Buffs' Ride Comes to an End in Sweet 16

Sunday, November 23

East Lansing, MI

11 a.m.

Colorado

17-4-3, 8-1-2

Michigan State

15-3-6, 7-1-3

Colorado

Michigan State

Photo by: CUBuffs.com

November 23, 2025 | Soccer

Box Score Box Score (PDF)

A second-half penalty kick ends CU's NCAA Tournament run

By: Seth Pringle, Athletic Communications

EAST LANSING, Mich. — The No. 12-ranked Colorado soccer team had its run in the NCAA Tournament come to a halt with a 2-1 loss to No. 9-ranked Michigan State at DeMartin Field on Sunday.

Colorado (17-4-3) finished the season with the most wins, goals (59), assists (66) and points (184) in program history. CU recorded two NCAA Tournament wins and advanced to the Sweet 16 for just the third time in 15 NCAA Tournament appearances.

In a rematch from the season-opener, it was Michigan State (15-3-6) that struck first in the opening minute and forced the Buffs to play from behind for a large portion of the first half. Bella Najera scored both goals for the Spartans, the winner coming on a penalty, to advance to their first Elite Eight in program history.

"It was a great match, everything you expected out of a Sweet 16," head coach Danny Sanchez expressed after the loss. "Like I told the team afterwards, I'm really proud of how they responded after giving up that early goal. We didn't hang our heads. I thought we changed things up. We started playing well, and it was a deserved goal to get to 1-1 at halftime. The second half was a match that could have gone either way. Unfortunately, it didn't fall for us today, but that doesn't take away from the five great seniors that put us in this position."

Faith Leyba scored the lone goal for the Buffs, notching her third goal in her last four matches. Senior goalkeeper Jordan Nytes, in what proved to be her final match as a Buff, made five saves in the opening half and finished the day with seven total stops.

"Jordi is the best keeper in the country, and she made a couple of saves that she needed to make," Sanchez continued. "I think their movement in the midfield was really good. I thought for the most part, we did an ok job with it. Obviously, disappointed to lose on a penalty like that, but that's soccer."

How it Happened
MSU struck paydirt right from the start. Sophia Beerworth slipped a pass into an open cushion inside the CU 18-yard box, and Najera was there for the finish 46 seconds into play.

The Spartans continued to push early in the first half, forcing Nytes to make a potential game-saving save in the 4th minute when Renee Watson took a shot from point-blank distance. Nytes made five saves in the first 11 minutes as the MSU attack was relentless early on.

"You could tell that every single player on our team just wanted it," Regan Kotschau said about going down early. "I think we just needed to keep that composure and not kind of lose ourselves. It's had to do that when you're chasing a goal and time is running out. I feel like we made what we had work."

The Buffs began to settle in as the game progressed, and an Ava Priest flip-throw to Jace Holley in the 19th minute almost paid dividends. Holley sent the ball across the goal box, and Hope Leyba tried for a header that she just missed connecting with. A few moments later, Vivi Zacarias was on the back end of the CU's first corner kick and found Leyba for a header on net for the Buffs in the 25th minute.

The Buffs were outshot 6-1 and trailed in corner opportunities 5-1 in the game's first 25 minutes. But CU's second corner chance of the afternoon came in the 32nd minute and Ava Priest served a beauty of a ball that F. Leyba threaded through traffic and past MSU's Noelle Henning to tie the match up at 1-1 in the 33rd minute.

"Like I always say, 'If you're going to give up a goal, give up a goal in the first 45 seconds," Sanchez joked. "That gives you 89 minutes and 15 seconds to get back into it. It's disappointing, you know, but, like I said, we could have folded up the tent, but we kept battling and got a well-deserved equalizer and put ourselves back in the match."

Nytes again turned aside the Spartans early on in the second half, stopping Kennedy Bell on a one-on-one situation in the 50th minute. Six minutes later, Colorado was called for a foul on the edge of the penalty area. After video review, it was determined to be inside the box, awarding MSU a penalty kick that Najera converted in the 56th minute.

Trailing by a goal, the Buffs were forced to press the issue the rest of the afternoon, but couldn't find a second equalizer. Senior Emerson Layne put a shot on goal from distance in the 58th minute that was saved aside, and H. Leyba just missed from in close in the 86th minute.

"I told the team after the match, 'The further you go, the more it hurts," Sanchez explained. "That's ok. There are 350 teams in the country that would love to have the opportunity to play in this match, and it didn't go our way today, but we're excited for the future of Buff soccer."

Notes
Sunday was the final game for seniors Nytes, Layne, Greer Maguire, Josie Master and Mallory Allen…Nytes ends her CU career with the most shutouts (26), second-most wins (42) and third-most saves (295) in three seasons at Colorado…Hope Leyba set school records for goals (22) and points (45) in a season…Layne finished the year tied for the most assists in a single season at CU with 10…18 different Buffs contributed with at least one point this season.

For more information on Colorado Soccer, please visit cubuffs.com/soccer. Fans of the Buffs can follow @cubuffssoccer on Instagram, X, TikTok and Facebook.