SOCCER BLANKS UTAH 1-0

Sunday, September 12

Winston-Salem, N.C.

9:30 a.m.

Colorado

4-1-1

University of Utah

3-2-1

Colorado

Utah

September 12, 2004 | Soccer

Box Score

By: CUBuffs.com

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. - Katie Griffin's first goal of her sophomore season in the 72nd minute proved to be the game-winner for Colorado in a much-needed, in-region 1-0 victory against Utah in the final day of the Wake Forest/Adidas Soccer Classic at Spry Stadium here Sunday morning.

With the win, Colorado went unbeaten to win the Classic going unblemished sending Griffin, Jessica Keller and Laura Munnelly to the all-tournament team while Ashlie Mihalcin was named the tournament's most valuable player. The win also puts the Buffs at 4-1-1 in the early season while Utah falls to 3-2-1.

"Two gut-checks for the Buffs," said head coach Bill Hempen on the sweep. "We played solid defense all weekend and we were fortunate to capitalize on mistakes both nights."

Colorado won the coin toss, and had the match's first possession, but it was Utah that presented the first several offensive threats as the Utes took the game's first corner in the fifth minute, and their free kick in the seventh from 20 yards out forced CU keeper Jessica Keller to punch the ball out back into play for the save. Utah's Lauren Fields' first score seconds later was called back due to a Utah offsides violation. Another UU shot in the 12th minute was snagged by Keller.

Colorado's first shot didn't come until the 13th minute, a Mihalcin header off the Buffs' first corner went wide of the left post. But it was CU's second shot that nearly broke the silence. Fran Munnelly worked her way through the game's midfield and her serve to Griffin who cut across the box right to left was one-timed by Griffin, but picked up just shy of the right post by falling Utah keeper Ashley Mason in the 18th minute.

As the Buffs picked up their offensive pace, they would end up outshooting the Utes 6-4 in the first 45 minutes of the game with all but one on goal, forcing Utah to play on their heels the latter part of the opening half. On the defensive end, the Buffs held the Utes to just one shot in the last 23:35, and that came with 49 ticks in the half by Julie Herdic that sailed high and left of Keller who only needed to make a pair of saves compared to five by Mason.

"You're not going to get the same effort every day, especially when the turnaround time is 36 hours. We're young, but we still need to recover," said Hempen.

It was an evenly played second half until Mihalcin forced CU's third corner of the game in the 72nd minute. Kathryn Grandinetti's short corner kick to Ellen Falender from the far side of the field whose pass was headed by Mihalcin and saved by Mason, who gave up a short rebound on the save which was picked up by sophomore Katie Griffin who put the Buffs on the scoreboard with the short shot to the left post for her first goal of the season. The score was CU's fifth off a corner situation this season, second of the tournament.

"I was starting to wonder if it was ever going to happen," said Griffin on her first goal coming in the sixth match of the season as opposed to her first two collegiate scores coming in the second game last year. "But it doesn't matter if I score, as long as I'm playing well. If I'm working my hardest and my teammates are working their hardest, someone is going to score."

"We've got a weapon, and we can use it. Ellen's got a great serve and Ashlie just smells it, scoring on Friday night and causing the goal today," complimented Hempen.

The Buffs return to Boulder for the first time in 20 days when they host the third annual Colorado Soccer Classic Sept. 17 & 19 at north Boulder's Pleasant View Soccer Complex. On Friday, Denver will take on Wyoming at 2 p.m. followed by Colorado and LSU at 4. On Sunday, Wyoming and LSU kick off at 11 a.m. followed by the rubber match in the seventh meeting of the Colorado/Denver series at 1 p.m. Parking, and admission, are free.

"I'm hoping that LSU had the same kind of weekend that both Denver and we had so that everyone has the same recovery issue that most teams have in the third and fourth weeks of the season," concluded Hempen.