out of the net to challenge Roth leaving CU defender Aimee Bugay just outside the goal line, but Roth pulled to Erskine's right and took the shot, which went to Bugay's left and in the goal in the 32nd minute.

Minnesota kept Colorado on its heels for the next four minutes with Roth getting additional scoring opportunities with 11:29, 9:47 and 9:05 left in the half. The first shot came when she beat CU's Natalie Ramello 15-feet out with Erskine making the low, diving save. Her second hit the top cross bar and her third was saved again by Erskine just two feet from the goal line.

It was clear at halftime that Minnesota had the offensive edge as the Gophers out shot Colorado 10-6 and held the edge in corner kicks, 2-0. CU's Sara Erskine had three saves in the opening stanza as did UM's Karli Kopietz.

The Gophers took a two-goal lead when Amanda McMahon scored her second goal of the game with 23:15 remaining, beating Colorado keeper Jeanne Rankin (who had replaced Erskine at halftime) out from the left post.

The Buffs made it a one-goal game when Meghan Swanzy took control of the ball just passed midfield and passed it to sophomore transfer Nicholle Taylor who shot the ball from the left post extended into the right corner passed Kopietz. It was Taylor's first goal of the season, fourth point as she had a pair of assists in CU's first two contests of the season.

In their most physical game to date which resulted in four yellow cautions (three to Minnesota and one to Colorado) being issued in the second half alone, the Buffs lost an offensive threat when senior forward Tiffany Booth came out of the game in the 47th minute with an apparent broken left wrist after contact at midfield. She will be x-rayed upon the team's return to campus and her playing status will be determined Monday.

Colorado returns to Boulder on Friday, Sept. 13 vs. New Hampshire in a 4 p.m. start at the Pleasant View Soccer Complex. The homestand will continue when the Buffs host Mississippi on Sunday in a rare 12 p.m. kickoff.