Buffs Fall To Pioneers

Thursday, March 29

Denver, CO

7:00 PM

Colorado

7-4 (4-1PAC-12)

Denver

6-3 (1-1BIG EAST)

Colorado

Denver

Photo by: Roger Carry

March 29, 2018 | Lacrosse

Box Score PDF Boxscore

By: Linda Sprouse, Associate SID

DENVER – The 14^th-ranked Colorado Buffaloes out-scored Denver 6-4 in the second half, but it was not enough to overcome a 6-2 deficit after the first half and the Buffs fell 10-8 to Denver on Thursday night at Peter Barton Stadium.

Three Buffs, Sadie Grozier, Carly Cox and Miranda Stinson each recorded two goals. In addition, Cox added a pair of assists for a team-best four points.

WHAT HAPPENED: The No. 25 Pioneers recorded their first goal of the game at 28:34, but Grozier evened the game at one goal apiece, scoring on her first free-position attempt at 22:41.

The Pioneers answered back 50 seconds later to retake the lead and went up by two at 17:32. DU scored its third straight goal with 9:46 left in the half.

Darby Kiernan won the draw control after DU took at 4-1 advantage. The Buffs marched down the field and Kiernan found the back of the net off a pass from Cox at 9:25. The two sides fought back and forth, but in the final 80 seconds, the Pioneers scored a pair of goals to take a four-point lead into halftime.

After the intermission, Kiernan won the draw and passed to Stinson, who marched down the field to score her first of the day just 13 seconds into the frame. Stinson recorded her second of the day at 22:02 to bring the Buffs back within a pair.

Denver again scored two straight goals to regain a four-goal advantage. With under 10 minutes to play in the game, Cox recorded her first marker of the game at 8:43 with the assist going to Kiernan (8-5).

The Pioneers added another marker to their total at 7:14, but the Buffs were not going to go so easily. Sarah Brown won the draw control and ran right to the net before she was fouled. Brown scored her first goal of the season on the ensuing free-position attempt at 7:01.

The two teams exchanged goals again as DU tallied its 10^th of the game at 5:44 before Grozier scored off a pass from Cox at 5:12 (10-7).

With 4:19 left in the game, DU's Molly Little was given a yellow card and the Buffs made her pay as Cox found the back of the net with the helper going to Samantha Nemirov at 3:49.

It was a battle to the finish, but with 1:55 left in the game, Kelsie Garrison received a yellow card, putting the Buffs a woman down. The Pioneers were able to run much of the clock out and take the win.

KEY STATS: The stats were very close. CU out-shot the Pioneers 25-24 and had the edge in draw controls at 11-9. DU led in ground balls, picking up 18 while CU had 16. DU committed 24 turnovers in the game compared to 19 for the Buffs.

NOTABLE:

Three Buffs have scored at least one point in every game this season: Samantha Nemirov, Darby Kiernan and Miranda Stinson.
Kiernan had nine draw controls in the game in addition to one goal and one assist.
Sarah Brown tied a career-high with six caused turnovers in the game.
In total, CU had a season-high 20 caused turnovers in the game.
Denver leads the all-time series 3-2.
The Buffs are 2-4 against ranked teams this season, which includes a 0-4 record on the road.

TEAM LEADERS:

Colorado

Points: 12

Goals: 8

Assists: 4

Draw Controls: 11

Ground Balls: 16

Saves: 4

Denver

Points: 17

Goals: 10

Assists: 7

Draw Controls: 9

Ground Balls:18

Saves: 9

UP NEXT: Colorado returns to Kittredge Field in Boulder to start the second half of the Pac-12 schedule on April 6, against Southern California.

QUOTES:
Head Coach Ann Elliott
"Overall we got out-played. Denver deserved to win today. I thought they played really well defensively through the midfield. You could tell the game meant something to them. I think we continue to show we have fight and we don't give up to the end, but that's not good enough to not play 60 minutes."