Thursday, August 28
7 p.m.
Colorado
4-0-1, 0-0-0
4
vs
1
New Mexico State
1-4-0, 0-0-0
1
2
F
New Mexico St.
0
1
1
Colorado
3
1
4
Photo by: CUBuffs.com
Early Strikes Lift Buffs Past Aggies
August 28, 2025 | Soccer
BOULDER, Colo. – Colorado continued its early-season scoring onslaught on Thursday night at Prentup Field, finding the back of the net four more times in the Buffaloes' 4-1 win over New Mexico State.
Colorado (4-0-1) received early contributions from the ever-growing dominant pair of Jace Holley and Hope Leyba, with Ava Priest adding a late conversion from the penalty spot to build on the Buffs' NCAA-leading 24 goals this season. Holley's opening goal marked the 900th in program history.
The Buffs outshot New Mexico State (1-4-0) 15-12 in the first-ever meeting between the two schools. CU also held a 10-6 advantage in shots on goal. Colorado goalkeeper Jordan Nytes was 49 seconds from recording her second consecutive shutout, but NMSU squandered the clean sheet in the final minute.
"We started well," head coach Danny Sanchez explained after the win. "The first 28 minutes was some good soccer—three great goals. Good energy, good fight. To be honest, I think we lost the plot after that. Credit New Mexico State. They could have mailed it in. They could have started feeling sorry for themselves, but they kept battling. I thought the second half, they played very well. Jordi made a couple of saves in the first half; it easily could have been a 2-1 or 1-1 game at halftime. I think we got complacent, and the second half was not the quality we're looking for."
Leyba and Holley have far surpassed their offensive numbers from last season. Leyba notched goals eight and nine of the season on Thursday, having scored eight goals total in the 2024 campaign. Holley picked up her sixth goal of the season, two better than her scoring output as a freshman. The forward pair has combined for 34 total points in CU's first five games.
"It's built over the years," Leyba noted of the chemistry that's formed at the top of the formation. "We've practiced every single day, and it's finally started to come together. It's really good and I'm glad it's happening."
How it Happened
A pregame storm rolled through and forced the night's kickoff back by 15 minutes, but that did not faze the Buffs one bit.
Colorado scored on its first shot of the night when Holley headed home a serve from Emerson Layne in the 4th minute, momentarily taking the team lead in points.
Moments later, Leyba drew back even with Holley for the season, pouncing on a ball inside the goal area off a deflection from Holley, registering her second game-winner of the season.
"She's putting herself in good spots," Sanchez said of Leyba. "She's putting herself in good spots and finishing. As you know, she's versatile. She's added a lot to her game, as far as her playmaking, her hold-up play at midfield, and obviously, when she gets into the final third, she's a handful. Really pleased with what she did tonight."
Leyba put home her second of the night to give Colorado the 3-0 lead in the 29th minute.
Colorado scored three goals on its first four shots and took the advantage into the break.
New Mexico State picked up the attack in the second half, narrowing the Buffs' shot advantage to 9-8 in the final 45 minutes. Nytes had to make two saves in the half, but Colorado got caught on its heels a little more than it would have liked.
"If you're not going to have your best performance, you want to win still," Sanchez expressed. "We're pleased to get the win, obviously, we'll never complain about that. But we know that we need to be better, and they [the team] realize that too. You kind of feel it, and I don't know what it was. As a coaching staff, we'll have to look at some of the rotations, but the first 28 minutes was excellent. The second half wasn't great."
NMSU finally broke through in the 90th minute, getting the ball across the goal line in a scramble in front of the net after a corner kick.
The goal got the Buffs charged back up, with Leyba drawing a penalty with 10 seconds to play and Priest converting to open her account for the season.
Up Next
Colorado closes out the six-game homestand with a meeting against Wyoming on Sunday (1 p.m. MT).
Notes
Colorado's 24 goals in five games is the best start to a season in program history, besting the team's 21 goals in the first five games of the 2021 season…Leyba has scored in all five games to start the season…Her nine goals in five games are the best in program history (Prev. Shyra James seven in 2022)… Colorado's 24 goals are equal to or better than eight non-COVID season goal totals…The Buffs are seven goals off of last season's total of 31…CU is 61-0-1 when scoring three or more goals under Coach Sanchez…Holley and Jordan Whiteaker each recorded their team-leading fourth assists of the season.
Quotes
Head Coach Danny Sanchez
On the team's versatility – "We have a small roster and we always do. We have to have players who can play in different lines and in different spots. I think we're still finding ourselves, you know, we're going to be in more games like the second half, where it starts to get a little frustrating. Every trip down isn't a goal. We have to back, but I think we do have players that are versatile, that can play in different lines, and we're going to need them as the season goes."
On the final minute – "I think with a minute to go, we finally played with some urgency in the second half. I don't think it's a coincidence that they get a goal and deserved. They were creating chances, but all of a sudden we go down and within 45 seconds we have a penalty kick. It's a little too coincidental and the team knows it. But big picture, we're very pleased to get the win with a little bit of a weather delay and we look forward to Wyoming on Sunday."
Colorado (4-0-1) received early contributions from the ever-growing dominant pair of Jace Holley and Hope Leyba, with Ava Priest adding a late conversion from the penalty spot to build on the Buffs' NCAA-leading 24 goals this season. Holley's opening goal marked the 900th in program history.
