SOCCER FALLS 2-1 AT NO. 8 KANSAS

Sunday, September 26

Lawrence, Kan.

12 p.m.

Colorado

7-2-1, 1-1-0Big 12

Kansas

9-2-1, 1-1-0Big 12

Colorado

Kansas

September 26, 2004 | Soccer

Box Score

By: CUBuffs.com

LAWRENCE, Kan. - Ashlie Mihalcin's score in the 70th minute wasn't enough for the University of Colorado soccer team to overcome a two-goal deficit as the Buffs saw its unbeaten streak come to an abrupt end at six matches as eighth-ranked Kansas handed the Buffs a 2-1 loss in what would eventually become a highly charged match in front of 526 fans here Sunday.

The loss drops the Buffs to 7-2-1/1-1-0 Big 12 play while Kansas improves to 9-2-0/1-1-0 in league action.

"It was a struggle to get any real solid chances at goal. They are a very good team. It's so hard to handle them, especially Caroline Smith," who had a game-high four shots said Colorado head coach Bill Hempen. "Their depth exploited our lack there of. Fatigue was a little bit of a factor, but not an excuse."

Kansas controlled the opening half and nearly scored off its first corner when Holly Gaut's corner kick was touched by Rachel Gilfillan before Lauren Williams' header went just wide of left post in the sixth minute. The Jayhawks tried to work the right post again in the 20th minute when a Nicole Cauzillo free kick from the left flank reached Afton Sauer on the far post and her shot was snagged by Jessica Keller just shy of the goal line. But the Jayhawks would get on the scoreboard three minutes later when Cauzillo's free kick at the top of the box was blocked by Laura Munnelly and the rebound fell to Gault who blasted KU's fifth shot of the game through traffic into the upper 90 in the 23rd minute.

The Buffs now found themselves playing from behind for the first time this season.

By halftime Colorado had generated little offense as they were outshot 5-2 and couldn't capitalize off a pair of corners, a set play they had scored off of several times so far this season. The Buffs' first chance to score came when Shannon Kellogg, who had just come into the game four minutes earlier, took CU's first shot from the top of the box in the 38th minute sent KU keeper Meghan Miller jumping to the upper 90 to make the grab.

Maddy Minnis forced Gabrila Quiggle to foul her with 1:30 left in the half at the top of the box and Fran Munnelly's free kick was blocked off the wall. The Buffs would manage to keep the ball on their half of the field as the half expired without a result.

Colorado came out of the halftime break with a renewed sense of urgency with Katie Griffin firing a shot just 22 seconds into the second stanza that was blocked the Kansas defense. It would prove to be the Buffs' last shot for the next 25 minutes.

"They were just all over the park," said Hempen.

It was Kansas that would capitalize on good ball movement in the 51st minute. Their initial combination up the right flank between Jessica Kilpatrick to Rachel Gilfillan to Caroline Smith set up another offensive opportunity when Smith served Kilpatrick on the right side of the box and the cross to Gilfillan was saved by a diving Keller whose rebound on the save returned to Gilfillan who put it away on the second chance shot.

The Colorado defense prevented from being a 5-0 contest over the next eight minutes.Kilpatrick took a Gault serve just 10 seconds after the score and Kilpatrick's first shot of the game sailed over the net. In the 55th minute a Kilpatrick to Smith pass was saved by Keller on the ground with the rebound back into play with Ashlie Mihalcin eventually clearing the ball. Twenty-eight seconds later Smith's shot from the right side of the box ran parallel with the goal line and continued across the box. In the 57th minute Kilpatrick and Smith combined again and with Keller coming out on Smith, Smith dropped a slow shot toward the right post which seemed a score until Laura Munnelly made a goal line save. Munnelly had a second save when she cleared Amy Geha's attempt in the 58th minute. Keller came out of the net again in the 65th minute when she prevented a Michelle Rasmussen score as she was eventually called for the foul after falling over Keller.

The Buffs got a breath of life in the 70th minute when Fran Munnelly's free kick on the right side of the box was headed by Mihalcin reaching the back of the net for her team-leading sixth goal of the season, second of the weekend to make it a one-goal game. The Buffs kept up the pressure as Ellen Falender's corner kick in the 71st minute of action was snagged in mid-air by Miller before a Buff could get a head on it.

Keller would be forced to make three more saves in the final six minutes while Miller snagged a Fran Munnelly shot with 3:45 to play and again with 2:50 as she punched out a Kathryn Grandinetti corner kick.

Billed as a matchup between the league's top two goalkeepers in goals allowed, goals against average and shutouts, Keller would be forced to make four saves to Miller's two as the Buffs managed just six shots to Kansas' 13.

The Buffs return to Boulder on Friday, Oct. 1 when they host Northern Colorado at 4 p.m. on CU's Prentup Field on east campus just east of Smiley Court Family Housing (on the north side of Colorado between 30th and Foothills Parkway). Following a Big 12 road trip on Sunday, Oct. 3 at Missouri, Colorado will host a program record five-game homestand.