QUICKLY: The University of Colorado soccer team concludes a five-match home stand with games against Oregon State and Oregon. Both games will air on the Pac-12 Networks. The Buffaloes have fallen just twice this season, both times to ranked teams. Coming off a 2-0 loss to No. 2 Stanford last week, the Buffs are still searching for their first ever Pac-12 Conference win at Prentup Field. CU faces OSU at 3 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 4 and Oregon at 2 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 6. Sunday is Family Day, and to celebrate, we will be giving out FREE T-shirts to the first 500 fans and there will be a face painter at the game. Also, be sure to get to the game early to see Ralphie run!
COLORADO VS. OREGON STATE: This will be CU and OSU’s third meeting. Since Colorado joined the Pac-12 in 2011, the Buffs have fallen 2-0 in both of their match-ups against Oregon State, both at Prentup and OSU’s Paul Lorenz Field (when the Beavers were ranked No. 24). Last season at a rainy Prentup,
Amy Barczuk and
Anne Stuller led the Buffs with three and two shots, respectively. Both teams took just eight shots apiece in the game.
SCOUTING THE BEAVERS: After one of the most difficult non-conference schedules in the country, OSU holds a 2-6-2 record, and looks to return to its former glory, which included an 11-6-3 record last season and NCAA Tournament appearances in 2009-11. Oregon State’s two victories have both come at home over Texas and Cal Poly. Last weekend, OSU tied Washington 1-1 in double overtime to extend its unbeaten streak to two games. OSU has scored a conference-low eight goals and allowed a conference-high 13. The Beavers have taken just 99 shots, just four less than the Buffs have had on goal. Oregon State is led by seniors Jenna Richardson and Chelsea Buckland, who have each netted two goals. Keeper Sammy Jo Prudhomme ranks second in the conference with 42 saves.
LAST WEEK: Though they kept the Cardinal scoreless for over 56 minutes, the Buffs fell in their conference opener to No. 2 Stanford 2-0. Stanford (8-0-1 overall, 1-0 Pac-12) extended its conference win streak to 43 games. The Cardinal has won 23 consecutive conference road matches and remains unbeaten in the past 13 conference openers (11-0-2). Though both teams each averaged 20 shots per game, the two combined for just 20 shots total in the battle. Senior
Anne Stuller and sophomore
Madison Krauser led the Buffs, each taking two shots and sending one on goal. The 2-0 defeat marked just the third time this season the Buffs’ allowed at least one goal.
BUFF BRIGADE: Remember to support CU from the Buff Brigade cheering section located on the north end of Prentup. Your support helps give the Buffs a real home field advantage. For six consecutive seasons, from 2005-10, the Buffs recorded at least five home wins a year. With four home games remaining, the Buffs have already won five times at Prentup and drawn record-setting crowds twice. In the final day of the Colorado Cup, CU and Colorado College drew 1,364 fans, ranking 11th all-time at Prentup Field. A crowd of 1,504 fans helped the Buffs fight the Cardinal for the full 90 minutes. That crowd was the 10th largest Prentup Field has seen, and the 13th largest in program history.
QUALITY WINS: The Buffs’ stellar 8-2 record places them at No. 19 in the NCAA RPI rankings. After taking on Stanford last week, CU jumped 11 spots in the rankings. The Buffs’ two losses have come to Stanford and Denver, who are both nationally ranked and sit at No. 2 and No. 10, respectively in the RPI rankings. Colorado is the third highest ranked Pac-12 team.
