Colorado University Athletics
Friday, October 21
Berkeley, Calif.
4:00 P.M.
Colorado
4-9-2, 1-5-1Pac-12
1
at
0
California
10-4-2, 3-2-2Pac-12
1
2
F
Colorado
0
1
1
California
0
0
0
Photo by: Tony Harman
Hughes' Goal Lifts Buffs For First Conference Win
October 21, 2011 | Soccer
BERKELEY, Calif. - Colorado goalkeeper Kayla Millar made six saves and sophomore Hayley Hughes scored the go-ahead goal to lift the Buffs 1-0 over California on Friday afternoon.
It was Colorado's first Pac-12 Conference win, and it improved the team to 4-9-2 overall (1-5-1 Pac-12). California suffered just its fourth loss of the season, and dropped to 10-4-2 overall (3-2-2 Pac-12).
"We know how hard [our team has] worked," said acting head coach Chris Gnehm. "It was a relief for them to finally get that validation for their work."
The Buffs had a different look when they took the pitch. Kayla Millar replaced an injured Annie Brunner as the starting keeper for Colorado, and assistant coach Chris Gnehm served as acting head coach for the Buffs.
"I was kind of ready to go in because I had trained all week by myself because I knew about Annie's injury," said Millar. "I knew this was the game I'd probably go in."
Just 48 seconds into the game, California tested Millar. Forward Mekenna DeBack got a shot off for Cal, but Millar was able to make the save.
"Kayla played an unbelievable game," said Gnehm. "She had to make a number of saves. She just stepped up when the team needed her most and had a great game."
The Golden Bears would take four more shots before the Buffs came alive. Sophomore and CU leading scorer Anne Stuller had her shot blocked in the 12th minute, but she didn't back down. Stuller led the Buffs with two shots in the first half. She also played defense for the second consecutive week.
Despite being outshot 10-5 in the first 45 minutes, Millar stood strong in net and made four saves. The two competitors entered halftime sitting at a 0-0 tie.
"I think the second half we came out knowing how hard we were working. We were confident in our abilities," said Millar.
Colorado seemed revived when they hit the field for the start of the second half. After Cal got a shot off wide, CU earned two corner kicks. Senior Kate Russell booted the balls to CU players both times, and Maggi Steury and Lizzy Herzl and Stuller all found scoring chances.
The Buffaloes continued to work hard, and didn't back down. In the 62nd minute, their efforts were rewarded when sophomore Hayley Hughes scored to give her team a 1-0 lead. It was Hughes' third goal of the season and her first since the Colorado Cup.
"The ball was played over the top," said Gnehm. "Hayley outran the defender, and that's the reason we put her up top today. She got in and scored a great goal."
Cal responded and drove the ball back down to Colorado's defensive end. Golden Bear Samantha Walker put a hard shot on goal and Millar deflected the ball off the crossbar, only for it to bounce back to Cal's Grace Leer's whose shot also hit the crossbar.
California continued to put the pressure on the Buffs, but CU held strong. In the 70th minute, Cal took three straight corner kicks, but the Colorado defense prevented any shots from being taken.
"I was pretty confident because our defense was playing great. Our defense was stopping a lot of shots, too, before they even got to me," said Millar.
As the clock ticked down, the Buffs knew they were close to a huge victory.
"[Cal] had a shot with seven seconds left [because the refs] called a hand ball. Everybody just tried to clear the ball out," Gnehm said.
Millar and the CU defense did their jobs, and in the end, Cal's 20 shots and 11 corner kicks were not enough to tie the game. CU emerged with a 1-0 win, and it couldn't have been sweeter.
"The team is awesome. They have, at every turn, had the same mentality. Everything that comes their way, they're ready," said Gnehm. "Whatever it is, they have the will to succeed. They're a resilient group," he added.
Colorado will next head to Palo Alto, Calif., to take on No. 1 Stanford on Sunday, Oct. 23. Kickoff is scheduled for 1 p.m. MST.
