Buffs reverse two-game losing streak to celebrate Senior Day

The Colorado Buffaloes dominated on Senior Day, taking down the UC Davis Aggies 15-9 (Photo via Remi Krupinski/Sko Buffs Sports)

The Colorado Buffaloes women’s lacrosse team (7-7, 3-1 Big 12) celebrated Senior Day with an electric victory against the UC Davis Aggies (5-9, 1-3) on Saturday at Kittredge Field. The black and gold looked to avenge their previous two losses against No. 4 Florida and in-state foe, No. 24 Denver.

As they have all season, the Buffs came out of the gates hot. Graduate attacker Kendall Havill put the first point on the board 60 seconds into the first quarter. Immediately after, junior midfielder Maddie Shoup extended the lead to two with an assist from sophomore attacker Teagan Ryan. As the clock ran down in the first, Shoup ripped another in the back of the net, this time unassisted.

The Buffs dominated offensively early in the second quarter with Shoup completing her fifth hat trick of the season. Madeline Pisani followed suit, completing her fifth hat trick of the year off an ankle-breaking goal. The Aggies finally broke their scoring drought with Alex Agnew, assisted by Grace Gebhardt.

Pisani was the star of the second quarter for Colorado, assisting Ryan with her first point and putting up another goal for herself. The Buffs held a commanding 12-1 lead heading into halftime.

At the start of the second half, graduate Danielle Heintz replaced freshman Elena Oh in net for Colorado to close out Senior Day. The Aggies flipped the script in the third quarter with Alannah Scott putting the first goal on the board. Agnew and Jane Fox led the charge in breaking Colorado’s double-digit lead. A lone goal from Ryan was the only time the Buffs scored in the quarter.

The Aggies continued to dominate offensively at the start of the fourth quarter. Fox scored on a free-possession shot inside the first minute. It was a quarter of hat tricks with Agnew completing one for the Aggies and Ryan for the Buffs. Pisani almost put up another hat trick, as she scored her fifth goal of the game on a free-position shot. Lauren Picardi and Cami Johnson continued the Aggies’ momentum, but the hill was too steep for UC Davis to climb, as the Buffs prevailed by a final score of 15-9.

After the game, Colorado celebrated their eight graduating seniors. Fifth-year players Danielle Heintz, Jordan Johnson, Morgan Pence, Madeline Pisani, and seniors Kendall Havill, Sam Lipka, Katie McLean, and Cooper Palm were honored at midfield.

“I’m really proud of our seniors,” head coach Ann Elliot Whidden said postgame. “Everyone played great and with purpose and passion for the whole time.”

Colorado will travel to Cincinnati to face the Bearcats in their final regular season game on Saturday at 10 a.m. MT (ESPN+).