Colorado University Athletics
Buffs Release Non-Conference Soccer Schedule
June 07, 2018 | Soccer
BOULDER – Colorado's women's soccer team announced its 2018 non-conference schedule on Thursday. The Buffs will face nine opponents prior to Pac-12 play opening, including six at home at Prentup Field.
CU opens the season with two Colorado Cup matches, including at Air Force on Aug. 16, with the home opener slated for Sunday, Aug. 19 at 3:30 p.m. vs. Colorado State. The Colorado Cup is a competition between the six NCAA Division I schools in the state. The Buffs have won the Colorado Cup five of the seven years since its inception. CU takes on Denver at home on Sept. 16 to wrap up the competition.
In addition to hosting two Colorado Cup matches during the non-conference season, the Buffs welcome to former Big 12 rivals in Missouri and Iowa State to Boulder, along with UTSA and Utah Valley.
Besides the season-opener at Air Force, CU will play road matches at Marquette and Michigan State. The team takes on three Power Five opponents and two teams that were in the NCAA Tournament a year ago in its non-conference play.
The Buffs return nine of their 11 starters from last season, including their top four goal scorers from last season, along with all-region and All-Pac-12 goalkeeper Jalen Tompkins. Marty Puketapu scored a team-high eight goals and added two assists as a freshman in 2017. Junior Taylor Kornieck has already been named All-Pac-12 twice in her career, and scored seven goals with four assists as a sophomore. Tatum Barton had six goals coming off the bench as a sophomore and midfielder Megan Massey added four, along with six assists during her junior campaign a year ago.
Also returning to the starting lineup from 2017 are midfielders Cassie Phillips and Sarah Kinzner, along with defenders Kelsey Aaknes, Erin Greening, Alex Vidger and Hannah Cardenas.
The team also welcomes back three offensive players who sat out with injuries. Jorian Baucom is healthy for her senior season and was an All-SEC performer after scoring 33 goals in three seasons at LSU before sitting out last season with an injury. Stephanie Zuniga led the Buffs with six assists as a sophomore in 2016, before missing last season. Libby Geraghty started CU's season opener last year, but was injured late in the match. She was among the top-rated forwards nationally in the 2017 recruiting class.
Head coach Danny Sanchez returns for his seventh season with CU and has a 70-44-15 (.601) record, leading the Buffs past the first round of the NCAA Tournament four times already. CU has a 43-14-5 (.734) record in non-conference matches under him.
The Buffs went 12-6-4 overall and 5-4-2 in the Pac-12 last year. They reached the second round of the NCAA Tournament for the fourth time in the past five seasons.
Below is a capsule of each non-conference opponent:
Air Force (Thursday, Aug. 16, 6 p.m. at U.S. Air Force Academy, Colo.)
The Falcons were 7-9-3 last season, including 4-4-3 in the Mountain West Conference. Goalkeeper Jennifer Hiddink returns for her senior season after earning United Soccer Coaches third-team All-West Region honors last year, posting a 1.26 GAA. Second-leading scorer Kaitlyn Cook (4 goals, 2 assists) is also back as part of the team's attack. CU is 6-1-0 all-time vs. Air Force, with wins in the past six matchups, most recently a 2-0 victory in 2016 on the road.
Colorado State (Sunday, Aug. 19, 3:30 p.m., Prentup Field)
CSU is coming off a 4-10-5 finish, including 2-6-3 in the Mountain West. Goalkeeper Hunter Peifer returns for her junior season after being named to the Mountain West All-Newcomer team following her transfer from South Carolina. The team was led offensively by four players who scored three goals each last season and all four of those players (Ally Murphy-Pauletto, Hailey Havlicek, Karli Eheart and Caeley Lordemann) return. The Buffs are 2-0-2 all-time vs. the Rams, including a scoreless draw last season.
Missouri (Saturday, Aug. 25, 1 p.m., Prentup Field)
The Tigers were 6-11-1 last year, including 2-7-0 in the SEC. However, they are just one year removed from an NCAA Tournament appearance in 2016. Leading scorer and second-team All-SEC striker Sarah Luebbert (6 G, 5 A) is back for her junior season. CU is 6-14-1 all-time vs. its former Big 12 foe and has dropped the past seven matchups in the series, most recently 2-1 in overtime in 2016 on the road.
UTSA (Friday, Aug. 31, 4 p.m., Prentup Field)
The Roadrunners were 3-14-0 last season, including 2-8-0 in Conference USA. They have a new coach in Derek Pittman, who led Idaho to two Big Sky Conference championships in four seasons. In addition to new leadership, UTSA returns its top two scorers in Ellis Patterson (4 G, 1 A) and Channing Machen (3 G). CU won the first-ever meeting between the two schools 2-0 last season in San Antonio.
