As the ball arced over the pitch and through the East Lansing evening, Colorado coach Danny Sanchez was in as much awe as any of the players. And even those watching from home.
The strike in question was Hope Leyba’s approximate 40-yard bomb launched during the Buffaloes’ win against Xavier on Thursday in the second round of the NCAA Tournament.
It didn’t win the game, as the Buffs already were in command with a 2-0 lead in the 87th minute. But it put a thunderous exclamation point on a victory that sent the Buffs into the Sweet 16 for just the third time in program history.
It will be the first Sweet 16 appearance since 2013 for the third-seeded Buffs, who seek their first Elite Eight berth on Sunday against second-seeded Michigan State on the Spartans’ home turf.
“That third goal from Hope, what class,” said Sanchez, who has led CU to two of its three Sweet 16 berths. “Really took the heat and the pressure off us. Because if they get a goal, 2-1, you’re scrambling late. What a classy goal from Hope.”
The season has come full circle for the Buffs and Spartans, who met in Boulder on Aug. 14 in the opener for both teams.
Leyba might’ve served notice of the special season to come, scoring the first of what has become a team-record total of 22 goals in the fourth minute. CU’s 1-0 lead held until early in the second half when Michigan State’s Kennedy Bell, who also went on to be her team’s leading scorer, recorded the first of her 11 goals in the 51st minute.
CU is just 2-10 all-time in true road games in the NCAA Tournament, and had plenty of supporters in one of those wins — a first-round victory at Denver in 2013 that began CU’s previous Sweet 16 run. The other road win, though, occurred just last year, when goals by Leyba, Ava Priest and the since-graduated Shyra James .
The Buffs are hoping to reach uncharted territory and are savoring the experience.
“Itap not about us. Myself and the rest of the staff, we’re going to have other opportunities,” Sanchez said. “Jordie Nytes, Emerson (Layne), Greer (Maguire), Josie (Master), all of our seniors, they’re not going to have another opportunity. So for them to have this opportunity and to have an opportunity to advance in the tournament when there’s only 16 teams left is a tremendous testament to them and their commitment to the program.
“Michigan State’s a two seed for a reason. At this point, there’s not a lot of secrets. We’ll be ready on Sunday.”
(3) CU Buffs women’s soccer vs. (2) Michigan State Spartans
KICKOFF: 11 a.m. MT, Sunday, DeMartin Stadium, East Lansing, Mich.
TV: ESPN+
RECORDS: Colorado 17-3-3; Michigan State 14-3-6.
KEY PLAYERS: Colorado — F Hope Leyba, Jr. (22 goals, one assist); F Jace Holley, So. (12 goals, six assists); M Reagan Kotschau, Jr. (seven goals, six assists); F Emerson Layne, Sr. (five goals, 10 assists); D Faith Leyba, Jr. (three goals, four assists); M Ava Priest, Jr. (two goals, six assists); D Caley Swierenga, Jr. (nine assists); GK Jordan Nytes, Sr. (.857 save percentage, 0.840 goals-against average). Michigan State — F Kennedy Bell, Jr. (11 goals, six assists); M Kayla Briggs, Jr. (eight goals, seven assists); M Emerson Sargeant, R-Jr. (eight goals, three assists); M Bella Najera, Jr. (five goals, five assists); D Renee Watson, Jr. (four goals, five assists); GK Noelle Henning, Fr. (.756 save percentage, 1.12 goals-against average).
NOTES: With a team tournament-record 12 saves during the second-round win against Xavier, Nytes became the Buffs’ all-time leader in saves in NCAA Tournament games with 35. JJ Tompkins held the previous record with 30. … Nytes’ .830 save percentage in her three seasons at CU ranks third in team history. … Hope Leyba’s long-range goal against Xavier was the 32nd of her career, tying Katie Griffin for fourth all-time at CU. … The Buffs need a win and help to make it happen, but another tournament game could be played at Prentup Field if CU wins and BYU upsets top-seeded Stanford on Monday. … If the Cardinal wins, it hosts the CU-Michigan State winner. … The Spartans have one Colorado native on the roster in sophomore defender Samantha Maroni, who graduated from the same high school, Grandview in Aurora, as Nytes. Maroni has started 14 games for the Spartans but came off the bench during MSU’s second-round win against Wake Forest. … The CU-Michigan State series is tied 2-2-1, and this is the first tournament matchup between the programs. The Buffs last played at Michigan State on Sept. 11, 2022, dropping a 4-2 decision.
