Kornieck Scores Twice As Buffs Top UNC In Spring Action

BOULDER – Despite having a small roster of healthy student-athletes this spring, Colorado head coach Danny Sanchez is pleased with his soccer team's progress six week's into spring training. That progress turned into a 2-1 win at home over Northern Colorado on Sunday, the team's second of five exhibition games this spring.

The Buffs had just 12 healthy players for Sunday's matchup with the Bears, but there were a lot of positives in the competition.

The reigning Pac-12 Freshman of the Year Taylor Kornieck scored two second-half goals to propel the Buffs to the victory. Her first goal came in the 47th minute on a penalty kick moments after freshman Martine Puketapu was fouled in the box. Kornieck scored what proved to be an important insurance goal again in the 81st minute. She got loose on a breakaway after a long through ball from Joss Orejel from the back set up Kornieck ahead of the UNC defense.

Orejel said that while the long pass to Kornieck isn't necessarily what the team is working on this spring, the team will still take advantage of those opportunities for the long ball when they are there.

"What Danny wants us [defenders] to do is to connect passes in the middle and learn how to play more, rather than me just booting the ball up to the forwards," Orejel said. "But obviously when it's on, it's on. [On the goal], [left-outside back] Kelsey [Aaknes] and I switched there so I just kind of ran off that and Sarah [Kinzner] passed to me and I found Taylor."

The Bears scored a late goal in the 85th minute, heading in a cross to make the final score of 2-1.

"Just like all teams in spring, you have limited numbers, and we had basically one sub in the second half," Sanchez said. "It was awesome that Kenzie [Tillitt] was able to help us out in goal while our goalkeepers are out. I thought the progress was there [from the first spring game against Air Force]. Some players put in really good shifts. Even though we gave up the goal at the end, I felt that the back four that pretty much played the whole game did a good job getting forward in the attack and staying cohesive. I thought Joss [Orejel] and Courtney [Fedor] did really a really good job in the middle as the center backs.

"Going forward, we talked about our movement and trying to combine [passes]. We scored a couple goals, which is nice, but I think we created a lot of chances that we could have done better with. But it's spring and overall I'm pleased with the performance. UNC is a good team and they had a lot of numbers and have good players."

Both Sanchez and Orejel noted the play of CU's three newcomers this spring. Puketapu is a freshman from New Zealand who enrolled for the spring semester. Cassie Phillips is a junior and transferred from the University of Maryland, while Becca Rasmussen joined the Buffs this spring and has one year of eligibility remaining after serving as a three-year starter at Georgia.

"Off the field they're doing great," Orejel said. "On the field, they're adjusting to the team really well and are [learning] fast, dealing with a new state, and for Marty, a different country."

"It seems like they've been on the team all year," Sanchez said. "Becca did well [Sunday]. Marty drew the penalty on the first goal and Cassie played all over in pretty much every midfield position and everywhere up top and was very comfortable on the ball. She's very fit; she's capable of playing the full 90 minutes. I'm really pleased with them. If you just came here and didn't know the team, you'd think they've all been on the team for two or three years."

Puketapu finished Sunday's game with at least three shot attempts, unofficially, and drew the foul in the box that set up Kornieck's penalty early in the second half. She was also called offsides on what would have been a breakaway midway through the second half as she was active on CU's attack all game.

Phillips and Rasmussen were both key in the team's flow through the midfield, navigating through UNC's defense to find open teammates.

With three spring games remaining, there is still plenty to work on going forward for the Buffs.

"I think we need to be more clinical in the final third [of the field]," Sanchez said after Sunday's game. "I thought we settled for some long-range shots. I thought that our final ball at times struggled. It was better in the second half, but in the first half we had opportunities to break the line, and we've been working a lot on it, but we didn't do as well with that."

"You play small-sided all spring and all of a sudden, then you play 11 on a side against a good team, you can't expect to be perfect. But overall, a good performance [Sunday]."

CU will be at home again on Saturday with a noon kickoff at Prentup Field against Wyoming.

Northern Colorado	0	1	-	1
Colorado	0	2	-	2

Goals: Kornieck (penalty kick), Kornieck (Orejel)
Starting XI: Tillitt (GK), Greening, Fedor, Orejel, Aaknes, Massey, Dalton, Kornieck, Phillip, Puketapu, Varnadore

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