Soccer Spring Play Starts Sunday
BOULDER-The University of Colorado women's soccer team will kick off its spring season with three games at the University of Nebraska on Sunday, Feb. 27, before returning to the area to play eight more.
The Buffaloes will play three games on Sunday. They will play the Cornhuskers at 8 a.m. MDT. Also on Sunday, CU will take on Iowa State University (10 a.m.) and South Dakota State University (11 a.m.).
Colorado beat Nebraska 2-1 in their 2010 home finale and last regular season conference meeting between the two schools. Colorado joins what will become the Pac-12 Conference while Nebraska heads to the Big Ten Conference for the 2011-12 season.
The Buffs beat Iowa State 3-1 last season, and this meeting with South Dakota State will mark just the second game between the two programs. The first was during the 2008 NCAA tournament when the Jackrabbits beat the Buffs 1-0.
On Thursday, March 3, CU will host Colorado College at 6:30 p.m. in its only spring home game. The game will take place at CU's Indoor Practice Bubble located off Folsom Street just north of Folsom Field.
The Buffs continue spring action at the University of Wyoming on Sunday, March 6, where they will take on the Cowgirls at 10 a.m. They will also play in-state competitors University of Northern Colorado (Noon) and the University of Denver (1 p.m.) in Laramie, Wyo.
Colorado shut out the Cowgirls and the Bears 2-0 in its first two games of the 2010 season.
The Buffs will take on UNC for a second time this spring on Wednesday, March 9, at 6:30 p.m. in Greeley, Colo., before traveling to face Regis University in Denver to wrap up the spring season on Saturday, April 2 where they will play Fort Lewis College (10: 15 a.m.), Wyoming for a second time (11:30 a.m.) and Regis (2 p.m.).
The Buffs have not played either Fort Lewis or Regis during regular season play.
"I think spring training has been going awesome," sophomore midfielder Amy Barzcuk said. "Our new trainer, Moses (Cabrera), has been awesome and we all love him. I can already see the team becoming quicker, faster and stronger. Our intensity is top notch and everyone seems to be playing very well."
The Buffs' spring roster is short five seniors from 2010. Amanda Foulk, Kym Lowry, Kelly Ross, Mel Hicks and Taryn Vitacca will not be leading the team this spring forcing Colorado to do some rearranging on the field.
"They have been missed all season, but we will continue to grow as a team and find each individual's niche and hopefully be able to put together a very solid team and catch some wins," junior midfielder Kate Russell said. "This spring we have been focusing on doing a lot of playing and trying different people in different positions."
"Even though it is only February, the team already has their sights set on the Pac-12 for next season," Barczuk said. "We are all ready to go into the conference and build a name for ourselves."