Colorado Blanks Utah 2-0 On Senior Day

Friday, November 7

Boulder, Colo.

12:00 PM

Colorado

13-6-1, 6-4-1Pac-12

Utah

8-8-4, 1-8-2Pac-12

Utah

Colorado

Photo by: Chip Bromfield, ProMotion Ltd.

November 07, 2014 | Soccer

Box Score

By: Ashley Braun, Assistant SID

BOULDER – In the final match of the regular season, the University of Colorado women's soccer team won its third straight, shutting out Utah 2-0 on Friday afternoon at Prentup Field.

"It's dangerous when you have a team just kind of playing for pride, and we're playing for everything," said Colorado head coach Danny Sanchez. "But I felt that the players handled the pressure well and did well in stretches enough today to get the win."

Sophomore Brie Hooks started the scoring for the Buffs in the 27th minute to give them the 1-0 lead. Junior Madison Krauser had the ball and made a pass to Hooks who beat the Utes' backline and was all by herself on the right side. Hooks blasted her shot in the back left corner for her team-leading eighth goal of the year. For Krauser, it was her fourth assist, which is tied for second most on the team.

Colorado continued to put the pressure on Utah's defense with Hooks and junior Emily Paxton each sending a shot on goal over the next eight minutes, forcing Utes' goalkeeper Lindsey Luke to make the saves.

A few moments later, the Buffs extended their lead to 2-0 when senior Darcy Jerman scored her second goal in as many matches. The play unfolded as Kahlia Hogg controlled the ball on the left side and sent a cross inside the goal box. Paxton received the initial pass and shot the ball toward the net. Luke came off the line to block the shot, but couldn't get a handle on the ball before it landed in front of Jerman who put a left boot on it and out of the reach of Luke. It was Jerman's career-high fifth goal of the year and Paxton's second assist.

Colorado outshot Utah 13 to 11 in the match and sent nine shots on frame compared to the Utes' five.

The Buffs maintained their two goal advantage at halftime and improved their mark to 8-0 when leading after one period this season.

In the second frame, Utah drew four corner kicks and had a couple chances to get on the scoreboard, but Colorado's backline along with goalkeeper Kate Scheele continue to play rock solid defense for 90 minutes. In the 72nd minute Utah's Natalie Vukic shot the ball from 20 yards out, however Scheele jumped and pushed the ball over the cross bar. Then at the 82:03 mark, Audrey Gibb's shot went wide right for Utah.

"I thought we managed the game well in the second half," Sanchez said. "We didn't get stretched. We played smart. I felt once again that our back four and Morgan [Stanton] and Kate [Scheele] were just fantastic, really limiting [Utah's] opportunities."

Scheele was credited with five saves in the contest and earned her 10th clean sheet of the year, which ranks second all-time for most shutouts in a single season.

Colorado concluded the regular season 13-6-1 overall and 6-4-1 in Pac-12 play. Utah has dropped five consecutive matches to end their season at 8-8-4, 1-8-2 in conference. The Buffs' 13 wins on the year is fifth most all-time in program history and they finished with a winning record in the Pac-12 for the first time since joining the conference in 2011.

"I think it says a lot about the players that have bought in," said Sanchez when asked about finishing with a winning mark in conference play. "But I think it says a lot about the administration as well- the support of me and the staff and our players. They believed, bought into everything that we've done and that behind the scenes stuff sometimes gets lost in the shuffle."

Before Friday's match, Colorado celebrated Senior Day, recognizing the careers of defenders Brooke Rice and Bianca Jones, forwards Tori Cooper and Storie Ledger and midfielders Carly Bolyard and Jerman.

"The senior class is great," said Jerman. "Our whole class, we all love each other, we all get along and we all work really hard for each other on the field. And I think that our chemistry off the field shows on the field."

Colorado will now wait to find out about an invitation to the postseason as NCAA Tournament at-large bids are announced on Monday, Nov. 10 at 2:30 p.m. MT. The selection show will air on NCAA.com.

Notes: Colorado's 11 shutouts this season is tied for second most all-time…Hooks now has 22 points, which sets a new record for most points by a sophomore in a single season…CU was 9-3-1 at home in 2014 and 11-1 when scoring first…The Buffs are 7-3-1 in 11 meetings against Utah…Colorado has six conference wins for the first time since 2010 when they were in the Big 12 Conference.