BOULDER (9/27/11) – The University of Colorado women’s gold soccer team will take on the Colorado State women’s gold team Friday Sept. 30 at 7:00 p.m. The Buffaloes look to continue their fast start to the season with a victory over their in-state rivals. CU and CSU met once earlier this season, the result was a 1-1 draw.
The Buffs’ are off to a 4-1-2 start with notable wins vs. Wyoming, Salt Lake Community College (twice) and Kansas. Colorado’s only loss thus far was to Laramie County Community College, who bested the Buffaloes 1-0. The Buffs’ are currently ranked first in Region V.
Colorado has a very young, energetic team this year.
“The team is younger than it has been in a couple years, which is a very good thing,” said head coach Dorian Barnes. “We have a lot of young eager talent that is learning quickly and contributing at a very high level.”
The Buffaloes team chemistry has been excellent so far.
“Chemistry on our team is very strong, the players get along great on and off the field, which is becoming evident in games,” said Barnes.
Along with chemistry, the technical ability of the players is one of the Buffs’ biggest strengths.
“This is one of the more technically strong teams that we have had,” said Barnes. “It has taken us some time early on in the season to develop tactically, which is evident with the early season ties but we are getting there.”
Colorado will need their star players to perform if they want to beat Colorado State on Friday. Junior Becky Santiago, sophomore Kailey Osbaugh, junior Tayler Skogg and senior Paige Polesovsky have all played at an elite level thus far. Santiago broke the team’s all-time goal record last season and is one of the most feared goal scorers in all of women’s club soccer. Osbaugh, a transfer from the University of South Flordia, has proved to be an integral part to the Buffs’ defense. Skogg, who moved from midfield to defense this year, has become the backbone of the defense. Polesovsky is the current leader in goals on the team and is an exceptionally versatile player.
The Buffs’ played CSU in Fort Collins earlier this year, the result was a 1-1 draw. This time, the Buffaloes are confident the result will be different.
“The first time we played CSU in Ft. Collins, a lot of our girls had yet to experience that game in that environment, and it took us awhile to come into our own and play the way we have been training,” said Barnes. “We played hard, but tactically we struggled to play the way we needed to in order to come out on top. A lot of those issues have clearly been corrected now, and if we can stay healthy, and have our full team in the lineup, and with the corrections we have made in training and our last few games, hopefully that will be enough to come out on top.”
For more information on CU women’s club soccer follow the team on Facebook at www.facebook.com/UofColoradoWomensClubSoccer, on Twitter at http://twitter.com/CUWomenSoccer, or on their website at www.cusoccer.net
---CU Collegiate Club Sports---
