Colorado University Athletics
Saturday, September 28
Boulder, Colo.
1:00 PM
Colorado
8-2-0, 0-1-0Pac-12
0
vs
2
Stanford
8-0-1, 1-0-0Pac-12
1
2
F
Stanford
0
2
2
Colorado
0
0
0
Photo by: CUBuffs.com
Buffs Battle No. 2 Stanford, Fall 2-0 In Pac-12 Opener
September 28, 2013 | Soccer
BOULDER – The University of Colorado soccer team held No. 2 Stanford scoreless for 56 minutes, but two second half goals gave the Cardinal the 2-0 edge here Saturday.
The Buffaloes (8-2 overall, 0-1 Pac-12) are still searching for their first Pac-12 Conference victory at Prentup Field. A crowd of 1,504 fans helped keep the Buffs in the game for the full 90 minutes. The crowd is the 10th largest Prentup Field has seen, and the 13th largest in program history. All three of the Buffs' home games against Stanford rank in the top 21 largest crowds.
The Buffs have fallen just twice this season, with both of CU's defeats coming to ranked opponents. CU fell to then-ranked No. 16 Denver earlier in the season, breaking the team's record-setting six match win streak to open the season.
Stanford (8-0-1 overall, 1-0 Pac-12) extends its conference win streak to 43 games. The Cardinal has won 23 consecutive conference road matches and remains unbeaten in the past 13 conference openers (11-0-2).
"You don't learn anything about yourself, like I told them, unless you play the top teams and get put in those situations and then you see how you react," CU head coach Danny Sanchez said. "When it's difficult you can kind of rise to it and I felt we did it in spurts. We didn't give up a lot and had some decent chances on the other end so it's a better feeling for me because it's disappointment that maybe we could've gotten something out of it."
Entering the game, both teams averaged over 20 shots per game (with the Buffs outshooting the Cardinal 21.4 to 20.5). Both teams' total shots rank in the top two in the Pac-12. While both squads are strong on the attack, they also dominate the offense, ranking in the top five in the Pac-12 in goals allowed (both allowed just five entering the game), shutouts and goals-against average.
Both teams tried to control the tempo early, but defense was the name of the game, especially in the first half. Both teams took just three shots apiece in the opening 45 minutes. Stanford got an upper hand in the second half, outshooting Colorado nine to five, and netting two goals.
"Stanford is a very good team and they deserved to win," Sanchez said. "There's no doubt about that. But, the first half you know, the three shots, no shots on goal, but we knew the game would get stretched and once we gave that goal, we had to start pushing numbers and we knew there would be some issues. What I told them is that it's the first game. We have ten more conference games, and no one is more important than the other one. And we have to regroup tomorrow morning in training and get ready for the Oregon schools next week."
After Olivia Pappalardo received a yellow card in the second half, the Cardinal kept up its momentum. In the 57th minute, Courtney Verloo netted her sixth goal of the season off a Maddie Bauer assist. Though CU keeper Annie Brunner seemed to initially have the save, the ball slipped away from her and into the left corner. Ten minutes later, Verloo was at it again, edging near the net from the left side to find Taylor Uhl, guarded by just one defender. Uhl got the touch and hit the ball to the near post to give the Cardinal the 2-0 lead and eventual win.
"Second goal, you know it was unfortunate," Brunner said. "Heather (Ward) is a great player, just had a missed clearance. It's coming across her, you know, that's tough to react to and it just fell right at that girl's foot and she's a quality player, one of the best in the nation, so she is going to finish that opportunity."
With CU freshman standout Brie Hooks (who ranks in the top 35 in the nation in goals and goals per game) sidelined with an MCL sprain, Anne Stuller and Madison Krauser stepped up on the Buffs' attack, each taking two shots and sending one on goal. The Buffs had few scoring opportunities against the dominant Cardinal, but had four more corner kicks (six to two). Â
The first half was a battle of both teams to try to control possession and momentum, though both struggled to get a good look at the net.
