It was another solid start on the road for the Colorado women’s lacrosse team. The rest of the match wasn’t so memorable.
No. 13 Denver dominated the 20th-ranked Buffaloes after the first quarter on Wednesday night, handing CU a 14-8 defeat at DU’s Peter Barton Lacrosse Stadium. It was the fifth win in a row for the Pioneers, while the Buffs dropped to 7-4.
CU also remained winless this season against ranked foes (0-3), and that ledger doesn’t include a March 15 home loss against a Stanford squad that was unranked at the time but has climbed to No. 17.
The Buffs entered the rivalry battle with an impressive 5-1 mark on the road and enjoyed a solid start, despite the Pioneers jumping to a 2-0 lead within the first two minutes. CU responded with four consecutive goals, netting a pair from Lily Assini, and took a 4-3 lead into the second quarter.
The Pioneers outscored CU 3-1 in the second quarter to take a 6-5 lead into halftime, then took control with four third-quarter goals while keeping the Buffs off the scoreboard the entire frame. DU added the first three goals of the fourth quarter to push its lead to 13-5 and shut the door on any CU comeback bid.
Assini and Maddie Shoup led the Buffs’ attack with two goals apiece, with Assini adding an assist. CU’s Ashley Stokes and Madeline Pisani both recorded one goal and one assist.
The Buffs resume Pac-12 play on Saturday with a visit to UC Davis (2 p.m. MT), which is competing in the Pac-12 this season as an affiliate member. UC Davis will remain a league rival with CU next year as an affiliate member of a new Big 12 women’s lacrosse conference.
No. 13 Denver 14, No. 20 CU Buffs women’s lacrosse 8
Colorado 4 1 0 3 — 8
Denver 3 3 4 4 — 14
Goals — Colorado: Assini 2, Shoup 2, Kennedy, Pisani, Reed, Stokes. Denver — Gilbert 4, Earley 3, C. Colimore 2, Dineen 2, Black, Kipp, Penoyer.
Assists — Colorado: Assini, Hritzuk, Stokes, Zimmerman, Pisani. Denver — Gilbert 2, Obert 2, Penoyer 2, Dineen, Earley,
Goalies (Min-goals allowed-saves) — Colorado: Heintz (60-14-5). Denver — Bohi (60-8-9).
