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The Colorado College women's soccer program officially kicks off its 37th season at the NCAA Division I level this week with a pair of matches against in-state rivals in the 9th battle for the Colorado Cup. The Tigers visit the University of Northern Colorado's Jackson Stadium on Thursday, Aug. 19, at 7 p.m. Three days later, CC travels to Denver to face the University of Colorado at noon at the University of Denver Soccer Stadium.
Fans can watch both games and follow live stats via links on the women's soccer schedule on CCTigers.com.
Colorado College owns a 25-9-2 all-time record in season openers, as well as a 10-6-1 mark since
Geoff Bennett took the reins of the program in 2004. In its first game of the 2020-21 spring season, the Tigers defeated Air Force, 1-0, at the Cadet Soccer Stadium. Thursday's game at Northern Colorado marks the sixth time in eight seasons that CC has opened against the Bears. UNC is 3-2-0 against the Tigers in those meetings.
Colorado College posted a 4-2-2 conference record during the spring season, including a 3-1-1 mark on the road. During the 2019 fall campaign, the Tigers compiled a 10-7-0 overall mark and a 3-3-0 record away from home. Northern Colorado finished its spring season with a 3-3-2 mark after posting a 9-11-4 record during the fall of 2019. Colorado finished the 2019 season with a 12-8-2 mark and then posted a 9-6-2 record during the 2021 spring campaign.
CC owns a 16-3-1 advantage in the series with the Bears, but the series is level at 3-3-1 in the last seven meetings since the rivalry resumed in 2010. Colorado College won 14 consecutive matches against UNC before the Bears overcame a two-goal deficit to forge a 2-2 draw in Greeley in 2012. Northern Colorado picked up its first victory over the Tigers, 3-2, in 2014, but CC prevailed, 1-0, the following season. In 2017, the Bears claimed a 3-1 decision at Stewart Field, but CC overcame an early deficit to record a 2-1 win in Greeley in the most recent clash in 2018. Colorado holds an 8-2-1 lead in the series with the Tigers, the most recent of which was a 1-0 overtime loss to the Buffs in 2017. Â
In 2018, Colorado College became the fourth school to claim the Colorado Cup, a traveling trophy presented to the annual champion between the six Division I women's soccer programs in the Centennial State. CC finished with a 3-0 record and accumulated nine points in its three countable games that season, while the University of Colorado finished second with a 2-0-1 mark and seven points. Since its inception in 2011, CU has won the cup five times (2011, '12, '14, '15 and '16), while Denver (2011), Northern Colorado (2017) and Colorado College (2018) each has claimed it once.
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Despite playing without three key players during its two exhibition games, Colorado College dominated during a 3-0 victory of UTEP on August 10 and then won the statistical battle in a 3-1 loss to the University of Denver.
Haley Harnisch,
Coley Lyubenko and
Kaelin Enga scored for CC against the Miners, while
Adelaide Gaffney put the Tigers on the board against DU. Colorado College recorded a 21-7 advantage in total shots against UTEP and an 11-8 edge versus the Pioneers. Despite being an exhibition game, the result against Denver counts in the Colorado Cup standings. In the other cup results last Saturday night, Colorado defeated Air Force 2-0, while Colorado State and Northern Colorado played to a 2-2 draw.
Colorado College, which averaged 1.0 goals per game and conceded just 1.25, returns an experienced side with eight starters and 19 veterans from last spring's team. The returning players accounted for all eight goals during the spring, and more than 80 percent of the team's 27 goals, 31 assists and 85 points in 2019. The Tigers also welcome back five of six players who played the majority of minutes on the back line and in the defensive midfield.
Leading the attack will be junior forward
Jacqui Hand (Auckland, New Zealand), a two-time second-team all-Mountain West selection, and junior forward
Kiley Suter (Bellevue, WA), each of whom scored three goals in eight games. Senior defender
Camille Weaver (Bend, OR) also produced six points with two goals and a pair of assists, while senior forward
Abby Hubbard (Scottsdale, AZ) recorded a team-high three assists.
Greta Forseth (Minneapolis, MN) and
Ally Wakeman (Lawrenceville, NJ) split time in goal, with Forseth posting a 2-1-2 record, along with a team-best 0.75 goals-against average and a .692 saves percentage.
Northern Colorado returns eight starters and 16 letterwinners from its team that scored and conceded 1.25 goals per outing during the spring season. Graduate student Olivia Seddon led the Bears with five points and three assists, while Taylor Bray, Maddie Duren, Kalen Nieding and Lex Pulley all found the net once. Senior goalkeepers Morgan Bury and Ashley Franza shared time in goal, with Bury posting a 2-2-0 record with a 1.33 GAA and a .714 saves percentage, while Franza was 1-1-2 with a 1.09 GAA and a .778 saves ratio.
Colorado welcomes back return almost all of its players from last season's NCAA Tournament appearance, including five players who accounted for 16 of 17 goals. Sophomore Shyra James posted a team-high five goals and 11 points, while senior defender Hannah Sharts, a first-team all-Pac-12 selection, produced four goals and nine points. Senior midfielder Shanade Hopcroft finished with three goals and eight points during the spring, while sophomore defender Lawson Willis had a team-high six assists. Junior Dani Hansen posted an 8-6-2 record in goal along with a 0.77 GAA and a .876 saves percentage.
Next week, Colorado College plays its third consecutive road game on Friday, Aug. 27, at 3 p.m. ET against Villanova. The following week, the Tigers play host to Cal Poly in their home opener on Sunday, Sept. 5, at noon MT.
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