BOULDER – Eight departing seniors will play their final regular season home match for the Colorado Buffaloes on Sunday afternoon at Prentup Field. Originally set for a Noon MT kick, the game was pushed back to a 1:30 p.m. MT start.
The departing group is made up of three first-year Buffs and five student-athletes who have spent four and five years in the program. Isabelle Eskay, Lila Dere and Ally Clark will conclude their lone season in Boulder, while Lawson Willis, Jade Babcock-Chi, Shyra James, Jayden Newkirk and Amaya Gonzalez are concluding their longer tenures.
“We couldn’t be more pleased with the group of seniors,” head coach Danny Sanchez stated. “Some of them have been here one year, some have been here five years. The importance of all of them can’t be understated. The leadership they provided along with their performance on the field. They all come from different backgrounds and have different paths to get here. It’s not easy for any of them. We’re really proud of them and we’re hoping to send them out with some with another win.”
Colorado got a boost on Thursday with a 2-0 win over Arizona. The Buffs fired off a season-high 26 shots against the Wildcats, an effort that the Buffs will want to duplicate come Sunday.
“As coaches and as a team, we want it so bad for them [the seniors],” Sanchez continued. Everybody else is going to get another bite at the apple. This is it for them [the seniors]. We want to send them out battling on the pitch.
The four and five-year Buffs all went through the pandemic in Boulder. Gonzalez and Babcock-Chi had their sophomore years pushed to the spring of 2021, while James, Willis and Newkirk had to wait to get their collegiate careers underway.
“The fact that some got to stay for their fifth year and have that opportunity which was great for them,” Sanchez added. “It does seem like it’s in the distant past and you’re looking especially these last couple of years have flown by and we are here already. It always does go by fast. I think this year, the fact that we still have great opportunities is maybe the difference.”
Arizona State (10-4-4, 5-3-1 Pac-12) comes into Sunday ranked No. 18 in the country, but was upset by Utah to start the week on Thursday.
Sunday’s game will be streamed online at CUBuffs.com/WatchSoc.
Head Coach Danny…
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