Colorado State stuck around for the entire game this time. Even after lightning struck twice.
It was a fitting semi-repeat of history on Wednesday night, as the 13th-ranked Colorado women’s soccer team opened the 2026 campaign by renewing a dormant rivalry with the Rams.
After twin lightning delays eerily reminiscent of the circumstances that led to the lull in the rivalry, the Buffs kicked things off with a 2-1 victory in a match at Prentup Field that was delayed for 90 minutes before finally beginning under a significant downpour.
“I thought we played really well in the first 30 minutes of the game,” CU head coach Danny Sanchez said. “It was probably our best stretch. Then we lost our way a little bit towards the end of the first half. The second half, we created the majority of our chances after they equalized. So we need to play with a little more of that urgency. But really pleased how we battled back and won.
“First games are always like this. I don’t remember a first game that wasn’t a bit of a fist fight.”
It was five years earlier when the Buffs and Rams began the 2021 season with a showdown that ultimately was .
The Buffs jumped to a quick 3-0 lead that afternoon, but soon after halftime the first of two lengthy lightning delays sent the teams off the field. After an hour, the clubs returned to the field and were on the cusp of restarting play when the second hour-long delay occurred.
This time, CSU head coach Keeley Hagen, in her first game leading the Rams, cited an obscure rule that states a delayed game must restart within three hours of the original kickoff. Hagen opted to keep the Rams on the bus and head back to Fort Collins, even though the match was within 19 minutes of becoming official. Instead, the stats were wiped off the ledger and CU was denied an all but certain victory.
The teams hadn’t played since, although relations have thawed in recent years as the rivals have squared off in a few spring exhibitions.
“Colorado State, going into the Pac-12, on the RPI side of things hopefully they’re as good as they’ve been the past few years, because itap a much better game for us than it was back in the day,” Sanchez said. “There is no ‘never.’ We’ll always do whatap best for the program. Although that day was disappointing, we’re always going to do whatap best for the program. And whatap best for the program this year is to play Colorado State.”
Reagan Kotschau opened the scoring for CU in the 16th minute, finishing a header chance from Hope Leyba to give the Buffs an early lead. CSU pulled into a 1-1 tie early in the 67th minute on a tally by freshman Ava Whitehead, but the Buffs avoided an upset loss thanks to a long-range bomb from defender Lily Zamorano, whose first career goal in the 77th minute lifted CU to the win.
“I was just getting the ball and I saw the goalkeeper just standing outside a little more,” Zamorano said. “I was confident to score a goal. I was trying to score a goal so bad last year. Great team performance as well. We still have work ahead.”
Notable
The Buffs played without Jace Holley, whose 12 goals last year tied the fourth-most in team history, and defender Jordan Whiteaker, who started every game in 2025. Sanchez described both players as “day to day” as they deal with injuries. … For the first time since 2022, someone other than Jordan Nytes started at goalie for the Buffs. Jamie Campbell got the starting nod and recorded two saves before freshman Brooke Goerish took over for the second half. … CU continues its season-opening homestand on Sunday against Army (noon, ESPN+).
No. 13 CU Buffs women’s soccer 2, CSU Rams 1
CSU 0 1 — 1
CU 1 1 — 2
Goals — CSU: Wallhead (Dionne), 67th minute. Colorado: Kotschau (H. Leyba, Phillips), 16th minute; Zamorano (unassisted), 77th minute.
Goalies (Min.-goals allowed-saves) — Colorado State: Huber (90-2-6). Colorado: Campbell (45-0-3); Goerish (45-1-1).