Iowa State (Sunday, Sept. 2, 12 p.m., Prentup Field)
The Cyclones had a tough season a year ago, going 3-12-3, including 1-6-2 in the Big 12. But the team's top three goal scorers are back, including Klasey Medelberg (3 G), Courtney Powell (2 G, 1 A) and Emily Steil (2 G). CU is 13-2-1 all-time vs. its old Big 12 rival, most recently earning a 2-1 victory at home in 2015.
Marquette (Thursday, Sept. 6, 6 p.m. MT, at Milwaukee, Wis.)
The Golden Eagles just missed out on the postseason last year, finishing 13-7-1 overall and 5-4-0 in the Big East. First-team All-Big East striker Carrie Madden returns for her senior campaign after scoring seven goals and assisting on five more last year. Kylie Sprecher is also back after being named to the conference's all-freshman team with three goals and a team-high six assists. Maddy Henry started all 21 matches as a sophomore in 2017 and posted a 1.10 GAA and .811 save percentage. The two schools have never met previously.
Michigan State (Sunday, Sept. 9, 10 a.m. MT, at East Lansing, Mich.)
The Spartans went 6-11-1 overall and 2-8-1 in the Big Ten in 2017. Lexy Warner is the team's top returning scorer after five goals and three assists as a junior. CU dropped the only matchup in school history between the two schools 2-1 in overtime at home in 2016.
Utah Valley (Thursday, Sept. 13, 3:30 p.m., Prentup Field)
The Wolverines finished strong in 2017 and qualified for the NCAA Tournament, going 10-12-1 overall, but 5-2-0 in the WAC, and captured the WAC Tournament title for the automatic postseason bid. Four players who earned postseason honors are back, including all-region and first-team All-WAC midfielder Breanna DeWaal, who had team highs of nine goals and six assists. WAC Freshman of the Year Amber Tripp (5 G, 3 A) returns, along with first-team All-WAC defender Hannah Bruce (5 A) and second-team forward Breanna McCarter (7 G, 5 A). The two schools have never met previously.
Denver (Sunday, Sept. 16, 1 p.m., Prentup Field)
The Pioneers are coming off an NCAA Tournament appearance after going 11-9-1 overall, including 5-2-0 in the Summit League. They earned an automatic postseason bid after winning the conference tournament with a 2-1 victory over North Dakota State in the final. Summit League Freshman of the Year Meg Halvorson (5 G, 2 A) returns to the midfield, along with all-conference award winners Hannah Adler (9 G, 4 A), Brittany Wilson (1.25 GAA, .725 save pct.) and Taylor Parker (1 A). CU is 14-8-1 all-time vs. Denver and carries a six-match winning streak in the series, including two wins last season (once during the regular season and again in the first round of the NCAA Tournament).
Full 2018 Soccer Schedule
CU opens the season with two Colorado Cup matches, including at Air Force on Aug. 16, with the home opener slated for Sunday, Aug. 19 at 3:30 p.m. vs. Colorado State. The Colorado Cup is a competition between the six NCAA Division I schools in the state. The Buffs have won the Colorado Cup five of the seven years since its inception. CU takes on Denver at home on Sept. 16 to wrap up the competition.
In addition to hosting two Colorado Cup matches during the non-conference season, the Buffs welcome to former Big 12 rivals in Missouri and Iowa State to Boulder, along with UTSA and Utah Valley.
Besides the season-opener at Air Force, CU will play road matches at Marquette and Michigan State. The team takes on three Power Five opponents and two teams that were in the NCAA Tournament a year ago in its non-conference play.
The Buffs return nine of their 11 starters from last season, including their top four goal scorers from last season, along with all-region and All-Pac-12 goalkeeper Jalen Tompkins. Marty Puketapu scored a team-high eight goals and added two assists as a freshman in 2017. Junior Taylor Kornieck has already been named All-Pac-12 twice in her career, and scored seven goals with four assists as a sophomore. Tatum Barton had six goals coming off the bench as a sophomore and midfielder Megan Massey added four, along with six assists during her junior campaign a year ago.
Also returning to the starting lineup from 2017 are midfielders Cassie Phillips and Sarah Kinzner, along with defenders Kelsey Aaknes, Erin Greening, Alex Vidger and Hannah Cardenas.
The team also welcomes back three offensive players who sat out with injuries. Jorian Baucom is healthy for her senior season and was an All-SEC performer after scoring 33 goals in three seasons at LSU before sitting out last season with an injury. Stephanie Zuniga led the Buffs with six assists as a sophomore in 2016, before missing last season. Libby Geraghty started CU's season opener last year, but was injured late in the match. She was among the top-rated forwards nationally in the 2017 recruiting class.
Head coach Danny Sanchez returns for his seventh season with CU and has a 70-44-15 (.601) record, leading the Buffs past the first round of the NCAA Tournament four times already. CU has a 43-14-5 (.734) record in non-conference matches under him.
The Buffs went 12-6-4 overall and 5-4-2 in the Pac-12 last year. They reached the second round of the NCAA Tournament for the fourth time in the past five seasons.
