Matches Thread- #22/ 24 SOCCER visits the DU Pioneers (Friday, 9/15/23, 7:00 PM MT)

[AztecBuff]

#22 (Coaches' poll)/ 24 (Topdrawersoccer poll) Soccer (7-1) ends the non-conference portion of its schedule as they make the short trip down the turnpike to face off against the undefeated DU Pioneers (4-0-4) this Friday evening.

Not that last season means much of anything anymore, but just to maybe get a ROUGH idea on the competition, CU ended up #69 in the last RPI rating in 2022, while DU was #112.

Looks like the game will only be available for viewing over the net for those who have a premium subscription to DU athletics. (More detail and links provided near the bottom of this post.)

Go Buffs!!!

(Preview not available as I type this.)
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

More on DU:

Roster - https://denverpioneers.com/sports/womens-soccer/roster
Stats - https://denverpioneers.com/sports/womens-soccer/stats/2023
Schedule/ results for this season - https://denverpioneers.com/sports/womens-soccer/schedule
Their preview article for the match with the Buffs - https://denverpioneers.com/news/202...-22-24-colorado-in-non-conference-finale.aspx
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Media links:

Live stats - https://denverpioneers.com/sidearmstats/wsoc/summary

Live Video - Looks to only be available for those who have a premium ($) subscription for DU athletic streams. Those who do can go to https://www.midcosportsplus.com/page/01H57TR0BWZFVJNDSXJJGFBB87 . ALSO, it looks to be on TV for those whose cable/ streaming subscription includes access to the Altitude Network.

Match notes -

 

[AztecBuff]

 

[MarkW]

This looks like it's gonna bee a tough match for the Buffs. DU started out with 4 draws but have 4 consecutive wins including at Oregon on Sunday an 6-0 v Colgate last Thursday.

 

[AztecBuff]

Match day!
(Note - I have appended the OP re video, as it looks like the match is also available for those lucky enough (AKA non-Xfinity customers) to have Altitude Network available.)


______________________________________________________________________________________

Preview (mainly an article on a couple Coloradoans who've transferred back to become Buffs) - https://cubuffs.com/news/2023/9/14/soccer-finding-a-way-home.aspx

"
BOULDER— Colorado goes for a perfect 3-0-0 record vs. in-state rivals with a 7 p.m. MT showdown at Denver on Friday night.

The No. 22 Buffaloes (7-1-0) have eight Centennial State natives on the roster this season. That marks the most representation since the 2013 season. Two of the team's natives, Jordan Nytes and Greer Maguire, transferred back home this year, after starting their college careers elsewhere.

Bringing back in-state talent is nothing new for Danny Sanchez and his staff. Danica Evans, Morgan Stanton, Megan Massey, Tatum Barton, Sofia Weiner, Gabbi Chapa, Dani Hansen and Civana Kuhlmann are just a few of the names that stand out on the long list.

"There's a lot of talent in the state," Sanchez noted. "We start there and work our way out. Sometimes recruits look at it like the grass is a little green in other places – so they want to be away from home. But you don't have to look any farther than the last 11 years of rosters [at CU] and see they come back home. We work hard, we push, we try to get the best players on the front range to visit and show them everything CU has to offer. Sometimes we get them, sometimes we don't. But we never burn the bridge and we always welcome them back with open arms."

That was the case with both Nytes (Oklahoma State) and Maguire (Arkansas).

"When I was getting recruited I talked to CU a little bit," Nytes explained. "I committed to Oklahoma State and went there for a semester. It was a great time and the team was great, but the town just never really felt like home to me. When I was going through the transfer portal process and began talking to CU – that was the first place that was really on my mind. [Danny] was the first coach I talked to and I talked to Juliauna [Hayward] and other people that I knew. I just wanted to come home and be back with my family. It just seemed like a great fit that felt more like home."

"One of my big factors in the recruiting process was that I wanted to be able to leave [Colorado]," Maguire recalled. "Only because I wanted to experience something that gave me a reason to come back. My sister had stayed in Colorado and then immediately left. I want to raise kids here so I wanted to be able to leave and return, and that's exactly what I did."

Both Maguire and Nytes played club for Real Colorado and previously knew players like Juliauna Hayward, Lawson Willis (Centennial, Colo.) and Emerson Layne (Fort Collins, Colo.). Ava Priest (Boulder, Colo.) played for Colorado Rush and Lila Dere and Kylah Celayeta are both from the Grand Junction.

"I cam from Real," Magurie added. "In my opinion, that's the top club in Colorado. Every person goes to really great schools and top DI programs. We have like four girls from Real on this team. I think that speaks volumes to how great the competition and chemistry were that we all want to come back and play together again."

Nytes, a Grandview High School graduate, didn't know much about the CU program before jumping aboard in the spring of 2022. Instead, it was the lure to play in the Pac-12 that was a big factor in her return to Colorado.

"Going to the Pac-12 was a big deal," Nytes continued. I didn't know much about the program at all until I had a few more conversations with people."

Maguire, on the other hand, had a few more personal ties to the Buffs. The Arapahoe High School graduate was familiar with Massey and her story. Maguire, as it turns out, is also cousins with former Buff Orly (Ripmaster) Tufts, who is also a Colorado native who started her collegiate career away from home.

"My Real team was the ball girls for a game [at Prentup Field]," Maguire remembered. "Megan Massey is the older sister of one of my closest friends from club. So, I knew her a little growing up. My second cousin [Orly] used to play here after she transferred from Harvard. She's like 30 so she's old."

