The Oregon State Beavers provided an opportunity for the Colorado women’s soccer team to get back on track.
CU put an end to a frustrating slump on Thursday, jumping to a big lead early before holding on late for a 3-2 victory in a Pac-12 Conference battle at Prentup Field. It was the first Pac-12 win of the season for the Buffs, who ended a 1-3-2 slide. The Buffs also avoided their first winless start through four games of conference play since 2012.
CU (7-3-3, 1-2-1) received one goal and one assist from Civana Kuhlmann and a goal apiece from Shyra James and Kayleigh Webb.
“I thought we played really well for long stretches of the match,” CU head coach Danny Sanchez said. “We scored three really good goals from the run of play. It was a little disappointing to let Oregon State back in it, but like I said before the game they are a desperate team that is desperate for results. They were going to keep fighting to the end and this is Pac-12 soccer. We’re really pleased to get the win. We needed a win today to build some momentum.”
Kuhlmann opened the scoring with her ninth goal of the season in the 26th minute off an assist from Jenny Beyer. James added to her Pac-12-leading goal total with her 11th of the season off an assist from Kuhlmann in the 34th minute, giving CU a 2-0 lead at halftime.
James now owns the eighth season (done by seven players) with at least 11 goals in program history. It was the 25th goal of James’ career, moving her just one behind Melissa Cartmell for fifth on CU’s all-time list. James and Kuhlmann both increased their season point total to 23, moving into a six-way tie for the 10th-best single-season total in team history.
“My mindset was definitely to win and to do that I need to be taking shots,” Kuhlmann explained. “I need to be putting the ball in the back of the net. I think after I put one away, I was able to gain some confidence and take some more shots. You have to shoot to score, so that’s what I was trying to do.”
Webb’s goal, her fifth of the season, gave the Buffs a 3-0 lead shortly after halftime but OSU was able to make things interesting down the stretch. A goal by Maddie Tetz in the 57th minute cut CU’s lead to 3-1, and shortly afterward starting goalie Dani Hansen was replaced by Bella Grust.
OSU (4-6-2, 0-4-0) was awarded a penalty kick which McKenna Martinez converted in the 80th minute, but CU was able to preserve the one-goal lead over the final 10 minutes.
The Buffs will seek a sweep of the Oregon schools at home on Sunday against the Oregon Ducks (1 p.m.).
Colorado 3, Oregon State 2
Oregon State 0 2 — 2
Colorado 2 1 — 3
Goals — Oregon State: Tetz (Tobias), 57th minute; Martinez (PK), 80th minute. Colorado: Kuhlmann (Beyer), 26th minute; James (Kuhlmann), 34th minute; Webb (Hayward), 50th minute.
Goalies (Min.-goals allowed-saves) — Oregon State: Coll (90-3-4). Colorado: Hansen (60-1-2); Grust (30-1-0).
