CU BUFFS WOMEN’S SOCCER AT WASHINGTON STATE COUGARS
Thursday, 8 p.m. MT, Lower Soccer Field, Pullman, Wash.
TV — Pac-12
Mountain.
Colorado 10-32, 2-2-2 Pac-12 Conference; Washington State 8-5-1, 1-4-1.
Colorado — F Shyra James, Sr. (12 goals, two assists); M/D
Ava Priest, Fr. (one goal, five assists); M Ally Clark,
Gr. (three goals); M Amaya Gonzalez, Gr. (one goal, four assists); D Rachel Rosen, Sr. (one goal, four assists); D Faith Leyba, Fr. (two goals); F Emerson Layne, So. (two goals); GK Jordan Nytes, So (.812 save percentage, 0.87goals-against average).washington State — F Margie Detrizio, Sr. (six goals, four assists); M/F Rajanah Reed, Jr. (three goals, two assists); F Naomi Clark Fr. (three goals); D Bridget Rieken, Gr. (three goals); M Reagan Kotschau Fr. (two goals, two assists); GK Nadia Cooper, Jr. (.672 save percentage, 1.46 goalsagainst average).
CU is coming off consecutive draws at home against California and at then-no. 13 USC (now No. 11). … The Buffs are 4-0-1 on the road this season. … James has scored goals in eight of the past nine games and 10of the past
12. She is one of just six CU players to post 12goals in a season, and with one more James will own the secondhighest season goal total in program history, trailing only Nikki Marshall’s 17 goals in 2006. … CU recorded a tie at Washington State last year but is winless in the past four matchups against the Cougars (0-3-1). … Colorado is No. 48 in this week’s RPI. WSU is No.
41. … The Buffs received two points in this week’s United Soccer Coaches top
together one of the best seasons on offense for the program in years, but the defense has been mostly dismal.
CU’S scoring average (34.4 per game) is on pace to be the program’s best since 1995 (36.9) and quarterback Shedeur Sanders is on his way to shattering most of the school passing records. He leads the country with 2,420 passing yards.
Defensively, the Buffs are allowing 35.9 points and 473.7 yards per game, which is a big improvement over last year (45.5, 509.8). However, only four CU teams since 1980 have allowed more than 35.9 points and only two CU teams ever have given up more than 473.7 yards per game.
As the Buffs break for
power Arizona and the Buffs, typically competitive under head coach Tad Boyle, joining next year, CU will be ensconced in the first super conference for men’s basketball. And that’s with the Big 12 reportedly still in pursuit of Gonzaga.
Boyle’s clubs generally have thrived at CU despite playing second fiddle in resources and priorities to the football program, even though the football product has been mostly awful during that time. Men’s basketball may not elevate 25 poll. … WSU’S Kotschau is the daughter of former Colorado Rapids standout Ritchie Kotschau who was a standout at Broomfield High School. Earlier this year, Kotschau was named the Daily Camera girls soccer player of the year. … At .500 in conference play just past the halfway point of the 11game Pac-12 schedule, the Buffs are sixth with eight points but have already played four of the five teams ahead of them. … CU completes its final Pac-12road trip through Washington against the UW Huskies on Sunday (1 p.m. MT, Pac-12 Washington).
the week, Sanders is hoping for their best when they get back.
“I’m proud of a lot of you,” he told the team. “I expect more from a lot of you. And I think some of you have grown so much that you’re gonna contribute tremendously in these next several weeks.”
Weaver on watch list
On Wednesday, CU receiver Xavier Weaver was added to the watch list for the Biletnikoff Award, which is presented annually to the top receiver in the country.
Weaver has caught 50 passes for 631 yards and four touchdowns this season.
Nationally, Weaver is eighth in receptions and 12th in receiving yards.
to equal ground in the Big 12. But it will be a heck of a lot closer.
Colorado’s Luke O’brien recently lamented to me that if there’s something he’ll miss with his planned exodus from Boulder after this season, it’s the opportunity to play in front of frenetic, jam-packed arenas every night as opposed to the sparsely attended affairs that typically greet the Buffs on Pac-12 road trips. The Buffs, and their fans, should be stoked to be part of that frenzy.