Soccer Beats Drake 1-0 in Overtime

Sunday, September 23

Boulder, Colo.

1 p.m.

Colorado

3-2-3

Drake

1-4-2

OT 2

Drake

Colorado

Photo by: CUBuffs.com

September 23, 2007 | Soccer

Box Score

By: Aaron Lopez, Denver Nuggets

BOULDER - The University of Colorado women's soccer team defeated the Drake Bulldogs 1-0 in extra time on Sunday, in the Sixth Annual Colorado Classic.

"They had a plan," head coach Bill Hempen said. "They were trying to defend and possess, and they did a very good job of it. A lot of teams worry about altitude, and they know that if they try to run with us they're going to die. So towards the end of the game they couldn't just sit on the ball, they had to exert some energy and I think it caught up to them."

Colorado (3-2-3) dominated the first half stats, outshooting the Bulldogs 11 to four. Junior Alex Cousins and sophomore Nikki Marshall led CU offensively with three shots each.

The Buffs nearly took the lead when Gianna DeSaverio took a shot from the top right of the 18. Her shot was saved by Drake's Jenny Schroeder, deflected off the crossbar and was cleared away by the Bulldog defense.

Drake (1-4-2) almost scored when Nikki Thaden was left wide open in front of the goal. Thaden fired it toward the goal and past CU goalkeeper Kara Linder, but freshman Kym Lowry was there to block the shot and record a team save on the goal line.

After 90 minutes of scoreless play, Colorado and Drake were forced into overtime for the fourth time this season. Colorado finished regulation with 22 shots to Drake's eight.

"It was just getting frustrating not being able to create offense," Wenino said. "We wanted to go out and win it, especially in overtime, and we wanted take the opportunity to finish it and get it done."

The Buffs got the first opportunity for a goal in the first overtime period when Wenino sent a ball to senior Allison Kidd, who sent a hard shot on the frame, that was knocked away by Schroeder.

Colorado then snapped their scoreless streak when Wenino broke through the Drake defense and in to the box in the 97th minute off of a DeSaverio pass, and put the ball past the Drake keeper for the golden goal.

"Nikki played the ball to Gianna and their defense was spread," Wenino said. "So I made a run across and once the ball was played I was already through, and it was a great ball in the center of the box."

Colorado out-shot the Bulldogs 27 to eight on the day, as sophomore goalkeeper Kara Linder recorded her first start this season and finished with three saves.

"Michelle has been our best and most consistent player all year long," Hempen said. "In extra-time we moved her up to midfield, so it was fitting that she ended it today with that goal."

In the first game of the day between Denver and No. 1 Stanford, both teams were scoreless nearly through regulation time, when DU's Jenna Billingsley buried a goal in the 86th minute. The Cardinal struggled to find the back of the net in the final minutes and the Pioneers handed Stanford their first loss of the season, 1-0.

Colorado will now travel to Wyoming to face the Cowgirls on Tuesday, Sept. 25 at 4 p.m. MDT. The Buffs will open Big 12 action on Friday, Sept. 28 at 4 p.m. when they take on Texas Tech in Boulder.

Admission and parking is free at all Colorado soccer games. Prentup Field is located at 33rd Street and Colorado Avenue in Boulder. For more information, directions and maps to Prentup Field, visit cubuffs.com.