Colorado
8-4
UC Davis
8-5
Buffs Shine in Win Over UC Davis
April 06, 2024 | Lacrosse
DAVIS, Calif. — A career-high six goals each from Ashley Stokes and Madeline Pisani lifted the No. 20 Colorado Buffaloes over conference opponent UC Davis by a score of 17-7 Saturday afternoon.
Colorado bounces back into the win column after falling to Denver earlier in the week, and with this win they move to 8-4 (3-1 Pac-12) while UC Davis is now 8-5 (1-3 Pac-12).
It was the Buffaloes six consecutive goals in the first half and a 12-2 scoring run between the second and third quarters that proved to be the difference maker in this one.
"Good to get this win," head coach Ann Elliott Whidden said. "We have been focused on this game since Wednesday night after Denver. We know importance of conference games for us. Proud of the team for way we fought today. A slow start on D but then tightened it up and really limited them and helped us regain control."
The Southern California native — Stokes — was a one man wrecking crew in this contest, recording a career-high six scores, all coming in the first half. Her previous career-high was four goals, which she achieved on multiple occasions. She is the second CU player this season with six or more goals in a game, Eve Hritzuk last did it in the season opener against Louisville.
Pisani also earned her career-high six goals on Saturday, and scored four of her six goals in the second half. Her season total is now up to 43, which leads the conference by a wide margin.
She and Stokes combined for 12 goals in the win, the most by a pair of CU teammates since Pisani and Hritzuk had 11 the first game of the season. Stokes and Pisani are also the only pair of teammates to score in every game thus far this season.
"Madeline and Ashley stepped up for us," Whidden stated. "Always takes the whole team to make opportunities happen but those two were focused on the mission, they are leaders for us on and off the field, and were a key for us on offensive end."
Sophomore Rachel Kennedy notched a goal in the win over the Aggies, and has now scored in four consecutive games. She has 12 goals on the year.
First-year player — Aidan Carr — logged 15 draw controls in the win, the third-most ever by a CU player in a single game. Only Darby Kiernan (19) and Zoe McElhaney (18) had more. Carr leads the team with 46 draw controls.
"Aidan was great on draw," coach Whidden said post game. "We needed that today to help us because they made us work on the defensive end. Proud of her and her efforts, outside of the 5 the officials called against us, I think we only lost 3."
HOW IT HAPPENED
The home squad UC Davis started things out with their first two scores at the 13:55 and 13:33 marks of the first quarter. Ashley Stokes captured the first score of the afternoon for the Buffs, Madeline Pisani followed shortly after to quickly tie the game up.
Stokes fired one into the back of the net with five minutes remaining in the first period to gain the first CU lead of the day. The Aggies would not score again in the first quarter.
After scoring twice in the first period, Stokes wasn't done yet. She grabbed the first two scores in the second, at the 12:48 and 11:25 marks, making it six consecutive scores for CU since UC Davis opened the game with a 2-0 lead. The Aggies ended the scoring drought with 8:14 remaining in the first half.
With four goals already, Stokes added one more to extend the CU lead back to four with 3:34 left until the break. She wasn't done, scoring her sixth score to put the Buffaloes up 8-3. Pisani tacked on her second of the game, putting the Buffs up by six at halftime.
Grace Gebhardt scored her second goal of the game to open the action in the second half. Just like the beginning of the game, the Buffaloes responded quick with goals from Maddie Shoup and Pisani once again. Pisani poured on to her teams' lead with her fourth goal of the day at the 8:09 mark in the third quarter.
Emily Dodd joined the fun late in the period, which then led to another three scores from the Buffaloes, ending the period with a commanding 12-goal lead.
It was Pisani once again, earning a career-high sixth goal in the fourth quarter. UC Davis got consecutive scores from Ella Breslin, Reese Loseke, and Rhea Cosand late in the final period but Colorado still led by double-digits. CU would end the game with a 17-7 win.
GOAL SCORERS
Ashley Stokes - 6
Madeline Pisani - 6
Rachel Kennedy - 1
Maddie Shoup - 1
Emily Dodd - 1
Eve Hritzuk - 1
Averi Gardner - 1
UP NEXT
The Buffs will be at home for two games next weekend, when they take on Arizona State and Kent State. The game against ASU will be on Friday, April 12 at 3 p.m. MST. Sunday's game against Kent State will be at 12:00 p.m. MST.
SOCIAL MEDIA COVERAGE
A Hat Trick today, 4?0? on the season. #GoBuffs pic.twitter.com/Ef5SlUkzQn
— Colorado Buffaloes Lacrosse (@CUBuffsWLax) April 6, 2024
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— Colorado Buffaloes Lacrosse (@CUBuffsWLax) April 6, 2024
Three goals and counting for Stokes ??#GoBuffs pic.twitter.com/ZUzI725XXH
Make that FOUR games in a row with a score for Rachel Kennedy ??#GoBuffs pic.twitter.com/2HGIS5mOwV
— Colorado Buffaloes Lacrosse (@CUBuffsWLax) April 6, 2024