The Buffs outshot New Mexico State (1-4-0) 15-12 in the first-ever meeting between the two schools. CU also held a 10-6 advantage in shots on goal. Colorado goalkeeper Jordan Nytes was 49 seconds from recording her second consecutive shutout, but NMSU squandered the clean sheet in the final minute.
"We started well," head coach Danny Sanchez explained after the win. "The first 28 minutes was some good soccer—three great goals. Good energy, good fight. To be honest, I think we lost the plot after that. Credit New Mexico State. They could have mailed it in. They could have started feeling sorry for themselves, but they kept battling. I thought the second half, they played very well. Jordi made a couple of saves in the first half; it easily could have been a 2-1 or 1-1 game at halftime. I think we got complacent, and the second half was not the quality we're looking for."
Leyba and Holley have far surpassed their offensive numbers from last season. Leyba notched goals eight and nine of the season on Thursday, having scored eight goals total in the 2024 campaign. Holley picked up her sixth goal of the season, two better than her scoring output as a freshman. The forward pair has combined for 34 total points in CU's first five games.
"It's built over the years," Leyba noted of the chemistry that's formed at the top of the formation. "We've practiced every single day, and it's finally started to come together. It's really good and I'm glad it's happening."
How it Happened
A pregame storm rolled through and forced the night's kickoff back by 15 minutes, but that did not faze the Buffs one bit.
Colorado scored on its first shot of the night when Holley headed home a serve from Emerson Layne in the 4th minute, momentarily taking the team lead in points.
Moments later, Leyba drew back even with Holley for the season, pouncing on a ball inside the goal area off a deflection from Holley, registering her second game-winner of the season.
"She's putting herself in good spots," Sanchez said of Leyba. "She's putting herself in good spots and finishing. As you know, she's versatile. She's added a lot to her game, as far as her playmaking, her hold-up play at midfield, and obviously, when she gets into the final third, she's a handful. Really pleased with what she did tonight."
Leyba put home her second of the night to give Colorado the 3-0 lead in the 29th minute.
Colorado scored three goals on its first four shots and took the advantage into the break.
New Mexico State picked up the attack in the second half, narrowing the Buffs' shot advantage to 9-8 in the final 45 minutes. Nytes had to make two saves in the half, but Colorado got caught on its heels a little more than it would have liked.
"If you're not going to have your best performance, you want to win still," Sanchez expressed. "We're pleased to get the win, obviously, we'll never complain about that. But we know that we need to be better, and they [the team] realize that too. You kind of feel it, and I don't know what it was. As a coaching staff, we'll have to look at some of the rotations, but the first 28 minutes was excellent. The second half wasn't great."
NMSU finally broke through in the 90th minute, getting the ball across the goal line in a scramble in front of the net after a corner kick.
The goal got the Buffs charged back up, with Leyba drawing a penalty with 10 seconds to play and Priest converting to open her account for the season.
Up Next
Colorado closes out the six-game homestand with a meeting against Wyoming on Sunday (1 p.m. MT).
Notes
Colorado's 24 goals in five games is the best start to a season in program history, besting the team's 21 goals in the first five games of the 2021 season…Leyba has scored in all five games to start the season…Her nine goals in five games are the best in program history (Prev. Shyra James seven in 2022)… Colorado's 24 goals are equal to or better than eight non-COVID season goal totals…The Buffs are seven goals off of last season's total of 31…CU is 61-0-1 when scoring three or more goals under Coach Sanchez…Holley and Jordan Whiteaker each recorded their team-leading fourth assists of the season.
Quotes
Head Coach Danny Sanchez
On the team's versatility – "We have a small roster and we always do. We have to have players who can play in different lines and in different spots. I think we're still finding ourselves, you know, we're going to be in more games like the second half, where it starts to get a little frustrating. Every trip down isn't a goal. We have to back, but I think we do have players that are versatile, that can play in different lines, and we're going to need them as the season goes."
On the final minute – "I think with a minute to go, we finally played with some urgency in the second half. I don't think it's a coincidence that they get a goal and deserved. They were creating chances, but all of a sudden we go down and within 45 seconds we have a penalty kick. It's a little too coincidental and the team knows it. But big picture, we're very pleased to get the win with a little bit of a weather delay and we look forward to Wyoming on Sunday."
Team Stats
NMST
COLO
Goals
1
4
Shots
12
15
Shots on Goal
6
10
Saves
6
5
Corners
5
8
Fouls
9
10
Scoring Plays
Jace Holley (6)
Assisted By: Emerson Layne
GOAL by COLO Holley, Jace Assist by Layne, Emerson.
03:18
Hope Leyba (9)
Assisted By: Jace Holley , Jordan Whiteaker
GOAL by COLO Leyba, Hope Assist by Holley, Jace and Whiteaker, Jordan.
10:45
Hope Leyba (9)
GOAL by COLO Leyba, Hope.
28:15
Tessa O'Neill (1)
Assisted By: Milana Eyrich
GOAL by NMST O'Neill, Tessa Assist by Eyrich, Milana.
89:11
Ava Priest
COLO Ava Priest PENALTY KICK GOAL.
89:49
Game Leaders
Players
fwd
Shots
4
SOG
2
Goals
2
Assists
0
fwd
Shots
3
SOG
2
Goals
1
Assists
1
def
Shots
1
SOG
1
Goals
1
Assists
0
Shots
0
SOG
0
Goals
0
Assists
1
Players Mentioned
F
/ Soccer
F
/ SoccerM
/ SoccerF
/ Soccer
GK
/ SoccerM
/ Soccer
D
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