Colorado University Athletics
Buffs Close Regular Season at Utah
November 06, 2019 | Soccer
Colorado looks to close with a win
SALT LAKE CITY – Head coach Danny Sanchez and the Colorado soccer team has one final road-test ahead of them before a hopeful NCAA Tournament bid. The Buffaloes head across the Rocky Mountains to take on Pac-12 rival Utah.
Colorado (11-6-2, 3-5-2) has become accustomed to closing the season with the Utes. The two teams have played the regular-season finale every year since joining the Pac-12 in 2011. The Buffs boast an 8-5-2 all-time record against Utah (. But it was the Utes who earned the 1-0 win last year in Boulder, a verdict that contributed to keeping Colorado on the outside of the NCAA Tournament.
A feeling that has not been forgotten.
"I think everybody who was on the team last year still has a little bit of that sour taste in their mouth," senior goalkeeper Jalen Tompkins explained. "Especially, the senior class. I think we all just want to go out [with a tournament bid] – I know everybody wants it for the seniors which is awesome. It means a lot to me personally. We just want to go out and get that little bit of revenge and try to guarantee postseason play. That's been a goal of mine. It's been the goal of the whole team. We're just trying to go out there and work hard, play for each other and end on a positive note."
Colorado is on the tail end of a three-game road trip. Colorado had a pair of matches last week on the road against top RPI teams. CU picked up a 1-0 win thanks to Hannah Sharts' first career goal at No. 21 Washington to start last week. Colorado came up short at Washington State to close the week.
"We got the result against Washington which was great," Tompkins continued. "Washington State didn't go as well [for us]. But we have everything to play for against Utah and the coaches are keeping us positive. I think we're all just trying to take the positives from last week and go get the win and hopefully host."
CU starts the final week of the regular season with an RPI of 31. The Buffs have played against eight top-55 RPI teams, including Stanford (1), Florida State (3), Southern California (7) and UCLA (8). The Buffs got a boost last week against Washington who had an RPI of 10 before the match.
The Buffs are primed and focused for Thursday, not wanting to relive last year's snub.
"It's always a little more fun to go out and play when you have a little bit more to play for," Tompkins added. "It just brings us up an extra level. I think we're going to go out and give it our all and hopefully get that result."
Thursday's match will be broadcast on the Pac-12 Networks. Krista Blunk will have the call at 7 p.m. MT.
