Colorado
Georgia
Soccer Set for NCAA Tournament
November 14, 2024 | Soccer
The Buffs take on Georgia on Friday
ATHENS, Ga. – Colorado makes its 14th NCAA Tournament appearance on Friday when it takes on No. 7-seeded Georgia in the first round from the Turner Soccer Complex.
The Buffaloes (11-4-5) had two wait it out until Monday's selection show to learn their fate. Colorado's last match was in the quarterfinals of the Big 12 Championship, a 3-1 loss to TCU, on Nov. 2 in Kansas City.
The team's selection to the field of 64 is its second consecutive trip to the tournament. The Buffs fell in heart-breaking fashion, 1-0, last year at Texas A&M. It's the first back-to-back trips to the NCAA Tournament since the 2019 and 2020 seasons. CU is 10-13-1 all-time in the tournament.
"We had a good run in the middle of the season with one of the longest unbeaten streaks in program history, and then we went through a tough stretch," Sanchez said about waiting out the selection. "We were still playing well. We weren't getting the results that we needed. I was pleased with how we bounced back in the Big 12 Tournament and getting the win over Utah probably put us in the tournament. I think TCU is the best team in the league. I really like how we bounced back and kept believing."
Sophomore Hope Leyba helped lead the Buffs offensively in the Big 12 Championship. She accounted for two of CU's three goals in Kansas City, pushing her to the team lead in goals (7) and points (16) this season. Classmate Ava Priest tallied the game-winning goal against Utah and assisted on the opening goal in the first minute of the match against TCU. Priest (4 G, 5 A) and fifth-year Shyra James (6 G, 1 A) tied for second in points behind Leyba with 13.
Defensively, the Buffs will turn to Big 12 Goalkeeper of the Year, Jordan Nytes, to keep the Bulldogs off the scoreboard. She recorded 11 shutouts this season and was the Big 12 Goalkeeper of the Week five times throughout the season.
"We feel that we have the best goalkeeper in the country," Sanchez added. "We have to be in the back and defend well, especially against a good Georgia team on the road. We're going to have to be able to defend. We've done well in that area, but we're going to have to be really good tomorrow."
Colorado hasn't matched up against the Bulldogs since a 0-0 double-overtime draw in Athens in 2004, but there is some familiarity between the teams. Georgia head coach Keidane McAlpine took over the Bulldogs following the 2021 season, but prior to arriving in Athens, he led Southern California and Washington State.
"They're obviously very well coached," Sanchez said of Georgia. "I think from the player side of things, they're very good in goal with Jordan [Brown]. Going forward, we know [Margie] Detrizio and Hannah White a little from their Pac-12 days, but they are both very dynamic. I think the strength of their team is in the midfield, how they move, and the challenges they're going to cause."
CU owns the only win in the two-match history with Georgia. The Bulldogs traveled to Colorado in 2003, resulting in a 2-1 overtime win for the Buffs.
Friday's match will be streamed on ESPN+. Kickoff is set for 2:30 p.m. MT.
