Buffs Triumph Over Titans

BOULDER – Four different Buffaloes and a pair of first-timer goal scorers helped Colorado to a 4-2 win over Cal State Fullerton on Thursday. Senior Haileigh Adams and sophomore Rachel Rosen netted their first career goals in the Buffaloes' final home non-conference match of the season. 

Colorado (4-2-0) scored two goals on four shots on goal in the first half. Shanade Hopcroft scored her first goal of the season to get the CU offense rolling. Adams, playing in her 76th career game, scored her goal right before the end of the half. 

Junior Allie Palangi netted the eventual game-winner and Rosen added insurance in the second half.

"This was the best we have played on the attack," head coach Danny Sanchez said of his team's offense. "Not because we scored. Sometimes that's the byproduct of it, but I thought our movement was very good today. I thought the thought process was good. I thought we were getting numbers really well. I don't know that we created more chances today than we did on Sunday [against Stony Brook], but we scored some good goals. There's nothing cheap about any of them."  

Dani Hansen played 64 minutes, recording the win. She made two saves before giving way to freshman Bella Grust for the final 26 minutes. Grust faced four shots on net and made two saves in relief. 

Haley Brown and Nadi Amezcua recorded the Titans' goals, both coming in the final 20 minutes of play. 

How It Happened
Colorado's offense was buzzing from the start. The Buffs just missed getting out to a 1-0 lead in the 9th minute when Palangi volleyed a ball over the crossbar off a terrific feed from Jade Babcock-Chi. 

The Buffs aggressively pushed the ball upfield, looking to break the ice. CU got four different offside calls in the first 31 minutes, including a great chance from Shyra James in the 31st minute. CU got whistled for five offsides in the first half and six in the game. 

Hopcroft left no doubt about her goal in the 33rd minute. She took the ball from midfield and dribbled down the center of the field, firing a laser from past the Titans' goalkeeper from just outside the penalty area. 

Adams, who has spent the majority of her career as a defender, scored 10 minutes later made it a 2-0 ballgame. Rosen centered a ball off the Fullerton defender, finding James just inside the 18-yard line. She headed the ball down to Adams, who put a left-footed strike through the legs of the keeper. 

"It was exciting," Adams explained. "Oh my gosh. I was actually talking about it earlier like I would never score a goal. I'm a defender. Now I scored so it was kind of cool."

Palangi gave CU the 3-0 lead in the 60th minute, capitalizing on another corner kick. Hopcroft sent the ball in from the right side and Hannah Sharts headed it back to Palangi, who snuck the right-footed shot through traffic and inside the left post for her second tally of the season. 

Fullerton cut into the CU lead in the 70th minute, but Rosen got the three-goal cushion back in the 75h minute. She one-timed a centering pass from Kayleigh Webb with her left foot, sending it back towards the right post and past the diving keeper. 

On the day, CU had seven players contribute for a season-high 13 points.

"We have talent everywhere on the field" Adams added. "I'm very excited for this season. I can't wait to see how it goes."

Up Next
CU hits the road for its next three matches. The three-game swing will start in West Lafayette, Ind., taking on Purdue on Sunday (Noon MT). 

Notes: Most goals scored since posting 6 in CU's first-round NCAA Tournament win over Northern Colorado in 2019…CU's 13 points were the most since 18 in the same win over Northern Colorado…The Buffs now have had eight different goal scorers this season, up from seven in 2020…CU has also had 13 different players record points this season (12 in 2020)...Hansen has now played 154:02 minutes of shutout soccer in her last two matches.