Colorado University Athletics
Colorado
Texas A&M
CU SOCCER STREAK ENDS AT TEXAS A&M, BUT BUFFS CLAIM BIG 12 REGULAR SEASON
October 25, 2003 | Soccer
COLLEGE STATION, Texas - Colorado's 14-game unbeaten streak was snapped by ninth-ranked Texas A&M 2-0 at the Aggie Soccer Complex here Sunday, but thanks to Nebraska's loss at Texas down the road in Austin, the Buffaloes have clinched the school's first regular season Big 12 Conference title. A&M's victory over Colorado marked CU's first loss since August 29, when the Buffs were on the short end of a 1-0 decision to then-No. 2 Portland. Sunday was also just the third time this season the Buffs were held scoreless.
Colorado falls to 14-2-1 overall, 7-1-1 in Big 12 play while Texas A&M improves to 12-3-2 (5-2-2). Texas and Nebraska have identical 6-3 conference marks, and on the point system, CU's 22 clinch the league title, as the Longhorns and Huskers have 18 points and the Aggies 17, none of whom will be able to catch the Buffs. Texas beat Nebraska, 2-1, in overtime. Colorado, winning its first Big 12 regular season title in a sport other than cross country or football, will be the No. 1 seed in next month's Big 12 tournament in San Antonio.
"We found out what playing the heavyweights was like this week. We took care of business Friday, not so much today. Today was really about a program with tradition versus a program without. They played to win, to win the conference championship. They've never been there before... this is a different proposition for us," said Hempen. " I should be jumping in the streets right now. The regular season is teh battle, in essence, we won. We lost the battle today, but we won the war."
Much like Friday's contest at Texas, A&M had the Buffs on their heels most of the opening stanza and had outshot CU 4-0 in the first 10 minutes of the game. The Aggies nearly got on the board in the 11th minute when a cross from the left flank from Emma Smith to Laura Probst was shot low from the left post to the right. Colorado keeper Jessica Keller got her fingertips on it, and as the ball was trickling to the goal line just shy of the right post, CU back Darci Smerchek was able to make the team save as several Aggies were approaching the goal.
The Aggies second scoring opportunity, in the 17th minute, was the result of a Jen Thais foul at midfield that gave A&M the chance to re-set its offense. Forward Carrie Berend took the ball up the right flank and her cross to All-American Kristen Strutz just feet from the far post, deflected off the left post and out of bounds.
The Buffs' first shot of the game, in the 36th minute, fell short when Fran Munnelly found Katie Griffin at the top of the box, who served a cutting Ellen Falender who was able to get a shot off as she was tripped up just outside the six. Colorado went into a scoreless halftime, third of the season, second straight. But the first half clearly belonged to A&M, which outshot Colorado 9-1, held the advantage in corners 5-1 and fouls 5-8.
A&M started the second half the way the first ended, pressuring the Colorado defense. In the 47th minute a CU foul resulted in an Aggie free kick just outside the box and the kick taken by Linda Pierson, nailed the cross bar and sailed out. Less than a minute later, a cross from Berend off the right flank was headed by Smith, and again went high over the crossbar.
Colorado answered on the counter attack when Thais fed Fran Munnelly on the left flank who took an A&M defender with her into the box and her shot in the 51st minute went just high over A&M keeper Kati Jo Spisak. Less than a minute later, the Buffs lost CU's all-time single season goal scorer when she met up with an A&M clear headfirst and was shaken up on the defensive stance, but soon returned to action.
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A&M broke the stalemate in the 56th minute when Becky Olson served Smith the ball from midfield to the to left elbow of the box, who worked her way through the Colorado defense and her eighth goal of the season went wide of Keller's reach into the lower right corner. Colorado countered and Thais' shot just a minute later from point blank range was snagged by Spisak. A&M had an answer of their own and Pierson's shot in the 69th minute was tipped over the crossbar by Keller. A&M maintained its pressure and Keller fell on a low follow-up shot just outside the goal line.
The Buffs had a chance to score in the 65th minute when Fran Munnelly earned a CU free kick on the top of the 18. The short pass from Griffin to Munnelly to Thais sailed high. A&M countered with three straight corners and two punches out of bounds by Keller before Probst's third corner kick in the 67th minute was picked up by Pierson off the left post whose shot went over Keller's left shoulder into the upper 90.
The clocked stopped just after the goal in the 69th minute when Ashlie Mihalcin was undercut near midfield by Cristina Echavarry, who was issued a caution as a result of the play.
Mihalcin came out of the game and CU played a man down until she returned minutes later. Following CU's just second corner of the game, the Aggies rang off three more of their own, and getting a pair of shots off as a result, but failed to capitalize on the opportunities. The game's second caution was issued to Spisak in the 79th minute when she and Griffin met up at the ball just outside the six, but was still awarded the goal kick as A&M reset their offense.
In the last 10 minutes of the game, Colorado had its chances when in Aggie territory, but couldn't overcome two more corners and shots forcing Keller to make as many clears in that span.
Colorado returns to Boulder when they host No. 22 Nebraska on Halloween. The kickoff is slated for 3 p.m. at north Boulder's Pleasant View Soccer Complex.
"It's going to be a meaningful game for us. We still have so much to prove and playing Nebraska is another proving ground," Hempen said. "We're going to lay it on the line again Friday."
