No. 19 Buffaloes Open Pac-12 Play Against No. 18 Stanford and California

BOULDER — The inaugural Pac-12 Conference Women's Lacrosse season will official kick off this weekend for the Colorado Buffaloes as they take on a pair of conference foes. CU will host No. 18 Stanford on Friday, March 9, at 3 p.m., and on Sunday, March 11, the Buffs will host California at 12 p.m. Both games will take place at Kittredge Field.

Admission is free, as is parking in Lot 416. Overflow parking is available in the RG Zone next to the Coors Events Center (just off of Regent Dr. and Colorado Ave).

HOW TO WATCH: Links to the free live stream and live stats are available at CUBuffs.com.

ABOUT THE BUFFS: Colorado is ranked 19th in the IWLCA Preseason poll, as well as 15th in the Cascade/Inside Lacrosse Media Poll and 20th in the NIKE/U.S. Lacrosse Magazine Poll. The Buffs are 3-2 to start the season and have won the last two games, which includes an 18-3 victory over then-No. 19 Virginia Tech.

Darby Kiernan leads the team with 23 points this season, 15 goals and eight assists. Her 23 points ranks 24th in the NCAA and the 15 goals is 45th in the nation. Kiernan is averaging 1.29 free-position goals per game, which is 39th in the NCAA, first in the Pac-12. She is also second in the NCAA, first in the Pac-12, with 9.40 draw controls per game. Miranda Stinson is a very close second with 21 points (36th in the NCAA). Stinson has 16 goals this season (32nd in the NCAA) and has five assists.

Kelsie Garrison is averaging a team-best 1.40 caused turnovers per game, in addition to 3.40 ground balls per game. In goal, the Buffs have used a pair of goalkeepers. Sophia Gambitsky started the first three games of the season and has played in 150:00 minutes. In that time, she has averaged a .346 save percentage while allowing 13.60 goals per game. Julia Lisella earned the start in the last two games and has played in 150:00 minutes this season. She has allowed 8.80 goals per game with a .511 save percentage. Lisella, along with the entire CU defense, held then-No. 19 Virginia Tech to just three goals on March 4.

ABOUT STANFORD: Stanford enters the week ranked 18th in the IWLCA Poll and is 19th in the Cascade/Inside Lacrosse Media Poll. The Cardinal owns a 3-2 record, which includes a win last week against then-No. 16 Duke (15-5).

Kelsey Murray has a team-high 24 points this season with 11 goals and 13 assists. She was named the Pac-12 Offensive Player of the Week after recording five goals and eight assists in a pair of wins against Duke and Elon last weekend. Ali Baiocco has recorded 13 goals and two assists for 15 points this season.

Julia Massaro has won 23 of SU's 85 draw controls and has recorded 12 ground balls. In goal, Allie DeCar has earned a 3-2 record. She has allowed 51 goals for a 10.59 goals against average. DeCar has also recorded a .452 save percentage in 288:49 minutes played. DeCar was named the Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Week after stopping 20 shots and allowing just 15 goals against Duke and Elon last weekend.

THE SERIES: The Cardinal holds a 6-2 advantage in the all-time series against the Buffs, but CU has taken the last two meetings between the two teams, including a win last April in Boulder. Stanford won the first six games before the Buffs recorded a 13-8 victory on April 7, 2017, to finally take down the Cardinal on senior day. CU also won the following meeting, 14-13, in the semi-finals of the MPSF Championships on April 28, 2017.

ABOUT CALIFORNIA: Cal has recorded a 4-2 record to start the season. The Bears are 2-1 at home and 2-1 on the road. The Buffs and Bears have both played San Diego State this season. CU defeated the Aztecs 17-12, while Cal lost 11-12.

Kirsten Swanson leads the Bears with 19 points this season with a team-best 15 goals. Eliza Christman is second on the team with 13 goals. She also has two assists for 15 points. Meredith Haggerty has recorded eight caused turnovers this season. She has also tallied 20 draw controls and 15 ground balls.

Elizabeth Koehler has 26 draw controls this season in addition to 13 ground balls and six caused turnovers. Jenny Wilkens has started all six games in goal for the Bears. She has allowed 52 goals for an 8.76 goals against average and has stopped 47 shots for a .475 save percentage.

THE SERIES: The Buffs and Bears are tied 2-2 in the series history, having faced each other once a year since the Buffaloes started their program in 2014. Cal took the first two contests, one at home and one in Boulder, before the Buffs responded with a win in Boulder (April 17, 2016) and in Berkeley, Calif. (April 23, 2017).

THE KITT FIELD ADVANTAGE: The Buffs have done quite well at Kittredge Field since 2014, compiling a 26-5 record. CU is currently in the middle of a 12-0 run at Kitt. The Buffs won the last three home games in 2016 did not drop a contest at Kitt in 2017 (7-0). They are 2-0 at home this season.

PROMOTIONS: The first 250 fans receive a free pink CU lacrosse wristband for the game against Stanford on Friday, March 9.

UP NEXT: The Buffs head back on the road for a pair of conference games. They will take on Southern California on Friday, March 16, and on Sunday, March 18, CU will take on Arizona State for the first time in program history.

HOME GAME INFORMATION: All but one of Colorado's home games will be played at Kittredge Field. Admission to all games at Kittredge is free, as is parking in Lot 416. The only regular season game that will not be played at Kittredge is on April 8 against Arizona State. That contest will be played at Prentup Field, the site of the 2018 Pac-12 Lacrosse Championships. Tickets will be $5, while children 12 and under will be free.

PAC-12 TOURNAMENT TICKET INFORMATION: Tickets for the Inaugural Pac-12 Women's Lacrosse Tournament, April 26-29, in Boulder, are now on sale. Colorado will serve as the host for the first ever tournament. The quarterfinal games will be played on Thursday, April 26, while the semifinals will be contested on Friday, April 27. The championship game is set for Sunday, April 29. All five games will be played at Prentup Field, the home of Colorado's soccer program.

Fans can purchase an all-sessions pass that includes all five games, or a single-session pass for one day. Tickets can be purchased online at CUBuffs.com or by calling 303-49-BUFFS. Pricing for both options is listed below:

ALL-SESSIONS
Adults: $20
Children 12 and Under: $12
CU Students: $12
Per Ticket Fee (Online Only): $2.50
Mail Fee: $1
Print at Home: no charge

SINGLE-SESSION
Adults: $8
Children 12 and Under: $5
CU Students: $5
Per Ticket Fee (Online Only): $1.50
Mail Fee: $1
Print at Home: no charge

CLEAR BAG POLICY
In an effort to provide a safer environment for fans, the University of Colorado will continue its clear bag policy at the Prentup Field for all lacrosse and soccer games, which includes the Pac-12 Women's Lacrosse Tournament.

Fans may bring one clear bag no larger than 12 inches x 6 inches x 12 inches, or a one-gallon reseal-able clear plastic storage bag, into the arena. Fans will also be allowed one small clutch purse, no larger than 4.5 inches by 6.5 inches.

Bags that are not allowed into the CEC include backpacks, large purses, oversized tote bags, camera bags and binocular cases, diaper bags, fanny packs and printed plastic bags.

For more information check out the following link: CUBuffs.com/BeClear.

No. 19 Buffaloes Open Pac-12 Play Against No. 18 Stanford and California

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Players Mentioned

Sophia Gambitsky

Kelsie Garrison

Darby Kiernan

Julia Lisella

Miranda Stinson