Colorado University Athletics

Lacrosse Heads In-state To Face No. 18 Denver

Lacrosse Heads In-state To Face No. 18 Denver
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Game Notes

QUICKLY: The University of Colorado lacrosse team opened its inaugural season in Florida, returning to the Centennial State with its first win and loss under its belt. The Denver Pioneers host the Buffaloes in the first Mountain Pacific Sports Federation game of the season at 3 p.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 19.

SCOUTING THE DENVER PIONEERS: The Pioneers open their 2014 campaign against Colorado. DU closed the 2013 season with an 18-3 record and a trip to the second round of the NCAA Tournament, where they fell to No. 4 Florida. Last season DU notched perfect 8-0 marks in MPSF conference play and at Barton Lacrosse Stadium. Denver returns eight starters and 14 letterwinners from last yearGÇÖs squad, while welcoming nine newcomers. The Intercollegiate WomenGÇÖs Lacrosse Coaches Association placed Denver at No. 17 on its preseason poll. In the Week 2 poll, the Pioneers rank 18th. The Buffs and Pioneers faced each other in Denver in the fall on October 2. Though the Buffs pulled within two goals on three separate occasions, DU claimed the 13-6 victory. 

LAST WEEK: CU split its opening weekend, claiming its first win in its first ever game. The Buffs started setting records early, grabbing a 12-4 victory over Stetson on Thursday. The Buffs edged Stetson in nearly every category, outshooting the Hatters 25 to 15, scooping up three more ground balls (15 to 12) and grabbing two more draw controls (10 to eight). The CU defense also stepped up, preventing the Hatters from scoring on any of their three free position shot attempts. The Buffs faced a bigger challenge on Saturday, falling 20-13 to Jacksonville, who received votes in the IWLCA preseason and Week 1 polls. CU started strong, taking a lead at 3-2 and forcing a tied game on four separate occasions, though 4-4 would be the last time the teams would sit in a draw. In the final 10 minutes of the first half, the Dolphins built on a 6-3 scoring run to take a 10-6 lead. The Buffs would pull within four once more, with three straight goals cutting the JU lead to 15-11, but could never stop the Jacksonville attack.

COLORADO DEBUT: Lacrosse is the newest Division I sport at Colorado. With the teamGÇÖs 12-4 win in its inaugural game, CUGÇÖs current sports have now gone 4-2-1 in their debuts, in which a win, loss or tie is applicable.

PROGRAM FIRSTS: In just two games, the Buffs have wasted no time recording firsts and setting early records. With three goals in just under three minutes to start CUGÇÖs 7-0 scoring spree against Stetson, Cali Castagnola became the first Buff to score a goal, score off a free position shot and record a hat trick. Assisting CastagnolaGÇÖs third goal at the first halfGÇÖs midway mark, Katie Macleay also scored with 10:49 remaining in the half, becoming the first Buff to contribute and assist, the first to record a goal and assist in a single game and the first to score while a man-down. Check out CUGÇÖs young record books on pages 7-8.

A HAT TRICK OF HAT TRICKS: In CUGÇÖs inaugural game, three Buffs scored three or more goals. Castagnola seemingly breezed through the first CU hat trick, scoring her third with 15:49 remaining in the first half. She netted her fourth with 22:10 left in the second. Macleay and Johnna Fusco joined Castagnola with under four minutes remaining in regulation. Macleay netted her first collegiate goal in the first half, and got her second just less than two minutes into the final half, both of which were unassisted. Macleay got assisted by Fusco with 3:46 remaining in the second to solidify her hat trick. Fusco scored her first two goals in the last 7:26 of the first half, with the second coming with just 15 seconds remaining before the break. She scored the BuffsGÇÖ final goal with 3:10 left in the second half, once again off a free position shot. In their next game, at Jacksonville, Macleay became the first Buff to record two hat tricks and the first earn hat tricks in back-to-back games. With 9:54 remaining before halftime, Macleay got assisted by Fusco while the Buffs were a man-up (with this, Macleay is also the first Buff to score while CU was playing a man-up, a man-down and at even strength). Her next two goals came in the second half. With 22:13 remaining, she scored off a free position shot, and she scored again in a man-up situation off an Amanda Salvadore assist less than six minutes later. Against Jacksonville, Marie Moore also joined CUGÇÖs young hat trick club. Five minutes and 36 seconds before halftime, Moore scored off an FPS. With 17:02 left in the second half, Moore scored off a Castagnola assist. Ten minutes and one second later she completed her hat trick off an assist from Katie Carroll. 

THE FUSCO, THE PROUD: After an outstanding performance in CUGÇÖs inaugural opening weekend, Johnna Fusco has earned Mountain Pacific Sports Federation Rookie of the Week and CU Athlete of the Week honors. The midfielder from Marietta, Ga. leads the Buffs with nine points off five goals and four assists. Fusco netted three goals and contributed three assists to help CU to a 12-4 win at Stetson. Against Jacksonville, Fusco had two goals and an assist. Her first goal was the BuffGÇÖs first of the game and her first assist helped tie things up at 4-4.

GOING BACK TO CALI: In CUGÇÖs inaugural game (and win), the Stetson Hatters kept seeing the ball going back to Cali Castagnola. She scored four goals in the BuffsGÇÖ first game, with her first three happening in the first 16 minutes. Against Jacksonville, she was one of three Buffs with at least two goals and one assist.  

MPSF: CU and DU will open MPSF play on Wednesday. In their first season of play, the Buffs were picked to finish eighth in the 2014 Preseason MPSF WomenGÇÖs Lacrosse Coaches Poll. The reigning regular season champs and tournament runner-up Denver was chosen as the No. 2 team, behind the 2013 tournament champion Stanford.

NEXT UP: CU makes its home debut against Regis on Saturday, Feb. 22 at noon at Folsom Field. Admission and parking in the adjacent lots 168, 169 and 396 are free. Get there early to see Ralphie run. Be one of the first 500 fans in attendance and receive a commemorative lacrosse ball.