The Colorado Buffaloes (10-3-5, Big 12 4-2-5) and the Utah Utes (8-5-5, Big 12 5-3-3) battled it out Friday night, but beforehand, the Buffs’ senior players were honored before their last home regular season game.
Goalkeeper Lindsey Smith, midfielder Laura Gouvin, midfielder Lola Stanley, co-captain Rachel Rosen, midfielder Jenny Beyer, midfielder Michaela Rosenbaum, defender Phoenix Dawn Miranda, Colorado’s all-time leading goal-scorer Shyra James, and forward Hanna Duguid were all honored before the first whistle in front of a roaring home crowd.
Coming into the game, Colorado had dropped points in five straight games, including their humiliating 6-1 loss at home against TCU.
The first chance of the game came in the fourth minute, when James received the ball on the left half of the box after a deflection. The forward hit it powerfully, but slotted it wide.
Four minutes later, forward Hope Leyba made an amazing run up the left side of the pitch until the endline. She cut the ball into the box and played an accurate pass to James, who pushed it wide right.
A minute later, Gouvin crossed the ball from the right endline towards Leyba, who set it down perfectly for sophomore Ava Priest who shot the ball from three yards outs. Her shot was easily corralled by the Utah keeper.
Early in the game, the Buffs were already having trouble finishing in the box, which has really been the story for Colorado these past six games.
In the 37th minute, co-captain keeper Jordan Nytes was tested on back-to-back plays, first being an amazing save after a Utah forward tried to tap it in. Later, Utah was on the attack from the right side of the pitch, when they unleashed a shot that looked like it might whip into the top right corner before Nytes arrived to block the shot away from the net.
A Utah corner resulted in a Utes shot from beyond the box which ended up hitting off of the crossbar.
Though both teams had ample opportunities to take the lead, Colorado and Utah stood level at half time.
The first near-goal of the second half was off of a missile from Utah. From almost a third of the field out, the Utes shot the ball into the top right corner that was barely tipped over the bar by Nytes.
In the 79th minute, James received a perfect center off of a free kick that landed perfect for her left foot. James shot the ball wide, missing an amazing opportunity to test the keeper and even take the lead.
In the last moments of the game, it looked like CU was destined to find the back of the net. Colorado took a corner in the last ten seconds that found the head of James who blasted the ball to the near post. The ball ricocheted off of the post into play, and all 22 players on the pitch scrambled to gain control of it. After many CU shots, the ball ended up getting cleared out of the way for the final whistle to sound.
“We’re on the front foot, creating all the chances… They have to believe it's going to happen.” head coach Danny Sanchez said. “Now we have a second season, and we have an opportunity against whoever we’re going to play next Wednesday to continue to work on this and rectify it.
The star-studded Buffs team has had no trouble creating chances, but when it comes to putting the ball in the back of the net, they struggle heavily.
The Buffs will start their Big 12 championship campaign with another meeting with the Utes. The rematch will be broadcast on Wednesday on ESPN+.
Cover photo by Aspen Doust/Sko Buffs Sports
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