CU Drops Fourth Straight Game To Denver

Sunday, September 11

Boulder, Colo.

1:00 p.m.

Colorado

Denver

September 11, 2011 | Soccer

Box Score

By: Taylor Temby, Graduate Assistant SID

BOULDER - Colorado suffered its fourth straight one goal loss, and was shut out by Denver at Prentup Field, 1-0 on Sunday afternoon.

Both teams saw the game as an opportunity to claim the top Colorado D-1 title after each went undefeated in the Colorado Cup earlier this season. They did not face each other in the tournament, and Colorado was crowned the champion after the tiebreaker.

Coming into the game, the Buffs knew it was going to be a tough road to victory. Before Sunday, five of the past six matchups between the two programs were decided by one goal or less. The last four games have been split with Colorado winning in 2007 and 2009, and Denver in 2008 and 2010.

Colorado got off to a quick start when midfielder Kate Russell forced Denver keeper Lara Campbell to make the first save of the game just one minute into play off of a free kick. Six different CU players would put shots on goal, but Campbell held her own and made seven saves over the course of the afternoon.

After two early fouls on Colorado, the Pioneers were able to find their rhythm. Kaitlin Bast and DU leading scorer Kristen Hamilton found the ball and strung a few passes together before finding an open Kalie Vaughn in front of the CU net. She was able to bury the ball past Annie Brunner for her first goal of the season, and Denver took a 1-0 lead just 6:40 into the game.

"Two [Colorado] players bit on the same player and left [Vaughn] open," Colorado head coach Bill Hempen said.

Vaughn's goal was also the first goal Colorado has given up in the first half this season. Hempen said his team remained optimistic after going down 1-0, though, because the goal was so early in the game.

CU outshot Denver 6-4 in the first 45 minutes of play.

The second half started and right off the bat, CU's Amy Barczuk played a beautiful through ball to teammate Anne Stuller. After some supporting pressure from the Buffs, Denver was able to clear the ball away.

With 34 minutes left in the second half, Colorado got a great scoring opportunity when Russell took the ball out wide right and sent a cross to the head of Amy Steiner who hit it just wide of the goal.

"I don't know if we can get any closer to scoring a goal and not scoring one than we did today. I feel horrible for my team," Hempen said.

Colorado fans thought their team was going to tie it up when Caroline Danneberg kicked a corner to the head of Barczuk with 17 minutes left in the game. The ball appeared to be knocked away by a Denver defender's hand, but no call was made.

CU did its best to score in the last 10 minutes of the game, but could not find the back of the net. Hempen said they tried to get the ball to their dangerous player, Russell, as much as possible late in the second half because she can make the big plays.

The Buffs outshot the Pioneers 11-4 in the second half, and was shut out for the third time this season. It was also the third 1-0 loss Colorado has lost in the 2011 season.

"It's definitely frustrating. We know we have the potential to score. We scored eight goals in our first two games, and we've just got to capitalize on our opportunities," Barczuk said. "We're not doing enough right now, so everyone needs to step up and we have to work together as a team to get the ball in the back of the net."

Colorado will have its chance this weekend when they head to Denver to play in the Denver Invitational with visiting Cal State Bakersfield and Auburn.

"I would expect we'll spend a lot of time in front of the goal this week in training," Hempen said.

"More than [ever] we need to pull together as a team. Next Friday will be our next step. It's a much needed win," Barczuk added.