The state of Colorado is certainly been a hotbed for talent over the years with the likes of Lindsey Horan, Mallory Swanson and Sophia Smith all representing on the national team level.

"If you look at the Mt. Rushmore of CU soccer players, if you take out Taylor Kornieck who is from Nevada, you have Nikki Marshall, Amy Barczuk, Fran and Laura Munnelly and so on. They are all Colorado products," Sanchez concluded.

Friday night's match at DU concludes the Buffs' non-conference slate. Colorado has won 11 consecutive matches against Denver and 19 wins in the series history.

The match will be televised on Altitude TV and streamed on CUBuffs.com/WatchSoc.
"
____________________________________________________________________________

 

[AztecBuff]

No score early (~ 5 minutes) in the match.

CU starters were -

 

[NW Buff]

 

[AztecBuff]

3-1 is the final, with the ref having a LOT of action in this one, as 3 of the goals (2 for CU and 1 for DU) look to have come from the penalty kick. Buy, mainly

Way to go Buffs!

Highlights of the goals -

 

[Bmixer]

lot of penalty kicks in this one 3 to be exact. Reminded me of the Fl St match without all the yellow and red cards. Good win. On to conference play

 

[AztecBuff]

Article after the team earns its 7th straight W - https://cubuffs.com/news/2023/9/15/soccer-buffs-closeout-non-conference-strong.aspx

"
Game Recap: Soccer | September 15, 2023 | by Aiden Tank, Athletic Communications Associate

Buffs Closeout Non-Conference Strong​

Colorado downs Denver, 3-1​

DENVER – Colorado made the short trip down I-25 and handed in-state rival Denver its first loss of the season, 2-1, at the DU Soccer Stadium.

The Buffaloes capitalized on two penalty kicks to lead the way on Friday. The win extended Colorado's winning streak to seven games and was the 12th consecutive over Denver.

"You have to give credit to Denver," head coach Danny Sanchez said after the win. "I thought they played very well. Having said that, I was really pleased with our resilience. It's tough to go on the road against a very experienced team that was undefeated. They were undefeated for a reason. They've had some very good results. Jordi [Nytes] made the saves she needed to make and we did enough going forward to win the game. It's a great win for the Buffs. We're excited for next week against UCLA."

The first half was controlled by the Pioneers who were primarily on the Buffs' side of the field in the first half. DU put up seven shots in the opening period but CU goalkeeper Jordan Nytes was able to fend off the attack with two first-half saves.

Despite getting outshot, 7-6, the lone goal in the first 45 minutes favored the Buffs. Jade Babcock-Chi scored her first of the season on a penalty kick to send the Buffs to the locker room with the lead.

Penalty kicks continued to be the story of the game with both teams scoring goals off of a penalty kick starting with Colorado's captain Rachel Rosen to extend the lead, followed by a penalty kick for DU to close the gap shortly after.

Statistically, Denver continued to command the game outshooting CU 9-4 with three shots on goal in the second half.

As the game tightened up the Buffs called upon Shyra James once again, converting off a set piece from Rosen to extend the lead for good.

"I thought 2-0 we relaxed again and all of a sudden it is a 2-1 game," Sanchez added. "But it was a great serve by Rachel Rosen to Shyra [James] to kill the game off."

Colorado (8-1-0) wrapped up the non-conference season conceding only four goals. The Buffs did not allow a goal in the run of play in the first nine games and surrendered two penalties.

"We're gonna have to be a little bit better," Sanchez continued. "I thought that the back four [defenders] were good, but I thought in the midfield we got a little disjointed at times. We didn't give up anything from the run of play, which is good. I think we can just clean up some stuff in possession, it will take a little bit of pressure off our defenders."
...

Upcoming
Colorado will return home to start conference play against No. 5 UCLA next Friday at Prentup Field (7 p.m.)

Quotes
Head Coach Danny Sanchez
On the PKs: "Credit to Hope Leyba on both of them. It was really just effort [by Lebya] to win both penalties. This is a very good team we played and it's a very good win for the Buffs, especially on the road. Now it's recovery and we'll get ready for UCLA.

Rachel Rosen\
On the slow start: "Obviously we started a little slow, but the coaches said they had a little bit of possession and at the end of the day those breakaways caused those PKs. Those are what really won the game. I think we were knocking on the door so we deserve those goals."

On the Denver rivalry: "Denver is always a different game. It feels like a Pac-12 game to us and it feels different. We're all very excited, we want to beat this team every single year. They're great, they are really good. I think that intensity is going to carry on into the Pac-12. I'm excited to see how we play."

Notes
CU's seven-game winning streak matches its longest since the 2018 season when the team had an eight-game winning streak……Babcock-Chi and Rosen became CU's tenth and eleventh different goal scorers of the season…Friday was Rosen's second career 1 G/1A game...James' goal was the 32nd of her career, moving into a tie for third on the Buffs' all-time scoring list…This was the first time scoring on multiple penalty kicks since Taylor Kornieck scored two on October 13, 2018...Prior to the game ESPN personality Pat McAfee met the Buffs in Boulder and competed in a crossbar challenge that Nytes would win.
"

Box score - https://cubuffs.com/documents/2023/9/15/264275.PDF.pdf

 

[MarkW]

 

[Bmixer]

When I watched the scrimmage I thought Hope L is going to draw some penalties with her style of play and she did just that.