The Cardinal came out early, causing a stir near the net when a headed cross squeaked over the top of the net. In the eighth minute, Stanford continued to make moves near the net, with Ward coming up with a huge block on a Verloo shot.
Seven minutes later, the Buffs gained some momentum in Cardinal territory. With Stuller front and center at the net, she crossed back to Darcy Jerman who found Pappalardo on the right edge, but the Buffs couldn't get a shot. Just two minutes later, Stuller got a better look, but hit the ball at the keeper.
The Buffs continued to press the Stanford defense, with Alex Huynh getting blocked in the 19th minute. CU caused another stir after lots of movement near the net. A deep left Carly Bolyard took a shot in the 26th minute, but sent the ball wide.
The Cardinal came back quickly in response. With Stanford making big moves in the box, Brunner hopped on the ball at the left post to prevent a shot. After several strong tackles by both teams in Buff territory and with just 10 minutes remaining in the half, Chioma Ubogagu got an opportunity, but her header went high.
CU got a few more looks, including a hard hit free kick at midfield by Bianca Jones reaching the keeper. Stanford got perhaps its best chance of the second half, crossing from the right edge past Brunner on the left. Unable to get a shot off, the Cardinal got another opportunity off the ensuing corner kick, but Bauer hit the ball wide. In the closing minute of the half, CU pressed the net, but couldn't get a good look.
In the second half, both teams fought to control the offense. In the opening three minutes, Jerman took a close shot from 12 yards out, heading the ball high from the left side. Just 45 seconds later, Stanford responded, with Ryan Walker-Hartshorn making Brunner work for the save.
The Buffs had one of their biggest opportunities in the 51st minute. Huynh took a free kick from about 25 yards out. The ball went high to the group in front of the net. Lizzy Herzl got the first touch for the Buffs, sending the ball back to Krauser. Krauser had a good look from the top of the box, with the ball nearly going in, but was just saved by Jane Campbell's fingertips.
Stanford quickly took over on the offense, with Uhl hitting the ball wide at 53:25. The Cardinal used that momentum to take the 1-0 lead in the 57th minute. Bauer connected with Verloo, sending the ball near Brunner, who just couldn't hold on for the save.
"It was a pretty quality hit," Brunner said. "It had a lot of movement. It's just frustrating to get a tip on it, you know, and then turn around and go 'Dang it.' The thing that was weird is that it really didn't change momentum for them. We still had opportunities, usually you'll get a goal in the late middle of the second half and momentum will change, but it didn't happen."
Colorado got a couple chances of their own following back-to-back corners. Stuller headed the ball right at the net in the 59th minute, but her shot was headed away, keeping the Buffs scoreless.
After taking another shot in the 61st minute and trading off fouls, the Cardinal regained momentum to add the insurance in the 67th minute. Verloo found an open Uhl near the net to sneak one past Brunner.
"When you're down 1-0, everyone tends to get more tensed up and when you're 2-0, you get even tenser," Stuller said. "So, you're just trying to force things and you're trying to do almost too much so, that's the time when you need to talk a step back, look at the clock, notice you have 20 minutes left and there's a lot more game to play."
In the final 20 minutes, the Buffs continued to fight to get on the board. With less than 19 minutes remaining, Emily Paxton was against few defenders and took a close shot near the net, but another defender rushed in to block the opportunity. CU got a few more looks off corner kicks in the closing minutes, but could never find the back of the net.
The Buffs continue conference play and conclude a five-match home-stand at Prentup Field against Oregon State and Oregon. Both games will be broadcast on the Pac-12 Networks. CU faces Oregon State on Friday, Oct. 4 at 3 p.m. The Buffs end the weekend on Sunday, Oct. 6 at 2 p.m. with a match-up against Oregon. Be sure to get to the game early to see Ralphie run!
The Buffaloes (8-2 overall, 0-1 Pac-12) are still searching for their first Pac-12 Conference victory at Prentup Field. A crowd of 1,504 fans helped keep the Buffs in the game for the full 90 minutes. The crowd is the 10th largest Prentup Field has seen, and the 13th largest in program history. All three of the Buffs' home games against Stanford rank in the top 21 largest crowds.
