Colorado University Athletics
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Colorado Holds on Against Louisville in Season Opener
February 11, 2024 | Lacrosse
Two Buffs Combine for Eleven Goals
BOULDER — The Colorado Women's Lacrosse team edged the Louisville Cardinals 16-15 in their home opener at Kittredge Field Sunday afternoon.
After taking an 11-6 lead into halftime, the Buffs were able to stave off a Louisville comeback who scored nine goals in the second half.
Colorado had 26 shots in the first half to the Cardinals 11 but it was Louisville who dominated the second half, getting off five more shots (15-10) and four more goals (9-5) than the Buffs.
"Good game for us and glad to come out with the win," head coach Ann Elliott Whidden said after the game. "I thought we came out strong and started very well. Things got away from us a little in second half. We know Louisville is a tough team and would make a push, and credit to them as they made plays and put us on our heels. I'm really proud of the team for staying with it and making the plays in the final minutes we needed. They were confident and composed under that pressure. And that was huge for us!"
CU's Eve Hritzuk scored the game winning goal with just under two minutes left, her sixth of the game. Hritzuk made her debut with Colorado after transferring from Northwestern. This is the first Colorado player to score 6+ goals in a single game since April of last season, when Charlie Rudy did it against Stanford. Hritzuk matches her season total in goals for the last two seasons (6) in her debut as a Buffalo. She had four of Colorado's five goals in the second half.
Madeline Pisani tallied a hat trick in the first five minutes of the game, giving Colorado an early cushion. Pisani would go on to score two more goals the rest of the game, a career-high in goals for the senior. She found the back of the net more times in the first half of this game (5) than she did in all of the 2023 season.
"Obviously Eve and Madeline had big days for us," coach Whidden stated. "I love that for them. Great start. But I'd also like to credit our whole offense for doing the little things and creating good looks for each other. Ashley had a great day leading our team, Sydney and Rachel were awesome in the details and our middies showed up and had an impact."
Hritzuk and Pisani combined for 11 of their teams' 16 goals, the first time since the 2021 season that two Buffs have logged at least five or more goals in a game. Charlie Rudy and Sadie Grozier were the last pair to do so, each scoring five times in a 14-5 win over SDSU.
Ashley Stokes and Maddie Shoup added two goals to their teams' total, while Rachel Kennedy also found the net in the second half.
HOW IT HAPPENED
The first goal occurred 27 seconds into the game in favor of the Buffs, Madeline Pisani slapped one in assisted by Ashley Stokes. Kylea Dobson for Louisville answered back with two goals of her own putting her team out in front 2-1 but it would be the only lead they'd have all game.
Colorado retaliated back with a 6-1 run the rest of the quarter. Three more goals from Pisani, two from Maddie Shoup, and another from Eve Hritzuk brought the CU lead to 7-3 after the first 15 minutes of play.
The top returning scorer for Colorado, Ashley Stokes, joined the action in the second quarter. Stokes scored twice in response after Louisville had found the net, keeping the Buffaloes in front. Eve closed out the scoring with her second goal, to give the Buffs an 11-6 lead into the break.
We head into half with the lead!
— Colorado Buffaloes Lacrosse (@CUBuffsWLax) February 11, 2024
Four different Buffaloes with multiple goals ?????
?? 11
?? 6#GoBuffs pic.twitter.com/GiYnd2R1T5
The Cardinals came out firing in the second half, with three consecutive goals before an answer from Colorado. The freshman Rachel Kennedy found the net in the middle of the third, to extend the Colorado lead to three. Louisville once again punched back with two more goals, bringing it to a one score game. It was the top goal scorer, Eve Hritzuk, who showed up when it mattered most scoring back-to-back goals to end the third period.
Louisville managed to double up the Buffs scoring wise in the final quarter (4-2). Eve opened up the scoring for the home squad, extending the lead to four but the Cardinals battled back. They would score the next four goals, including two from Nicole Perroni, before Kylea Dobson tied the game up at 15 with 3:43 to go.
After a huge save from Danielle Heintz to give possession back to the Buffs, it was once again Eve Hritzuk playing hero ball. Right out of a timeout, Hritzuk found the net one last time for her sixth goal of the game, the eventual game-winner. A turnover from Louisville led to CU running out the clock and securing a win in their home opener.
EVE FOR THE LEAD ??
— Colorado Buffaloes Lacrosse (@CUBuffsWLax) February 11, 2024
Under two to go in regulation. #GoBuffs pic.twitter.com/LYRYBsamAC
NEXT UP
The Buffaloes will head to the east coast to take on Penn State and St. Josephs, before returning home to play #1 ranked Northwestern.
"We are excited to hit the road for Penn state and St. Joes," stated coach Whidden. "Two big games for us on the road. It's nice to have this one under our belt. We will learn from this both the positives and areas we can improve and make sure we are ready next Friday. This will be a great test for us. We have to find a way to be successful on the road this season and I know this team can do that."
