Buffs Crush Bearcats, 20-5

CINCINNATI – The Colorado lacrosse team (8-7, 4-1 Big 12) defeated Cincinnati (8-9, 1-4), 20-5, at Nippert Stadium on Saturday, April 26.

The Buffs ended the regular season in style on the road in Bearcat country with four players netting hat tricks. Graduate attacker Madeline Pisani led the charge with eight points (4g, 4a) and junior attacker Maddie Shoup finished with seven points (2g, 5a), and sophomore attacker Jaimey Hill earned her first hat trick of her career and finished with six points (3g, 3a). CU locked in their first 20-goal game of the season, recording 12 in the first half and eight in the second.

"I'm proud of the way we came out and competed," head coach Ann Elliott Whidden said. "We have been focused on playing a full game, and I feel we did that today. We saw people step up in different ways, and I'm proud of our effort across the board. We are excited for the opportunity to play in the Big 12 tournament this week and for another opportunity to compete together. This is a great group, and every day we get to extend our season and be together is amazing."

CU outplayed Cincinnati in almost every category. The Buffs had 22 shots on goal to the Bearcats' eight, won in the circle, 18-10, and caused 15 turnovers to their 10. Colorado also picked up 17 ground balls to Cincinnati's 10.

KEY PLAYERS:

So. A Jaimey Hill earned a career-high six points for the Buffs with her first hat trick of her career and three assists. She reached a career high in points, goals and assists.
Gr. A Madeline Pisani scored four goals and had four assists, tying for ninth for points in a single game with eight. She now has 20 career hat tricks and is sixth in all-time hat trick leaders. She also had a ground ball and a caused turnover.
Jr. A Maddie Shoup earned seven points for the Black and Gold from two goals and five assists. She is tied for third in assists in a single game. The last person to have five assists in a single game was Darby Kiernan vs. Jacksonville on May 11, 2018. The last person to have five or more assists was Ashley Stokes vs. ASU on April 12, 2024. Shoup also had one caused turnover.
So. A Teagan Ryan scored three goals, making this her fifth hat trick of her career, and is tied for 18th all-time career hat trick leaders. She also had one assist and one ground ball.
Jr. M Lily Assini earned her second hat trick with four goals. She is now tied for 20th in all-time hat trick leaders. She also had two ground balls and a caused turnover.
Jr. M Molly Reed scored two goals, had one caused turnover, two draw controls and two ground balls.
Gr. A Kendall Havill scored two goals for the Buffaloes.
Jr. D Jess Peluso led the game with nine draw controls, three caused turnovers and a ground ball.
So. M Averi Gardner had six draw controls and one ground ball.
Jr. D Mack Hanlon had two caused turnovers and two ground balls, and Sr. D Katie McLean had one ground ball and one caused turnover.
Fr. GK Elena Oh had three saves, saving .375. She also had three ground balland one caused turnover.
Gr. D Jordan Johnson caused three turnovers and had two ground balls, and Sr. A Sam Lipka had one assist, her second of the season.
Jr. D Mary Carson had one caused turnover and one ground ball, and Fr. M Jenna Morley had one draw control.
For the Bearcats, Julie Rose had two goals, and Paige Selhorn had two assists.

HOW IT HAPPENED:

The Buffs opened scoring with a goal from Assini, assisted by Shoup. Reed, McLean and Hanlon all caused turnovers in the first quarter, muting the Cincinnati offense. Colorado saw a goal from Hill off an assist from Pisani. The Bearcats put their first goal on the board at the 5:23 mark, but CU put on a clinic in the last portion of the first quarter, scoring five goals in two and a half minutes. Ryan, Shoup, Reed, Assini and Havill netted goals, and the Buffs finished the quarter 8-1.
The Bearcats scored to start the second, but didn't see another goal for the rest of the quarter. At the 8:32 mark, Assini earned her hat trick off a free position shot, bringing the score to 9-2. Hill scored her second and third of the day in the second quarter, notching her first career hat trick off assists from Pisani and Shoup. Pisani also scored her first of the day off a one-on-one opportunity with the Bearcat goalie. Hill's second goal of the quarter allowed Colorado to run the clock on Cincinnati (12-2, CU).
Ryan scored first in the third quarter, carrying on the Buffaloes' momentum to start the second half and recording a hat trick. Pisani had back-to-back goals to get her sixth hat trick of the season, 20th of her career (14-2, CU). Assini scored her 20th goal of the season off a Shoup assist to bring it to 16-2. Cincinnati saw two goals at the end of the third, but CU was still up by 12 to close it out, 16-4.
The Buffs solidified their lead and victory in the fourth, opening with a goal from Havill and another Shoup assist. Shoup then tacked on another goal for herself, as did Reed (assisted by Lipka) and Pisani. The Bearcats tried to put another point on the board, but Johnson and Oh both caused turnovers, holding them to five goals. The Buffs took it in their largest margin of victory this season, 20-5.

UP NEXT:

Colorado will host the Inaugural Big 12 Lacrosse Championship in Boulder, Colo. next week on Thursday, May 1, and Saturday, May 3. The Buffs, who have clinched the two-seed in the Championship, will face Arizona State in the second semifinal game at 7 p.m. MT after one-seed Florida faces four-seed UC Davis at 4 p.m. MT at Prentup Field. The winners of the two semifinals will go head-to-head on Saturday at 1 p.m. MT at Prentup. Fans can watch the games on ESPN+ and can follow along via Twitter @CUBuffsWLAX.

MATCH NOTES:

CU moves to 130-74 (.637) all-time and 3-2 on the road this season.
The Buffs record their first win over the Bearcats and move to 30-8 (.790) against current Big 12 teams and 68-27 (.716) against conference opponents.
Colorado will be in its 12th postseason conference tournament in 12 years next week as the two-seed in the Inaugural Big 12 Lacrosse Championship.

For more information on the Colorado women's lacrosse team, a complete schedule and results, please visit CUBuffs.com. Fans of the Buffs can follow the team on Instagram and Twitter @CUBuffsWLax.

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Lily Assini

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Jaimey Hill

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Lily Assini

Mary Carson

Averi Gardner

Mack Hanlon

Kendall Havill

Jaimey Hill

Jordan Johnson

Katie McLean

Jenna Morley

Elena Oh

Jess Peluso

Madeline Pisani

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Players Mentioned

Lily Assini

Mary Carson

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Mack Hanlon

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Jess Peluso

Madeline Pisani

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Teagan Ryan

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