The Buffs have fallen just twice this season, with both of CU's defeats coming to ranked opponents. CU fell to then-ranked No. 16 Denver earlier in the season, breaking the team's record-setting six match win streak to open the season.
Stanford (8-0-1 overall, 1-0 Pac-12) extends its conference win streak to 43 games. The Cardinal has won 23 consecutive conference road matches and remains unbeaten in the past 13 conference openers (11-0-2).
"You don't learn anything about yourself, like I told them, unless you play the top teams and get put in those situations and then you see how you react," CU head coach Danny Sanchez said. "When it's difficult you can kind of rise to it and I felt we did it in spurts. We didn't give up a lot and had some decent chances on the other end so it's a better feeling for me because it's disappointment that maybe we could've gotten something out of it."
Entering the game, both teams averaged over 20 shots per game (with the Buffs outshooting the Cardinal 21.4 to 20.5). Both teams' total shots rank in the top two in the Pac-12. While both squads are strong on the attack, they also dominate the offense, ranking in the top five in the Pac-12 in goals allowed (both allowed just five entering the game), shutouts and goals-against average.
Both teams tried to control the tempo early, but defense was the name of the game, especially in the first half. Both teams took just three shots apiece in the opening 45 minutes. Stanford got an upper hand in the second half, outshooting Colorado nine to five, and netting two goals.
"Stanford is a very good team and they deserved to win," Sanchez said. "There's no doubt about that. But, the first half you know, the three shots, no shots on goal, but we knew the game would get stretched and once we gave that goal, we had to start pushing numbers and we knew there would be some issues. What I told them is that it's the first game. We have ten more conference games, and no one is more important than the other one. And we have to regroup tomorrow morning in training and get ready for the Oregon schools next week."
After Olivia Pappalardo received a yellow card in the second half, the Cardinal kept up its momentum. In the 57th minute, Courtney Verloo netted her sixth goal of the season off a Maddie Bauer assist. Though CU keeper Annie Brunner seemed to initially have the save, the ball slipped away from her and into the left corner. Ten minutes later, Verloo was at it again, edging near the net from the left side to find Taylor Uhl, guarded by just one defender. Uhl got the touch and hit the ball to the near post to give the Cardinal the 2-0 lead and eventual win.
"Second goal, you know it was unfortunate," Brunner said. "Heather (Ward) is a great player, just had a missed clearance. It's coming across her, you know, that's tough to react to and it just fell right at that girl's foot and she's a quality player, one of the best in the nation, so she is going to finish that opportunity."
With CU freshman standout Brie Hooks (who ranks in the top 35 in the nation in goals and goals per game) sidelined with an MCL sprain, Anne Stuller and Madison Krauser stepped up on the Buffs' attack, each taking two shots and sending one on goal. The Buffs had few scoring opportunities against the dominant Cardinal, but had four more corner kicks (six to two). Â
The first half was a battle of both teams to try to control possession and momentum, though both struggled to get a good look at the net.
The Cardinal came out early, causing a stir near the net when a headed cross squeaked over the top of the net. In the eighth minute, Stanford continued to make moves near the net, with Ward coming up with a huge block on a Verloo shot.
Seven minutes later, the Buffs gained some momentum in Cardinal territory. With Stuller front and center at the net, she crossed back to Darcy Jerman who found Pappalardo on the right edge, but the Buffs couldn't get a shot. Just two minutes later, Stuller got a better look, but hit the ball at the keeper.
The Buffs continued to press the Stanford defense, with Alex Huynh getting blocked in the 19th minute. CU caused another stir after lots of movement near the net. A deep left Carly Bolyard took a shot in the 26th minute, but sent the ball wide.
The Cardinal came back quickly in response. With Stanford making big moves in the box, Brunner hopped on the ball at the left post to prevent a shot. After several strong tackles by both teams in Buff territory and with just 10 minutes remaining in the half, Chioma Ubogagu got an opportunity, but her header went high.
