Colorado claims fifth straight Colorado Cup with win over Air Force
- Max Friedl
- 22 hours ago
- 2 min read
Ava Priest set the tone, and depth did the rest.
The Colorado Buffaloes claimed their fifth consecutive Colorado Cup title Sunday at Prentup Field, defeating Air Force 2-0 in the championship match behind a dominant second half.
Colorado went unbeaten throughout the day, opening with a 2-0 victory over the University of Colorado-Colorado Springs before Priest won and converted a penalty kick in a 1-0 win over Colorado College. While playing 30-minute halves, the Buffaloes entered the final having not conceded a single goal.
They kept it that way.
After a competitive first half against an Air Force side that hit the crossbar on a free kick and created chances of their own, Colorado took control after the break. In the 39th minute, Emma Thielbahr headed home a Priest cross to break the deadlock. Four minutes later, Sami Fisher added a second, finishing Jace Holley’s cross to seal the title.
Head coach Danny Sanchez liked what he saw down the stretch.“I thought our best soccer was the last 25 minutes of this game against Air Force,” Sanchez said. “And not just because we scored two goals, I just liked our performance.”
The two-goal surge off crosses was no coincidence, according to Sanchez.
“The field is so narrow, any wide play is going to be dangerous,” he said.
Colorado was without the Leyba twins during the tourney, who were away on a U.S. U-23 Women’s National Team call-up. Sanchez wasn’t worried.
“I was really pleased with how the players responded, especially in the back, we didn't give up a goal all day.”
Priest, entering her senior year as a midfielder with the program, said the result felt fitting.
“It feels so awesome,” Priest said. “It’s one of those things, we just refuse to lose the Colorado Cup.”
The Buffaloes have now won the tournament eight times in the last 11 seasons. They’ll finish their spring season this Saturday at home against Nebraska.