Colorado Buffaloes split points with BYU Cougars as Leyba sisters shine
- Aspen Doust
- 19 hours ago
- 3 min read
PROVO, Utah – The No.21 Colorado Buffaloes (11-2-2, 5-1-1 Big 12) played the BYU Cougars (8-4-2, 3-3-1 Big 12) on Monday night in a game that resulted in a 2-2 draw.
The Buffs started strong with a great opportunity from a Hope Leyba header, which nearly handed the Buffs the lead. The shot was hit just wide of the goal.
The BYU Cougars struck first in the 16th minute with a beautifully placed goal into the bottom right corner by forward Ellie Walbruch.
Following the opening goal of the game, possession was essentially even.
Eventually the Buffs got a throw-in, which was taken by Ava Priest and flip-thrown right at Faith Leyba’s feet. She slotted it into the back of the net for a goal in the 23rd minute. This was Leyba’s first goal of the season.
A mere 39 seconds after Faith’s goal, her sister Hope matched her total for the game with one of her own. After a miscommunication between the Cougars’ goalie and defense, Hope recorded her second goal and gave the Buffs a 2-1 lead. This was Hope’s 15th goal of the season and second most in the country.
"I was really pleased with how we responded after giving up the goal in the first 15 minutes," head coach Danny Sanchez said postgame.
However, the Buffs lead didn’t last long. BYU forward Mia Goettsche responded with a goal of her own. In the 28th minute, she quickly turned and shot a volley into the side netting to tie the game at 2-2.
In a back and forth game, the Buffs’ defense was faced with minor pressure late in the first half. However, CU’s goalkeeper Jordan Nytes made a pair of saves to keep the score 2-2 at halftime.
“[My halftime message was to] compact defensively and have a little more patience going forward,” Sanchez said.
The Buffs did just that almost immediately. The defense forced an early offsides call againstBYU and created some chances off of crosses to start the second half.
The best chance the Buffs had to take the lead came in the 61st minute. Midfielder Emerson Layne struck a ball from outside the box, forcing BYU’s keeper Paiton Collins to make a tough save. The Cougars’ keeper was injured on the play and did not return to the game.
BYU had a great chance of their own to break the tie in the 64th minute. A cross from a BYU winger rolled all the way across the box with no Cougar attackers able to get to the ball.
The level of physicality ramped up as the game went on. Some pushing and shoving occurred in the 72nd minute. Jordan Nytes received a yellow card in the incident. Then, in the 73rd minute, CU defender Lilian Zamorano left the game with a knee injury.
In the 81st minute of the game, Nytes made a huge leaping save to keep the game tied at 2-2.
Both teams had a few chances late, but neither were able to convert.
“Sometimes a 2-2 feels like a 2-2 game,” Sanchez said. ”This one felt like a 5-5 game. I thought both teams were really going after the victory all the way to the 90th minute, but neither side was able to find that game-winner."
The Buffs will return to Boulder on Thursday to take on the No. 12 Texas Tech Red Raiders (12-1-2, 6-0-2 Big 12). The game takes place at 7 p.m. MT at Prentup Field (ESPN +).