The Colorado women’s lacrosse team is all but assured of ending an NCAA Tournament drought that stretches back to 2019.
But a possible conference championship remains on the table, and the Buffaloes still have work to do if they want to make that NCAA comeback at home.
This week, the Buffs moved up one spot to No. 14 in the Intercollegiate Women’s Lacrosse Coaches Association top 25 poll, and on Thursday they begin the quest for a Big 12 Conference tournament crown with a semifinal battle against Arizona State in Gainesville, Florida.
The matchup between the second-seeded Buffs and the third-seeded Sun Devils is a rematch of Saturday’s regular season finale played in Boulder, which ended in a decisive 19-5 victory for CU.
The Buffs have enjoyed mixed reviews in recent seasons when playing a repeat opponent in the conference tournament opener.
In 2023, the Buffs defeated Oregon in the regular season finale before again topping the Ducks in the opener of the Pac-12 tournament. A year earlier, though, CU routed the Ducks 23-12 in the final Pac-12 game and even ended the regular season by defeating 10th-ranked Denver before losing a stunner against the Ducks in the Pac-12 tournament opener that ended CU’s NCAA Tournament hopes.
A loss on Thursday is unlikely to push CU out of the 29-team NCAA Tournament field, as it enters the Big 12 tournament at No. 10 in the RPI. But wins against ASU and Florida in the most likely title-game matchup would give CU a chance at a top-eight seed and host designation for the NCAA Tournament next week.
“I think I’ve learned that every game is its own game,” CU head coach Ann Elliott Whidden said. “Just because things went one way the first time doesn’t mean they’re going to go that way the second time, whether thatap positive or negative. You’ve got to look at it as its own little scouting and figure out areas that we need to improve, as well as areas where we did well and need to draw confidence from in the second matchup.
“But I think the biggest lesson is every game is its own game. And every game you have to come out and be ready for and to fight for the victory. Nothing’s going to happen just because it happened before.”
CU enters the tournament boasting the nation’s stingiest defense, surrendering an average of just 6.33 goals per game. ASU features two players among the nation’s top 20 in points in Jordyn Behar and Lydia Oldknow, as well as a top-20 goal-scorer in Teagan Ng.
The Buffs, though, held that trio to a combined three goals and four assists at Kittredge Field as the Sun Devils finished with a season-low scoring total. CU’s 19 goals marked a season-high, and the Buffs and goalie Elena Oh have held every opponent this season to single-digit goal totals.
“I think the biggest thing we’re going to have to focus on is just consistency across both games,” said senior Maddie Shoup, CU’s leading scorer. “I think if we can find consistency on both sides of the field, we’ll find success.”
Arizona State Sun Devils vs. No. 14 CU Buffs women’s lacrosse
OPENING DRAW: Thursday, 5 p.m. MT, Dizney Stadium, Gainesville, Florida.
TV: ESPN+
RECORDS: Arizona State 8-9, 3-2 Big 12 Conference; Colorado 12-3, 4-1.
KEY PLAYERS: Arizona State — A Jordyn Behar, Sr. (25 goals, 57 assists); A Lydia Oldknow, Sr. (57 goals, 24 assists); A Teagan Ng, Sr. (54 goals, five assists); A Addie Shevitz, R-So. (24 goals, 24 assists); GK Regan Spichiger, So. (.428 save percentage; 12.65 goals-against average). Colorado — A Maddie Shoup, Sr. (30 goals, 17 assists); M Lily Assini, Sr. (27 goals, 17 assists); A Rachel Kennedy, R-Jr. (27 goals, eight assists); A Jaimey Hill, Jr. (19 goals, 15 assists); A Teagan Ryan, Jr. (28 goals, three assists); A Rowan Edson, Fr. (19 goals, five assists); GK Elena Oh, So. (.489 save percentage, 6.30 goals-against average).
NOTES: A third-seeded Sun Devils team ended CU’s season in last year’s Big 12 semifinals. … The winner will play either top-seeded, fourth-ranked Florida or UC Davis in the title match on Saturday (2 p.m. MT, ESPNU). UC Davis and the host Gators play in the first semifinal on Thursday (2 p.m. MT, ESPN+). … Assini’s 47 career assists rank sixth in team history. … Shoup posted a goal and three assists while Kennedy collected three goals and an assist during the Buffs’ home win against ASU last week. … The Sun Devils are 35th in the RPI. … The Buffs’ five-game winning streak is their longest since a 5-0 start to the 2022 season.
