CU Lax Concludes Home Season Against ODU, Cal

QUICKLY: Following back-to-back overtime thrillers, the University of Colorado lacrosse team concludes its inaugural home season at Kittredge Field this weekend. CU (8-6, 5-2 Mountain Pacific Sports Federation) hosts Old Dominion at 4 p.m. on Friday, April 18. Be one of the first 200 fans in attendance and receive free CU lacrosse socks! Be a part of the EPIC Book Drive and bring a new or used book for kids ages eight and under to the game. Watch the Buffs take on conference opponent California on Sunday, April 20 at 11:30 a.m.

GAME CHANGES: Please be advised of several changes to Sunday's game. The game has been moved from Prentup Field to Kittredge. Due to the venue change, the egg hunt has been cancelled and fans must be at Kitt by 11:30 a.m. (the new start time).

SCOUTING THE OLD DOMINION LADY MONARCHS: ODU holds a 3-9 record, grabbing wins over Stetson, Liberty and Saint Joseph's. The Lady Monarchs are winless in their last four games, though all but their 19-8 loss to then-No. 16 Virginia have been by two or fewer goals. ODU averages 11.34 goals per game, while allowing an average of 13.59. The Lady Monarchs rank 20th in the nation in caused turnovers, with an average of 9.5 per game. Ashmore Standing and Kallie McCormick each individually rank in the top 38 in caused turnovers. Eleven Lady Monarchs have score goals, with six netting 10 or more. Emily Austerberry leads the team with 28 goals, 10 assists and 27 draw controls. Jessica Liberty (21 goals and 11 assists) and Connor Carson (10 goals and 11 assists) each also have double-doubles on the season.

SCOUTING THE CALIFORNIA GOLDEN BEARS: Entering the week, Cal holds a 4-9, 2-4 MPSF record. The Bears will face No. 20 Denver before making their trip to Boulder. Cal began the season with a 2-2 record before going on a six-game losing streak. The Bears are 2-1 in their last three games with wins over Detroit and Fresno State and a 13-12 sudden victory loss at Michigan. Cal leads the conference and ranks 15th nationally in draw controls, averaging 13.83 per game. Bella Huther has scored an astounding 41 goals this season. She averages just over a hat trick per game, leading the conference and ranking 14th in the nation in goals per game. Gaby Christman, Paige Gasparino and Amelia Burke have all scored at least 20 goals this season. Christman has one of the most impressive stat lines with 23 goals, 28 ground balls, 40 draw controls and 33 caused turnovers (she ranks seventh nationally in CT). In 10 games, goalie Helen Hansen holds a 13.07 goals-against average and .335 save percentage.

LIVE STREAM: Can't make it to the games? Watch the live stream at buffs.me/buffslive.

CU STUNS USC IN BUZZER BEATER: As the horn was sounding the end of the first overtime, Sarah Lautman hammered one into the net to give CU a 12-11 victory over USC. The Buffs and Women of Troy were tied eight times, with USC grabbing a three-goal lead on two separate occasions. Colorado scored four of the final five goals of regulation, and Cali Castagnola tied the game at 10-10 with 2:29 remaining. The tie would hold at the end of 60 minutes, sending the game into overtime. As the first three minutes of OT were winding down, Castagnola powered through once more, scoring off a Marie Moore assist 18 seconds before the teams switched sides. USC looked to force a sudden victory period after tying the game back up off a free-position shot in the final 42 seconds. With the last seconds ticking away, Castagnola shot from the left, forcing a diving save from USC goalie Liz Shaeffer. Despite coming up with the solid save, the low shot got back on the ground, and Lautman capitalized on the bounce. One second remained on the board as she forced the game-winner in from just right of the crease. In their first ever taste of overtime play, the Buffs got their fourth MPSF win and ended USC's four-game winning streak, giving the Women of Troy their first loss in conference play.

ANOTHER OVERTIME, ANOTHER WIN: Though the conditions couldn't have been more different, the finish was nearly the same, with Sarah Lautman netting an overtime game-winner to help the Buffs to victory. Lautman once again gave CU its late push, scoring the sudden victory goal to give CU a 7-6 win over San Diego State. With a reading of 34 degrees on the thermometer at opening draw, snowy and overcast conditions seemed to slow both teams' rhythms. SDSU went into the break up 4-2, but the Buffs, who managed just 11 shots in regulation, outscored the Aztecs four to two in the second half to send the game into extra minutes. The Aztecs took six shots in overtime play, while limiting the Buffs to two, but CU once again showed its late game strength. Four minutes ticked away as the teams both pushed for a sudden victory in the final minutes of overtime, and Lautman hammered one home to claim the win.

WHERE THE BUFFALO ROAM: The Buffs are 5-1 at home this season, with wins over Temple, St. Mary's, USC and SDSU at Kittredge Field and their inaugural home win over Regis happening at Folsom Field. Despite a late comeback, Brown handed CU its first, and only, home loss of the year, 11-8 on a snowy Kitt Field. Kitt stands as a proving ground for the Buffs to break records and have program firsts. Fan support is key to CU's home success, as the Buffs rank third in the conference in home attendance with an average of 310 fans at each game. Against USC, 416 Buff fans helped CU to victory.

