Colorado
Kent State
CU Soccer Using a Mix of Old and New
August 28, 2019 | Soccer
Colorado hosts Kent State and Texas this week
BOULDER – The Colorado soccer team opened its season-long six-game homestand with a pair of 2-0 victories over Drake and Boston University last week. The Buffaloes will look keep its winning streak alive this week, hosting Kent State (Aug. 29) and Texas (Sept. 1).
Colorado had four goals by four different goal-scorers last week. CU's early-season contributions have come from all over the roster. The breakdown includes three seniors, a sophomore and a freshman. The reviews following the Buffs' two shutouts have all been positive, with the understanding there is still work to be done.Â
Seniors Taylor Kornieck and Stephanie Zuniga took care of the Buffs' offense in the season-opener against Drake. They accounted for all six points, registering assists on each other's goals. Senior Kelsey Aaknes netted the game-winning goal from Libby Geraghty against Boston, marking her first career tally. Freshman Roo Yarnell-Williams closed the week's goal-scoring.
"We have a unique group," head coach Danny Sanchez explained. "We have six seniors that have battled through the years. Five of them started the first two games. We have only a few sophomores and a couple of juniors. Then we have the nine freshmen that are looking to contribute right away."
The Buffs started the same lineup in both contests last week. Yarnell-Williams was the lone freshman to crack the opening XI.Â
"Roo was the only one to start, but all the healthy freshmen got some time last week [minus the goalkeepers]," Sanchez continued. "It's a good group. It's a good mix. It's a little unique. It is kind of top and bottom-heavy, but we are excited to continue to see the development."
Freshmen Tessa Barton and Kyla Ferry were the first rookies off the bench last week. Barton was the second sub of the match against Drake, while Ferry was the first forward off the bench against Boston. While not getting on the scoresheet last week, both rookies got a good taste for the collegiate game. Ferry is third on the team with four shots and Barton's 63 minutes places her third off the bench.
The only freshmen that did not participate last week for the Buffs were either injured or the two goalkeepers that happen to be playing behind Colorado's all-time winningest goalie, Jalen Tompkins. The depth available on the bench for CU means that there is plenty of player combinations for coach Sanchez to experiment with.Â
"I don't think anything has been locked in as far as roles and rotations," Sanchez noted. "We still have a player like Haileigh Adams that we are working in basically like a freshman. Sophia [Weiner] and Allie [Palangi] are out with injuries but we will be getting back hopefully sooner rather than later. I wouldn't read too much into the starting lineup or player rotations early on. As we get closer to conference play, there will be more to it. Right now, there are still a lot of roles to be battled for."
Another positive for Sanchez and the Buffs—the moment never seemed too big for any of the first-year players.Â
"All the younger players have all played at a high level in club," Sanchez said. "They have competed for championships and have played against the best players in the country. They are not going to be overly intimidated by anyone that we play."
Thursday's match is Prentup Prize Night. Fans can win prizes after Colorado goals, corner kicks, saves and penalty kicks. There will also be halftime giveaways.Â
Sunday is the annual Touch a Truck game. Emergency response vehicles will be at Prentup Field for kids to take photos with. Games and inflatables will be back for Sunday Funday. The first 500 fans in attendance will also receive free thundersticks.Â
About Kent State
The Golden Flashes opened the season with a 0-0 draw against Cleveland State last week. Kent State had 13 shots on goal in the match. The Flashes were picked to finish third in the Mid-American Conference preseason poll, after finishing 2018 10-8-2. KSU is coached by Rob Marinaro. Â
 About Texas
The Longhorns dropped to No. 24 in the United Soccer Coaches, following a 4-3 win over Gonzaga to open the season. Texas boasts an experienced squad, returning six starters and 24 total players from last year's NCAA Tournament team. UT was picked third in the Big-12 preseason poll and is led by eighth-year coach Angela Kelly. Â