Below is a capsule of each non-conference opponent:
Air Force (Thursday, Aug. 16, 6 p.m. at U.S. Air Force Academy, Colo.)
The Falcons were 7-9-3 last season, including 4-4-3 in the Mountain West Conference. Goalkeeper Jennifer Hiddink returns for her senior season after earning United Soccer Coaches third-team All-West Region honors last year, posting a 1.26 GAA. Second-leading scorer Kaitlyn Cook (4 goals, 2 assists) is also back as part of the team's attack. CU is 6-1-0 all-time vs. Air Force, with wins in the past six matchups, most recently a 2-0 victory in 2016 on the road.
Colorado State (Sunday, Aug. 19, 3:30 p.m., Prentup Field)
CSU is coming off a 4-10-5 finish, including 2-6-3 in the Mountain West. Goalkeeper Hunter Peifer returns for her junior season after being named to the Mountain West All-Newcomer team following her transfer from South Carolina. The team was led offensively by four players who scored three goals each last season and all four of those players (Ally Murphy-Pauletto, Hailey Havlicek, Karli Eheart and Caeley Lordemann) return. The Buffs are 2-0-2 all-time vs. the Rams, including a scoreless draw last season.
Missouri (Saturday, Aug. 25, 1 p.m., Prentup Field)
The Tigers were 6-11-1 last year, including 2-7-0 in the SEC. However, they are just one year removed from an NCAA Tournament appearance in 2016. Leading scorer and second-team All-SEC striker Sarah Luebbert (6 G, 5 A) is back for her junior season. CU is 6-14-1 all-time vs. its former Big 12 foe and has dropped the past seven matchups in the series, most recently 2-1 in overtime in 2016 on the road.
UTSA (Friday, Aug. 31, 4 p.m., Prentup Field)
The Roadrunners were 3-14-0 last season, including 2-8-0 in Conference USA. They have a new coach in Derek Pittman, who led Idaho to two Big Sky Conference championships in four seasons. In addition to new leadership, UTSA returns its top two scorers in Ellis Patterson (4 G, 1 A) and Channing Machen (3 G). CU won the first-ever meeting between the two schools 2-0 last season in San Antonio.
Iowa State (Sunday, Sept. 2, 12 p.m., Prentup Field)
The Cyclones had a tough season a year ago, going 3-12-3, including 1-6-2 in the Big 12. But the team's top three goal scorers are back, including Klasey Medelberg (3 G), Courtney Powell (2 G, 1 A) and Emily Steil (2 G). CU is 13-2-1 all-time vs. its old Big 12 rival, most recently earning a 2-1 victory at home in 2015.
Marquette (Thursday, Sept. 6, 6 p.m. MT, at Milwaukee, Wis.)
The Golden Eagles just missed out on the postseason last year, finishing 13-7-1 overall and 5-4-0 in the Big East. First-team All-Big East striker Carrie Madden returns for her senior campaign after scoring seven goals and assisting on five more last year. Kylie Sprecher is also back after being named to the conference's all-freshman team with three goals and a team-high six assists. Maddy Henry started all 21 matches as a sophomore in 2017 and posted a 1.10 GAA and .811 save percentage. The two schools have never met previously.
Michigan State (Sunday, Sept. 9, 10 a.m. MT, at East Lansing, Mich.)
The Spartans went 6-11-1 overall and 2-8-1 in the Big Ten in 2017. Lexy Warner is the team's top returning scorer after five goals and three assists as a junior. CU dropped the only matchup in school history between the two schools 2-1 in overtime at home in 2016.
Utah Valley (Thursday, Sept. 13, 3:30 p.m., Prentup Field)
The Wolverines finished strong in 2017 and qualified for the NCAA Tournament, going 10-12-1 overall, but 5-2-0 in the WAC, and captured the WAC Tournament title for the automatic postseason bid. Four players who earned postseason honors are back, including all-region and first-team All-WAC midfielder Breanna DeWaal, who had team highs of nine goals and six assists. WAC Freshman of the Year Amber Tripp (5 G, 3 A) returns, along with first-team All-WAC defender Hannah Bruce (5 A) and second-team forward Breanna McCarter (7 G, 5 A). The two schools have never met previously.
Denver (Sunday, Sept. 16, 1 p.m., Prentup Field)
The Pioneers are coming off an NCAA Tournament appearance after going 11-9-1 overall, including 5-2-0 in the Summit League. They earned an automatic postseason bid after winning the conference tournament with a 2-1 victory over North Dakota State in the final. Summit League Freshman of the Year Meg Halvorson (5 G, 2 A) returns to the midfield, along with all-conference award winners Hannah Adler (9 G, 4 A), Brittany Wilson (1.25 GAA, .725 save pct.) and Taylor Parker (1 A). CU is 14-8-1 all-time vs. Denver and carries a six-match winning streak in the series, including two wins last season (once during the regular season and again in the first round of the NCAA Tournament).
Full 2018 Soccer Schedule
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