SOUTH BEND, Ind. — The mud and blood caking the legs of Colorado soccer players Friday night wasn't so much dried as it was frozen. The mixture covering most of the Buffs from their black shorts to their black cleats was evidence of the effort they gave against Notre Dame, attempting to extend their season.

They came to South Bend in the midst of the best postseason in program history and walked onto the field of the best team in America. The field really didn't live up to that billing, as it was pockmarked with wet mud that eventually became frozen mud in the Midwestern temperatures. Those rough conditions, coupled with the intensity of a Sweet 16 NCAA Tournament game, made for a tough, physical night that ended Colorado's season.

The No. 4-seeded Buffs lost to top-seeded and top-ranked Notre Dame, 3-0, as the Buffs failed to break through against a favorite to win the national title. They ended the season with the best NCAA finish in school history after going through a midseason slump where they went winless in five straight Big 12 games. Even though it was the best finish to a season in school history, the Buffs (14-6-4) didn't feel good to finish this season Friday night.

"If you have to lose, you might as well lose to the No. 1 team in the nation," said senior midfielder Katie Griffin, whose eyes were red and watery

like the rest of her teammates in the postgame interview tent. "This was a great opportunity to play Notre Dame. We've played teams like North Carolina and Notre Dame, and those are the best teams. I bet if you ask Bill (Hempen), he'd say to play them again because that's what makes you the best."

Notre Dame (23-0-1) was sluggish in its second-round game, a 1-0 win over Wisconsin-Milwaukee. The Irish seemed ready to make up for that performance from the start of Friday night's game. Brittany Bock scored the first goal in the 15th minute on a laser shot from 30 yards out. It didn't dip or bend. It went in on a line over the hands of CU goalie Kirstin Radlinski and smacked the middle of the net.

An early score would have been a major advantage for Colorado. Instead it had to play from behind and try to create chances against a team with two Hermann Trophy candidates — forward Kerri Hanks and midfielder Jen Buczkowksi.

The Buffs actually played one of their better games. They moved the ball as quickly and crisply as the field would allow and were just inches from creating can't-miss chances a handful of times. Even after Bock scored again in the 33rd minute on a beautifully executed header in the middle of the box, the Buffs continued to keep the game in doubt.

"I was just handed the stat sheet and I'm a little disappointed because it looks it was all played in our end," CU coach Bill Hempen said after the game. "It didn't look like that from what I saw."

The stat sheet and score did indicate a one-sided game, even if that wasn't the game played on the field. Colorado didn't have a shot on goal, although Katie Griffin came closest to a goal with a shot that sailed over the crossbar in the first half. Notre Dame had nine shots on goal and 26 shots total to Colorado's five total shots. Both teams were rough on each other as Colorado was called for eight fouls and Notre Dame 11.

The Buffs had reason to keep playing hard because they had been down 2-0 before in this postseason. They rallied for a 3-2 win over Texas A&M in the second round of the Big 12 Tournament. But on Friday night the Buffs could never really free up Nikki Marshall, the Big 12's leading goal-scorer. Marshall earned Big 12 newcomer of the year largely by outrunning defenders to balls that were lobbed over the top of the defense. The Irish made sure to not let her do that by keeping defenders in her face all night.

"Nikki is a great player and she has had a great season for them," Notre Dame coach Randy Waldrum said. "I was proud of our defense because I think that was a big part of it."

The chances for another 3-2 comeback grew slimmer as the clock ticked down at Alumni Field, which resembled Longmont High's Everly-Montgomery field with a busy street behind metal bleachers. The Buffs had to take more chances, both on offense and defense, and one of those chances ended up as the third goal. Hanks was fouled and took a free kick from 25 yards out in the 88th minute. She bent it inside the far post. That made any comebacks all but impossible, which didn't stop the Buffs from caking on more blood and mud in the final minutes of their season.

"I'm just so proud of this team for battling for 90 minutes, even after the third goal," Hempen said. "Since we stopped that slump in mid-October they have been unrelenting. We just succumbed to a talented attack, but I'm proud of our kids for their effort."