SOCCER TOPS BAYLOR 2-1

Friday, October 15

Boulder, Colo.

3 p.m.

Colorado

9-4-2, 2-3-1Big 12

Baylor

4-8-2, 1-5-1Big 12

Baylor

Colorado

October 15, 2004 | Soccer

Box Score

By: CUBuffs.com

BOULDER - Fran Munnelly converted a penalty kick in the 67th minute to tie the game and Ashlie Mihalcin's header off an Allie True cross in the 78th lifted the University of Colorado soccer team over Baylor in a come-from-behind 2-1 win over the Bears as head coach Bill Hempen picked up his hard-earned 199th career win here Friday in front of 153 fans that held true in rainy, 42-degree weather at the Pleasant View Soccer Complex, almost half the temperature of 81 and sunny in Waco, Texas at game-time.

With the victory Colorado picks up its first conference win in five outings and improves to 9-4-2 overall, 2-3-1 in Big 12 play. Baylor remains winless in its last five contests and falls to 4-8-2/1-5-1.

"This was a huge win. These were two desperate teams going wire to wire," said Hempen. "Allie did a tremendous job on re-serving that ball. I don't think Baylor was ready for it, and Ashlie was right there."

Senior Jen Thais had a game-high, and tied a career best, five shots as Colorado outshot Baylor 18-9, the third straight match that the Buffs dominated on offense, bringing their two weekend total to 46-25, but only capitalize on three of those shots, "In the first half we had a ton of chances, but we couldn't finish," said Hempen.

Colorado had four unanswered shots before Baylor registered its first in the 12th minute, which was answered by four more Buff attempts at goal. Colorado had the edge in shots 11-3 when the CU defense's attempt to clear the ball out of the box fell to Ginny Rosario-Tull who netted her first goal of the season off the left post into the right side of the net over Jessica Keller in the 35th minute.

Maura Gentile blasted back two minutes later forcing Baylor goalkeeper Ashley Holder to make her third save of the game, and made her fourth when Mihalcin fired from the top of the box, forcing Holder to make a diving save off the left post, setting up CU's second corner of the game for a Mihalcin shot that went wide. A Brittani Zonker foul on CU's Katie Griffin with three minutes remaining in the half set up a True direct kick from the top of the box which sailed high, forcing the Buffs into the intermission trailing Baylor for the first time since the 2002 season, despite the 14-4 edge in shots.

"It's important to get everyone on the same page and fight until the last minute," said Kathryn Grandinetti.

Much like the first half, the Buffs opened the second stanza with four straight corners before BU's Anna Schuch shot in the 60th minute was blocked by Darci Smerchek, setting up Baylor's first corner and Schuch's follow-up shot went high. As the clock wound down, temperaments were high as Smerchek was handed the first of three cautions of the second half in the 66th minute while Baylor was simultaneously called for a foul. The free kick taken by Munnelly went to True whose shot went high.

Keller prevented Baylor from taking its second lead seconds later when she fell on a ball as Schuch was about to take a shot, sending the momentum back to Colorado. In transition, Tiffany Boshers was called for a foul in the goal area when Munnelly's header in the 67th minute went high setting up the penalty kick which found the back of the net for the Buffs' second successful pk of the season to knot the game at a goal apiece.

The Baylor bench erupted and was issued the game's second caution on the ensuing possession in the 68th minute. Two CU fouls were followed by a Baylor shot and a Laura Munnelly caution in the 75th minute which precluded two more Baylor fouls in the physical matchup.

Grandinetti drew a Baylor foul on the left flank and True's kick was cleared by Gentry Sharp, but went back to True who left-footed a cross from the left to right post where Mihalcin picked up her team-leading seventh score of the season, first since the Kansas game on Sept. 26, breathing life back into the Buffs in the 78th minute.

Ten fouls were called in the last 10 minutes, six on the Buffs in the closing minutes as Baylor moved the ball upfield with Holder taking each of the kicks to set up her offense which was unable to put together another score as April Robertson challenged Keller as time expired.

"We were trying to keep them from running at us. They got through a few times, but we did what we had to do to win," said Laura Munnelly. "It's amazing with (Keller) back there to make the plays. She comes through every time and its awesome knowing she's behind you."

Hempen will be in search of his 200th career win when he coaches his milestone 350th game against Texas Tech on Sunday at 11:30 a.m.