Soccer Edges TTU 3-2 In Big 12 Play

Friday, August 29

Lubbock, Texas

6 p.m.

Colorado

1-1-1, 1-0-0Big 12

Texas Tech

1-1-0, 0-1-0Big 12

Colorado

Texas Tech

Photo by: Tony Harman

August 29, 2008 | Soccer

Box Score

By: Allie Musso, Assistant SID

LUBBOCK - The University of Colorado women's soccer team battled for 90 minutes in the rain and wind and managed to come away with a 3-2 victory over Texas Tech here Friday night.

With the win, Colorado improves to 1-1-1, 1-0-0 Big 12 and sits in first place in the Big 12, while Texas Tech falls to 1-1-0, 0-1-0 Big 12. The win also marked head coach Bill Hempen's 80th career win at the head of the Colorado program.

After two consecutive games with a number of scoring opportunities but only one goal under their belts, the Buffs turned things around against the Red Raiders and their intensity and hard work paid off.

Junior forward Nikki Marshall recorded her first goal of the season to give the Buffs the 1-0 lead early in the first half. Freshman Kelly Butler sent a perfect cross into the Red Raider territory and after the ball took a few bounces around the defense, Marshall was on the receiving end and blasted a shot into the back of the net for the lead.

"The game started out pretty chaotic with the weather but we came out strong like always and this time we actually scored," said Hempen.

After the goal, the two teams were pulled off of the field for about 40 minutes due to a lightning and rain delay. Once they returned to the field to finish up the half, TTU came back looking to even things out. The Red Raiders scored two goals and took the lead in a span of five minutes, taking the 2-1 lead into halftime.

Despite surrendering the lead, the Buffaloes proved that they weren't going to let up. CU was awarded back to back corners and freshman Caroline Danneberg lined up to take the second kick. Danneberg sent a ball into the penalty box and fellow freshman Kelly Butler extended up over the TTU defense and headed in the game-tying goal, recording her first career goal for the Buffs.

"I am so proud of the freshmen today," said Marshall. "They were incredible tonight. Kelly (Butler) worked harder than ever today and they were just phenomenal."

With four minutes left to play and the game tied at 2-2, another Buffalo freshman would step up for Colorado when they needed it the most. Kate Russell broke through the defense on the right side and blasted a hard-hit shot toward the Texas Tech goal and with the wet turf and the pack of players in front of the goal, the ball rolled over the line for the 3-2 Buffalo win. The goal marked Russell's second on the year.

"It was an intense game on both sides, with both of the coaches and the players," said Marshall. "We had to match that intensity and it made it that much more exciting to come out with the win. Scoring three goals was great, especially after scoring only one goal in two games and we hope this opens the offense up for us."

"We were a much better soccer team in the second half," said Hempen. "We held the ball and kept the pressure on them. We survived it and we're in first place in the Big 12."

Colorado will return home and take on the University of San Francisco on Sunday, Aug. 31 at 1 p.m. at Prentup Field. As always, admission and parking are free.