LOS ANGELES, Calif. — Erin Ruster scored three times to earn Player of the Game kudos as Rocky Mountain Division Champion/No. 17-ranked the University of Colorado claimed the 2023 Women’s National Collegiate Club Championship 11th place game via an 8-1 defeat of Mid-Atlantic Division Champion/No. 18 West Chester University of Pennsylvania.
Colorado – which previously finished eighth (12 team field, 2003) and tied for 13th (2018) in two previous appearances at the Women’s National Collegiate Club Championship – outscored the Rams – who were making their inaugural appearance at Nationals – 3-0 and 4-0 in the second and third quarters, respectively, for all the Buffaloes needed to take 11th place.
Following a scoreless first quarter in which neither team posted a major statistic (drawn exclusion, penalty, a goal), the Buffaloes’ scorers came to life in the second quarter as Erin Ruster (3:51) and Morgan Brunn-Jensen (2:34; 2:04) notched strikes to provide Colorado all it required to claim victory by acquiring a 3-0 lead
Ruster added to the total in the first three minutes of the third quarter by putting away even-strength (6:41) and man-up (4:01) tallies prior to Sashi Weerawarana (3:29) and Lily Smith (2:12, penalty shot) cushioning Colorado’s scoreboard advantage to 7-0.
West Chester broke up a shutout bid by Buffaloes’ netminders Esme Stotland and Sophie Simpson with 5:03 remaining in the fourth quarter, but Smith returned the lead to seven with 1:30 to go by converting a man-up chance for the 8-1 final score.
Ruster (three), Smith (two) and Bruun-Jensen (two) accounted for seven of Colorado’s eight goals with Weerawarana tacking on a solo marker.
Stotland earned the win with three saves during the first half prior to Simpson taking over in cage and making two stops with a goal allowed in the last 14 minutes.
| 1st Q | 2nd Q | 3rd Q | 4th Q | – | FINAL | |
| No. 18 West Chester University |
0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | – | 1 |
| No. 17 University of Colorado | 0 | 3 | 4 | 1 | – | 8 |
| Colorado Goals: | Erin Ruster (3); Lily Smith (2); Morgan Bruun-Jensen (2); Sashi Weerawarana | |||||
| West Chester Goals: | Hannah Christie | |||||
| Saves: | Colorado – Esme Stotland (3, 14 minutes), Sophie Simpson (2, 14 minutes) ; West Chester – Jasmine Thek (9) | |||||
| Exclusions: | Colorado – 2 ; West Chester – 11 | |||||
| Advantage Opportunities: | Colorado – 3-for-11 ; West Chester – 0-for-2 | |||||
| Sprints: | Colorado – 2-for-4 (3rd, 4th) ; West Chester – 2-for-4 (1st, 2nd) | |||||
| Cards/Misconducts: | Colorado – None ; West Chester – None | |||||
| Officials: | Unknown | |||||
The University of Colorado’s Isabelle Hardie (#7) looks for a shot as West Chester University’s Ashley Cregar (#4) defends
The University of Colorado’s Sashi Weerawarana (#2) prepares to pass as West Chester University’s Robbie Witikko (#8) seeks a steal
West Chester University’s Hannah Christie (#14) attempts to get a pass over the University of Colorado’s Morgan Bruun-Jensen (#14)
West Chester University goalkeeper Jasmine Thek (#1) rises to face a shot by the University of Colorado’s Erin Ruster (#11)
