COLLEGE STATION, Texas — Sofia Goicoechea scored three times to earn Player of the Game recognition as No. 14-ranked/Rocky Mountain Division Champion the University of Colorado held off No. 15/Northwest Division Champion the University of Washington, 6-5, to earn a spot in the Ninth Place game at the 2024 Women’s National Collegiate Club Championship hosted by Texas A&M University at the Student Rec Center.
A four-time qualifier for the Women’s National Collegiate Club Championship with prior Eighth (2003, 12-team field), 11th (2023) and 13th (2018) Place marks, the Buffaloes will tangle with No. 8/Big Ten Division runner-up Michigan State University at 2:15 p.m. Central on Sunday, May 5, in the Ninth Place contest.
Washington, which previously claimed First (2000), Sixth (2003, 2019, 2023), Seventh (2016, 2017, 2018), Eighth (2004) and 13th (2008) in previous appearances at the Women’s National Collegiate Club Championship, should compete against the host Aggies of No. 11/Texas Division Champion Texas A&M University in the 30th and final game of the championship weekend for 11th Place. However, the Huskies informed the league of their inability to attend the game on Sunday, May 5, at 3:30 p.m. Central due to a return flight commitment. Due to this, No. 18 /North Atlantic Division Champion Yale University – which will also play at 9:50 p.m. Central this evening in a 13th/15th place game against No. 20/New York Division Champion Cornell University – will play Texas A&M for 11th place as the Bulldogs were the first team to respond among the three division champion 13th/15th place institutions (Yale, Virginia Polytechnic Institute & State University, Cornell University) regarding their interest and availability to compete.
Due to Washington forfeiting its game, the Northwest Division champion will receive the 15th seed for the 2025 Women’s National Collegiate Club Championship at a site to be determined.
Colorado never trailed in dispatching Washington as Goicoechea drew first blood with man-up (3:08) and penalty shot (1:31) strikes as the Buffaloes dropped a 2-0 lead on the Huskies. Josephine Southwell (Fr., Seattle, Wash.) put Washington on the scoreboard prior to the close of the opening frame by stuffing home a man-up opportunity with 17 seconds on the clock for a 2-1 contest after seven minutes.
The Buffaloes ranged their lead to 4-1 prior to the halftime buzzer as Linda Ngo (2:23, man-up) and Taylor Blakely (55 seconds) hurled shots into the cage in the second quarter as Colorado began to pull away.
Anika Harding (Jr., Danville, Calif.) attempted to reign in the Buffaloes by putting away a shot 14 seconds into the third quarter to move Washington within a pair at 4-2. However, Goicoechea returned the lead to three with 3:07 left in the quarter as Colorado entered the final seven minutes of regulation clutching a comfortable three-score margin.
Peyton Schmitz‘s apparent insurance tally 25 seconds into the fourth quarter at the 6:35 mark would prove decisive in the contest as Eliza Wilkins (So., Seattle, Wash.) (4:54) and Harding (4:11) turned up the heat by back-to-back scores to make it a game at 6-4 with over four minutes left.
The Colorado defense stiffened to hold the Huskies to a penalty shot by Southwell with 17 seconds left to hang on for a 6-5 victory.
For Washington – which sees its season draw to a close due to not competing on Sunday, May 5 – Harding and Southwell led the way with pairs of goals to go along with a solo tally by Wilkins. Goalkeeper Julia Lubas (So., Sonoma, Calif.) stopped three shots in taking the loss.
Goicoechea (three), Blakely, Schmitz and Ngo combined for Colorado’s six goals to support a nine save winning effort from netminder Sophie Simpson.
| 1st Q | 2nd Q | 3rd Q | 4th Q | – | FINAL | |
| No. 15 University of Washington |
1 | 0 | 1 | 3 | – | 5 |
| No. 14 University of Colorado | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | – | 6 |
| Colorado Goals: | Sofia Goicoechea (3); Taylor Blakely; Peyton Schmitz; Linda Ngo | |||||
| Washington Goals: | Anika Harding (2); Josephine Southwell Eliza Wilkins | |||||
| Saves: | Colorado – Sophie Simpson (9) ; Washington – Julia Lubas (3) | |||||
| Exclusions: | Colorado – 6 ; Washington – 7 | |||||
| Advantage Opportunities: | Colorado – 3-for-7 ; Washington – 2-for-6 | |||||
| Sprints: | Colorado – 1-for-4 (4th) ; Washington -3-for-4 (1st, 2nd, 3rd) | |||||
| Cards/Misconducts: | None | |||||
| Officials: | Edwin Barrera, Marvel Shoen | |||||
The University of Colorado’s Morgan Bruun-Jensen (#24) tries for a steal against the University of Washington’s Eliza Wilkins (#4)
The University of Colorado’s Taylor Blakely (#14) attempts to break up a pass against the University of Washington
The University of Washington’s Josephine Southwell (#9) defends the University of Colorado’s Mimi Herrick (#8)