KITTREDGE FIELD: Kitt Field, located on Kittredge Loop on the eastern edge of CUG's Main Campus, is the official home of Colorado lacrosse. Kitt Field showcases Boulder's Flatiron Mountains and a pristine field courtesy of CUGÇÖs turf management team. While there are bleachers for approximately 350, fans of CU lacrosse are welcome to bring lawn chairs and blankets to sit on in the open areas. Amenities for Colorado lacrosse fans include concessions, bathrooms and free game programs. Free parking is available in Lot 416 beginning an hour before first draw. For more information, including a parking map and directions, please visit http://buffs.me/1fCNVuE.

MPSF: With a win against Cal on Sunday, the Buffs will secure a bid to the MPSF tournament. Colorado is having one of the best inaugural seasons of any team in the MPSF. With eight wins under their belt, the Buffs match USC's inaugural win total from last season. Cal won 10 games in its inaugural season of 1999 and 10 in 2004 when the team joined the MPSF. Stanford does not have stats from its first two seasons, but went 12-11 in its third year, 1997. UC Davis posted a 19-1 record in its inaugural year of '97, though 15 of the teams the Aggies faced were club programs. In 2004, they went 12-5.

LOOK OUT ITS LAUT: Sarah Lautman scored two overtime game-winners in CU's conference battles against USC and San Diego State to claim her first MPSF Offensive Player of the Week honor. Lautman recorded her second hat trick of the season against USC, first tying things up at 3-3, then again at 9-9 after the Buffaloes had gotten down by three goals for the second time. As the final three seconds of the second overtime period ticked away, Lautman got a rebound to net the game-winner as the final horn sounded, giving CU a 12-11 victory. On Sunday, Lautman scored the sudden-victory winner against SDSU to give CU a 7-6 win. In that game, Lautman netted a career-high four goals and took six of CU's 13 shots. She gave the Buffs their first lead of the game at 6-5 with 3:37 left in regulation and scored the game-winner with 2:01 remaining in the final overtime period.

SUNNY ONE SO TRUE: Paige Soenksen earned her second consecutive Rookie of the Week title after anchoring the Buffs' defense against the Trojans and Aztecs. Against USC, Soenksen had 16 saves and a ground ball. With six seconds remaining in regulation, Soenksen got a save to keep the 10-10 tie intact and force overtime. In the first period of overtime, Soenksen grabbed back-to-back saves in the final five seconds before the side change. Soenksen had 12 more saves and a career-high four ground balls against SDSU. Five of her saves came in overtime play. In the first three minutes of the sudden victory period, she got two saves, including one off a direct attack from the 8-meter. In her freshman season, Soenksen has proven herself as one of the nation's best shot-blockers, ranking second in save percentage (.521) and saves per game (10.5) and third in total saves (147).

GOING BACK TO CALI: Cali Castagnola has one of the Buffs' most impressive resumes. On Friday against USC, she showed a flair for the dramatic, serving as an integral part of CU's final push for victory. With just over three minutes remaining, the Buffs were a man-down and in desperate need of finding the tying goal that could send the game into extra minutes. Castagnola got the equalizer with 2:29 on the clock to force overtime. In the opening period of overtime, CU won the key draw and took its time to wind down the clock and find the right shot. Castagnola was again strong on the attack, scoring 18 seconds before the side change. With just three seconds left in the second period of OT, Castagnola drove one at the net, setting the tone for Lautman's game-winner two seconds later. Castagnola leads the team with 32 goals, 10 from free-position shots. She has scored in all but three of the Buffs' games, having six games with three or more goals.

THE FUSCO, THE PROUD: Johnna Fusco was another key piece to CU's victory over USC. She led the team with five points off four goals and one assist, won three draw controls and was a perfect 2-for-2 from the 8-meter. Fusco has scored in 11 of her 13 games played, scoring four or more goals in three games. The two-time MPSF Rookie of the Week is truly a standout for CU. She leads the team with 43 points, 70 shots and 10 free-position goals and ranks second with 30 goals, 13 assists, 29 ground balls and 38 draw controls.

GIVE ME MOORE: Marie Moore has been an important part of CU's attack, recording four points in CU's overtime wins over USC and SDSU. Against USC, Moore assisted CU's first ever overtime goal, helping the Buffs grab an 11-10 lead with 3:18 remaining in the first overtime. Facing SDSU, Moore joined Lautman as the only Buffs to score. Moore recorded her sixth hat trick against the Aztecs, going 2-for-2 from the 8-meter fan, while winning six draw controls and scooping up four ground balls. Moore, who has scored in 11 of her 14 games played, has 25 goals and three assists this season. She leads the Buffs with 48 draw controls and 35 ground balls and ties a team-high with 12 caused turnovers.

DEFENDERS DOING WORK: The Buffs' defense has been an important part of CU's success. The Buffs have held their last eight opponents to five or fewer second half goals. Perri Baker, Maddie DeWinter and Molly Rovzar are all key parts of CU's defense. Baker proves strong on the draw, ranking third on the team with 22 draw controls. She also ties for second with 10 caused turnovers and has tracked down 18 ground balls. DeWinter ties a team-high in caused turnovers with 12. She also has 21 ground balls and eight draw controls. DeWinter is the only defensive field player to record points this season, netting her first collegiate goal and contributing an assist in CU's 19-5 thrashing of St. Mary's. Co-captain Rovzar also holds an impressive stat line with 14 ground balls, six draw controls and six caused turnovers.

NEXT UP: The Buffs conclude their inaugural regular season with a trip to Eugene, Ore. CU takes on Oregon on Sunday, April 27. First draw is at 11 a.m. MT.

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