It was Colorado's first Pac-12 Conference win, and it improved the team to 4-9-2 overall (1-5-1 Pac-12). California suffered just its fourth loss of the season, and dropped to 10-4-2 overall (3-2-2 Pac-12).
"We know how hard [our team has] worked," said acting head coach Chris Gnehm. "It was a relief for them to finally get that validation for their work."
The Buffs had a different look when they took the pitch. Kayla Millar replaced an injured Annie Brunner as the starting keeper for Colorado, and assistant coach Chris Gnehm served as acting head coach for the Buffs.
"I was kind of ready to go in because I had trained all week by myself because I knew about Annie's injury," said Millar. "I knew this was the game I'd probably go in."
Just 48 seconds into the game, California tested Millar. Forward Mekenna DeBack got a shot off for Cal, but Millar was able to make the save.
"Kayla played an unbelievable game," said Gnehm. "She had to make a number of saves. She just stepped up when the team needed her most and had a great game."
The Golden Bears would take four more shots before the Buffs came alive. Sophomore and CU leading scorer Anne Stuller had her shot blocked in the 12th minute, but she didn't back down. Stuller led the Buffs with two shots in the first half. She also played defense for the second consecutive week.
Despite being outshot 10-5 in the first 45 minutes, Millar stood strong in net and made four saves. The two competitors entered halftime sitting at a 0-0 tie.
"I think the second half we came out knowing how hard we were working. We were confident in our abilities," said Millar.
Colorado seemed revived when they hit the field for the start of the second half. After Cal got a shot off wide, CU earned two corner kicks. Senior Kate Russell booted the balls to CU players both times, and Maggi Steury and Lizzy Herzl and Stuller all found scoring chances.
The Buffaloes continued to work hard, and didn't back down. In the 62nd minute, their efforts were rewarded when sophomore Hayley Hughes scored to give her team a 1-0 lead. It was Hughes' third goal of the season and her first since the Colorado Cup.
"The ball was played over the top," said Gnehm. "Hayley outran the defender, and that's the reason we put her up top today. She got in and scored a great goal."
Cal responded and drove the ball back down to Colorado's defensive end. Golden Bear Samantha Walker put a hard shot on goal and Millar deflected the ball off the crossbar, only for it to bounce back to Cal's Grace Leer's whose shot also hit the crossbar.
California continued to put the pressure on the Buffs, but CU held strong. In the 70th minute, Cal took three straight corner kicks, but the Colorado defense prevented any shots from being taken.
"I was pretty confident because our defense was playing great. Our defense was stopping a lot of shots, too, before they even got to me," said Millar.
As the clock ticked down, the Buffs knew they were close to a huge victory.
"[Cal] had a shot with seven seconds left [because the refs] called a hand ball. Everybody just tried to clear the ball out," Gnehm said.
Millar and the CU defense did their jobs, and in the end, Cal's 20 shots and 11 corner kicks were not enough to tie the game. CU emerged with a 1-0 win, and it couldn't have been sweeter.
"The team is awesome. They have, at every turn, had the same mentality. Everything that comes their way, they're ready," said Gnehm. "Whatever it is, they have the will to succeed. They're a resilient group," he added.
Colorado will next head to Palo Alto, Calif., to take on No. 1 Stanford on Sunday, Oct. 23. Kickoff is scheduled for 1 p.m. MST.
Team Stats
CU
CAL
Goals
1
0
Shots
10
20
Shots on Goal
3
6
Saves
6
2
Corners
6
11
Fouls
5
6
Scoring Plays
Hughes, Hayley (3)
61:55
Game Leaders
Shots
2
SOG
1
Goals
1
Assists
0
Shots
3
SOG
1
Goals
0
Assists
0
Shots
2
SOG
1
Goals
0
Assists
0
Shots
1
SOG
0
Goals
0
Assists
0
Players Mentioned
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