Surrounded by Kansas players, freshman Lizzy Herzl leaps for a header. The Buffs beat the Jayhawks 2-1 in the third minute of overtime on Monday at Prentup Field. (CU Independent/David Blackwell)
The Buffs still have a lifeline to get to the Big 12 tournament.
Colorado women’s soccer beat the Kansas Jayhawks 2-1 in overtime at Prentup field, in Boulder Monday afternoon. It marks the second time this season the Buffs have comeback from a goal down to win a game.
“We persevered,” said CU sophomore midfielder Amy Barczuk. “At this point in the season we had to win this game or else we’d would have been done.”
The Jayhawks took a lead less than a minute into the game. From the kickoff, the Buffs allowed Jayhawks senior forward Kaitlyn Cunningham to run-open with the ball. Cunningham slid a pass to freshman forward Caroline Kastor, who fired the ball into the back of the net.
Kansas was given an opportunity to double their lead, as CU freshman defender Lizzy Herzl conceded a penalty to the Jayhawks. Freshman goalkeeper Annie Brunner was able to get down and push away Kansas sophomore midfielder Whitney Berry’s shot, preserving the score at 1-0.
The score remained the same at halftime, despite Colorado out-shooting Kansas 8-6 with six shots on goal.
Both teams had several opportunities in the second half, but the Buffs finally made their breakthrough in the 75th minute through Barczuk.
The goal pushed the Buffs as a whole, to start going forward to get winning goal.
“We chased it and chased it and chased it,” said CU head coach Bill Hempen. “We were almost too exhausted to go any farther, and then the goal gave us the momentum to say, ‘hey, we’ve got the game back, we can win this now.’”
Controversy arose in the 84th minute, when Colorado junior defender Erin Bricker was brought down in the box by Kansas goalkeeper Kat Liebetrau. The Buffs were awarded a penalty, but Liebetrau was only given a yellow card, incensing the Colorado coaching staff. CU junior midfielder Kate Russell stepped up, but failed to convert the penalty leaving the score tied.
The score remained 1-1, forcing the teams to go to overtime. Monday was the eighth time the Buffs have had a game go to overtime.
Colorado came out hot in overtime, searching for the winning goal that would keep them in contention for the Big 12 tournament.
Russell struck the crossbar in the 93rd minute, and less than a minute later, CU senior forward Amanda Foulk did the same.
Colorado scored the winning golden goal in the 93rd minute, when Foulk ran into the box again, but this time, passed to freshman forward Anne Stuller, who fired the ball in to the back of the net.
Stuller’s goal came to the delight of team.
“[The goal] felt really good,” Stuller said. “We won in over time, and we can still get to the Big 12 tournament. That’s what matters the most and that’s what [the team] is most happy about.”
With one game remaining, Colorado sits eighth in the Big 12 and in the final place to get into the big 12 tournament. A strong performance against rival Nebraska will be needed if the Buffs hope to keep their place in the tournament.
“Our season is still on the line, as far as [the Nebraska] game,” Barczuk said. “There’s the whole rivalry between CU and Nebraska, and it’s the last time we play them in the Big 12, so there’s a lot of things that are cool about this game Friday.”
Colorado will take on the Cornhuskers at 3 p.m. Friday at Prentup Field, in their final game of the regular season. Friday also marks Senior Day, where seniors Amanda Foulk, Mel Hicks, Kym Lowry, Kelly Ross and Taryn Vitacca will be honored after the game.
Contact CU Independent Soccer Reporter Mark McNeillie at Mark.mcneillie@colorado.edu.
