Colorado
11-7-2, 3-6-2
Utah
8-8-4, 3-5-3
Utah Tops Buffs in Finale
November 07, 2019 | Soccer
Colorado falls 1-0 on the road
SALT LAKE CITY – For the second straight season the Colorado Buffaloes will have to wait to learn their NCAA Tournament fate after dropping the regular-season finale 1-0 at Utah on Thursday.
Colorado finishes the regular season with an 11-7-2 overall record, going 3-6-2 in Pac-12 play. Utah made its case for an at-large bid to the tournament, improving to 8-8-4 and 3-5-3 in conference play.Â
The Buffaloes got off to a strong start and made a late push but could not solve Carly Nelson and the Utah defense. The Utes controlled most of the night, outshooting Colorado 16-6, including landing nine on target. The Buffs would only get credited for one shot on goal on the night but had a handful of near misses. Â
Senior Jalen Tompkins finished the night with eight saves for Colorado.Â
How it happened
CU got off to good start on the road. Stephanie Zuniga, Taylor Kornieck and Tessa Barton each registered shots in the first six minutes. As it turned out, it would be the only shots for the Buffs until late in the first half.Â
The Utes took the wind out of Colorado's sail in the 18th minute. The Buffs pressured the ball on a goal quick and got countered back downfield. Ireland Dunn was fed in the middle of the field and used a little hesitation at the top of the 18-yard line to put the ball just past an outstretched Tompkins. Â
Colorado regrouped and had a chance to even the score late in the first half. Senior Kelsey Aaknes severed a perfect ball to the back post on a corner kick. Kornieck timed her jump just right and headed the ball off the bottom of the crossbar in the final 15 seconds of the half.Â
Utah aimed to add to its lead in right at the start of the second half. Tompkins had other ideas. The CU keeper made her best save of the night with a leaping effort in the 47th minute. She made three saves in the final half to keep the Buffs within striking distance.Â
The Buffs struggled to regain an offensive push in the second half, totaling just two shots in the period. Freshman Roo Yarnell-Williams had CU's only shot on goal of the night. She put shot a ball through traffic in the 62nd minute that almost slipped under a diving Nelson.Â
BY THE NUMBERS:
Colorado
Goals:Â 0
Shots:Â 6
Fouls:Â 5
Saves:Â 8
Utah
Goals:Â 1
Shots:Â 16
Fouls:Â 3
Saves:Â 1
Up Next: The NCAA Selection Show will announce the 64-team tournament field on Monday. The show will be streamed on NCAA.com at 2:30 p.m. MT.
Notes: Yarnell-Williams was inserted back into the lineup for the first game since Florida State (missed 11 matches due to injury)…Tompkins continued to build on her saves record now with 359…Kornieck started her 80th career match.Â
Quotes
Head coach Danny Sanchez
Overall thoughts
"When you're on the road against the team on Senior Day there is always a lot of emotions. I thought we started well but to give up the goal early was disappointing, but it gave us plenty of time to come back. Big picture we just did not create enough [offense]. I thought defended well, especially after the first 30 minutes. I thought we defended well as a group and individually we limited their opportunities. But one shot on goal isn't going to get it done."
On Kornieck's header off the post
"Obviously, that would have been a big boost for us to equalize. We still had plenty of time to get that done in the whole second half. Over the last 25 minutes or so we had some good and got in dangerous spots, but there just wasn't enough quality there."
On Monday's selection show
"I think going into tonight we controlled our own destiny and we felt good about it. When you look at the big picture and the strength of the Pac-12, we are in a much better place than we were last year. There is a lot of soccer to be played around the country still. Good things and bad things can happen. Right now, it's just about recovery and getting some rest. It's been a long season. A lot of our players are beat up, having played a lot of minutes. It will be good to have a little bit of time off and we look forward to Monday for the selection show."Â Â
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Team Stats
Ireland Dunn (1)
Assisted By: Kristin Fairbairn
GOAL by UTA Dunn, Ireland Assist by Fairbairn, Kristin.
17:46
