Colorado
10-4, 4-1
Kent State
5-10
Stokes Historic Performance Leads Buffs to Weekend Sweep
April 14, 2024 | Lacrosse
BOULDER — A historic 11-point performance from senior midfielder Ashley Stokes Sunday afternoon led to a weekend sweep at home for the No. 20 Colorado Buffaloes, defeating Kent State 20-5.
The Buffs move to 10-4 (4-1, Pac-12) on the season while Kent State is now 5-10. After defeating Arizona State on Friday, Colorado completes the two-game sweep over the weekend. They have now won three consecutive games and end their last game at Kittredge Field in 2024 with a win.
"Overall, I felt like we could have executed better," head coach Ann Elliott Whidden said. "I would have liked us to execute better throughout the 60 minutes, their goalie played really well. 21 saves. I think she deserves a bunch of credit to her. But in general for us, I think we got to finish a little bit better on the offensive end, and just have a little bit more of a killer instinct to put the game away."
Southern California native — Stokes — had yet another stellar game on Sunday, finishing with eleven points (7 G, 4 A), the most points scored in a single game by a CU player since Darby Kiernan had 12 in 2018 against Jacksonville. Stokes earned a new career-high of seven goals, the second time she has had six or more goals in a game in the last week. In her last three games, she has accumulated 26 points (13 G, 13 A).
As a team, the Buffaloes rounded off a total of 48 shots on the day, the second-most in school history, just one short of tying the record. It's back-to-back games with 20 goals for Colorado, a season-high. The Buffs also had 13 different players score, the most in a single game all season.
Colorado's 9-1 scoring run in the second half was the first time all year CU has held an opponent to one goal or less in one half of a game. The five goals allowed on the day are the fewest they've given up all season.
Camryn Stoner and Jaimey Hill both earned their first collegiate goals in Sunday's win. Stoner, a graduate defender, who rarely sees action on the offensive side of the ball netted her first ever score in the first quarter. Hill, a freshman, tallied her goal with 1:32 remaining in the game and was the final score for the Buffs.
With plenty going on the offensive side, the Colorado defenders also came to play. Jess Peluso recorded five caused turnovers, the second time she has had five or more in a game during the 2024 campaign. Her season total climbs to 34, tying a CU record for most caused turnovers in a single season. She ties Sarah Brown who also had 34 during the 2018 season.
Aidan Carr earned a career-high 15 draw controls last week against UC Davis, which was the third-most draw controls in a game by a Buff in school history. Carr went ahead and broke her own career-high again with 16 on Sunday against the Golden Flashes. She now has 66 draw controls on the season, the most ever by a Colorado freshman.
Sydney Zimmerman scored three goals, all in the second half, and it's the fifth time this season she's had two or more goals.
Madeline Pisani scored once on Sunday, and is still the only player on the team with at least one goal in every game thus far.
HOW IT HAPPENED
The senior Stokes kicked off the scoring for the Buffaloes, giving her team a 1-0 lead. Emily Dodd extended that lead to two with a goal of her own shortly after.
Stoner tallied her first collegiate goal with 9:10 remaining in the first, putting the Buffs out to a commanding 3-0 lead. Stokes would find the net once more before the Golden Flashes found their first tally of the day. With a 4-1 score now, Stokes wrapped up a hat trick in the first with another goal at the 6:19 mark. Each team would score once more in the quarter, giving Colorado a 6-2 lead.
Stokes found the back of the net for the fourth time, giving CU a 7-2 lead right at the start of the second period. Megan Klepacki answered back for Kent State, their third goal of the game. Stokes scored twice more, along with a Zimmerman goal to put CU up 11-4 at the half.
Colorado continued where they left off earlier, as Molly Reed scored her first goal with 10:14 in the third quarter. Kennedy, Zimmerman, and Pisani then all scored consecutive goals, giving the Buffaloes a 10-point lead and a running clock.
Zimmerman tallied two more scores for the Buffs, bringing her total to three on the day. Averi Gardner, Avery Matthews, and Hill would all score for the Buffs in the fourth, leading to a dominant 20-5 win.
GOAL SCORERS
Ashley Stokes - 7
Sydney Zimmerman - 3
Emily Dodd - 1
Camryn Stoner - 1
Eve Hritzuk - 1
Lily Assini - 1
Sydney Zimmerman - 3
Molly Reed - 1
Rachel Kennedy - 1
Madeline Pisani - 1
Averi Gardner - 1
Avery Matthews - 1
Jaimey Hill - 1
UP NEXT
The Buffs will be on the road for the final time in the regular season, next Sunday in Los Angeles, Calif. against USC. The game will be at 1:00 p.m. MDT.
"It's gonna be a battle going in there playing them on senior day, and so we'll know it'll be a challenge and we'll make sure we're prepared over the next week," Whidden stated on playing USC.
SOCIAL MEDIA COVERAGE
A big thank you to all of our furry friends who joined us at today's game, It was a Pawty! ????#GoBuffs pic.twitter.com/cDz3oyaJqR
— Colorado Buffaloes Lacrosse (@CUBuffsWLax) April 14, 2024
It'll never get old ??#GoBuffs pic.twitter.com/Twt5h6pdHH
— Colorado Buffaloes Lacrosse (@CUBuffsWLax) April 14, 2024
Can't stop. Won't Stop.
— Colorado Buffaloes Lacrosse (@CUBuffsWLax) April 14, 2024
Yes, that's SIX goals for Stokes in the first half ?? pic.twitter.com/nLTOf8rcUj
