The Colorado women’s soccer team goes into the 2023 campaign with a proven scorer in Shyra James looking to light up the Pac-12 in the Buffaloes’ final season in the league.
Still, as head coach Danny Sanchez begins his 12th season at CU, he believes any chance of his club defying expectations will require marquee play at the other end of the field.
Colorado begins its 28th season of women’s soccer with a touch of history on Thursday night, as Northern Colorado visits Prentup Field for the first night game in the venue’s history.
The surrounding renovations at Prentup still are a work in progress, and the same could hold true for the Buffs this season. The new lights, locker room, bench dugouts and turf are ready to go at Prentup, while the new concessions and restroom facilities remain under construction.
A similar dynamic might be on display on that new turf. CU boasts a number of experienced players at the top of the rotation — like James, midfielder Jade Babcock-Chi and forward Rachel Rosen — but will rely on 14 newcomers (eight freshmen, six transfers) to fill key roles.
“For us, we have to collectively, as a group, we have to defend,” Sanchez said. “We scored a good amount of goals last year. We feel even with the loss of Civana Kuhlmann that we have as much options in the attack. I think that piece is going to be there. But we have to defend better. We have to be good in goal, but the defending starts up top. Thatap been our focus in the preseason and hopefully it carries over to Thursday and going forward.”
Behind Kuhlmann (12 goals) and James (11), the Buffs featured two double-digit goal scorers for just the third time in program history and averaged 2.10 per game, which ranked as the second-best mark in program history behind the 2018 club (2.35). Those are the only CU teams that have averaged at least two goals per game.
However, the Buffs struggled defensively. CU allowed 1.75 goals per game, the third-worst mark in the Pac-12 and the highest total surrendered by any CU team since 2011 (1.95), the final season pre-Sanchez.
CU is counting on an upgrade in goal with Oklahoma State transfer Jordan Nytes, an Aurora native who was the co-winner of the Big 12 Goalkeeper of the Year award last year as a true freshman. Nytes became the first true freshman from Oklahoma State to earn first team All-Big 12 honors, and she led the conference with an .841 save percentage.
As for who might complement James on the attack and make up for the loss of Kuhlmann, Sanchez cited sophomores Emerson Layne and Juliauna Hayward, in addition to freshman Hope Leyba, as players to watch.
Hayward, a local star from Legacy High, recorded two goals and four assists in 14 games last year before missing the final six games due to an injury.
“I think that the most important thing is respecting each other, trusting each other, both on and off the field,” Hayward said. “I think we get so caught up sometimes with how we play on the field, but a lot of it has to do with how we connect with each other off the field. We’ve done some team bonding things and I think the vibe just feels a lot different this year. Even with all the new players we have, there’s a different kind of connection. I think we’re ready to show it on the field.”
Northern Colorado Bears at CU Buffs women’s soccer
KICKOFF: Thursday, 7 p.m., Prentup Field
BROADCAST: TV — Pac-12 Mountain
RECORDS (2022): UNC 4-11-3, 0-7-1 Big Sky Conference; Colorado 8-7-5, 2-6-3 Pac-12 Conference
KEY PLAYERS (2022 stats): UNC — F Lauren Woodhull, Jr. (five goals, one assist); F Melina Faris, Sr. (three goals, two assists); GK Kaya Lindberg, Sr. (1.44 goals-against average; .788 save percentage). Colorado — F Shyra James, Sr. (11 goals, one assist); F Emerson Layne, So. (four goals, two assists); M Juliauna Hayward, So. (two goals, four assists); F Rachel Rosen, Sr. (one goal, four assists).
NOTES: Colorado is 11-0 all-time against UNC and 16-5-6 all-time in season openers. The Buffs haven’t lost a season opener since 2003. James’ 11 goals last year tied for the sixth-most in program history. She enters the season sixth all-time at CU with 25 career goals, one behind Melissa Cartmell. … Rosen has been named the Buffs’ captain. She has appeared in 42 games (23 starts) the past three seasons, recording three goals and seven assists. … UNC’s Woodhull, the Bears’ leading scorer last season, is a Westminster native from Northglenn High. … CU plays its first six games at home, an opening run that continues on Sunday against Marquette (1 p.m., Pac-12 Mountain).