CU got a few more looks, including a hard hit free kick at midfield by Bianca Jones reaching the keeper. Stanford got perhaps its best chance of the second half, crossing from the right edge past Brunner on the left. Unable to get a shot off, the Cardinal got another opportunity off the ensuing corner kick, but Bauer hit the ball wide. In the closing minute of the half, CU pressed the net, but couldn't get a good look.
In the second half, both teams fought to control the offense. In the opening three minutes, Jerman took a close shot from 12 yards out, heading the ball high from the left side. Just 45 seconds later, Stanford responded, with Ryan Walker-Hartshorn making Brunner work for the save.
The Buffs had one of their biggest opportunities in the 51st minute. Huynh took a free kick from about 25 yards out. The ball went high to the group in front of the net. Lizzy Herzl got the first touch for the Buffs, sending the ball back to Krauser. Krauser had a good look from the top of the box, with the ball nearly going in, but was just saved by Jane Campbell's fingertips.
Stanford quickly took over on the offense, with Uhl hitting the ball wide at 53:25. The Cardinal used that momentum to take the 1-0 lead in the 57th minute. Bauer connected with Verloo, sending the ball near Brunner, who just couldn't hold on for the save.
"It was a pretty quality hit," Brunner said. "It had a lot of movement. It's just frustrating to get a tip on it, you know, and then turn around and go 'Dang it.' The thing that was weird is that it really didn't change momentum for them. We still had opportunities, usually you'll get a goal in the late middle of the second half and momentum will change, but it didn't happen."
Colorado got a couple chances of their own following back-to-back corners. Stuller headed the ball right at the net in the 59th minute, but her shot was headed away, keeping the Buffs scoreless.
After taking another shot in the 61st minute and trading off fouls, the Cardinal regained momentum to add the insurance in the 67th minute. Verloo found an open Uhl near the net to sneak one past Brunner.
"When you're down 1-0, everyone tends to get more tensed up and when you're 2-0, you get even tenser," Stuller said. "So, you're just trying to force things and you're trying to do almost too much so, that's the time when you need to talk a step back, look at the clock, notice you have 20 minutes left and there's a lot more game to play."
In the final 20 minutes, the Buffs continued to fight to get on the board. With less than 19 minutes remaining, Emily Paxton was against few defenders and took a close shot near the net, but another defender rushed in to block the opportunity. CU got a few more looks off corner kicks in the closing minutes, but could never find the back of the net.
The Buffs continue conference play and conclude a five-match home-stand at Prentup Field against Oregon State and Oregon. Both games will be broadcast on the Pac-12 Networks. CU faces Oregon State on Friday, Oct. 4 at 3 p.m. The Buffs end the weekend on Sunday, Oct. 6 at 2 p.m. with a match-up against Oregon. Be sure to get to the game early to see Ralphie run!
Team Stats
STAN
COLO
Goals
2
0
Shots
12
8
Shots on Goal
6
2
Saves
2
4
Corners
2
6
Fouls
12
9
Scoring Plays
Verloo, Courtney (6)
Assisted By: Bauer, Maddie
GOAL by STAN Verloo, Courtney (FIRST GOAL), Assist by Bauer, Maddie, goal number 6 for season.
56:16
Uhl, Taylor (9)
Assisted By: Verloo, Courtney , Ubogagu, Chioma
GOAL by STAN Uhl, Taylor, Assist by Verloo, Courtney and Ubogagu, Chioma, goal number 9 for season.
66:41
Game Leaders
Shots
2
SOG
1
Goals
0
Assists
0
Shots
2
SOG
1
Goals
0
Assists
0
Shots
1
SOG
0
Goals
0
Assists
0
Shots
1
SOG
0
Goals
0
Assists
0
Players Mentioned
M
/ Soccer
GK
/ Soccer
D
/ Soccer
F
/ SoccerD
/ SoccerM
/ Soccer
D
/ SoccerM
/ Soccer
M
/ Soccer
F
/ SoccerF
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