Rudy, McGee’s seven goals not enough as Buffs fall to Denver

BOULDER – The Colorado Buffaloes lacrosse team came up short against the No. 10 Denver Pioneers at Kittredge Field on Saturday, losing 9-8. The Buffs fell to 0-3 on the season, while the Pioneers improved to 3-0.

Saturday was a brisk but sunny day in Boulder. Fans crowded around the field to watch the matchup between in-state foes separated by a mere 30-minute drive. The parking lots were filled with groups of people tailgating and kids running around excited to see their Buffs play at home for the first time since last April.

Fifth-year attacker Charlie Rudy and sixth-year attacker Sam McGee led Colorado’s offense. Rudy scored four goals and had two assists, while McGee recorded a hat trick and handed out an assist. However, the Buffs couldn’t find any offense outside of those two all afternoon.

A rough opening quarter put the Buffs in an early 3-0 hole, and they could never quite make up the deficit. The Buffs had eight shots on goal in the first, but Denver goaltender Emelia Bohi came to play, saving seven of the shots. The eighth shot missed off the post. Denver’s Sloane Kipp also scored with nine seconds left in the period.

“We got to step on the field with a better mentality,” Buffs head coach Ann Elliot Whidden said postgame. “Offensively, we have to do a better job of playing aggressive from the start.”

In the second quarter, Colorado fired back quickly, as Rudy and McGee both found the back of the net in the first three minutes of the period, narrowing the deficit to 3-2. Later in the quarter, down 4-2, the Buffs let up a short-handed goal to Denver. McGee scored her second of the period with a man advantage shortly after, but once again, the Pioneers scored a goal with five seconds left in the quarter to take a 6-3 lead heading into the break.

In the third quarter, it took the Pioneers just nine seconds to score as Raegan Wilson controlled the opening draw, sprinted down the middle of the field uncontested, and got an easy scoring opportunity, increasing the lead to 7-4. For the next 14 minutes, the third quarter was fairly even, with the Buffs getting goals from Rudy and junior midfielder Ashley Stokes.

Stokes was the only Buffalo outside of Rudy and McGee to score a goal on Saturday. “At the end of the day, we got to have people that want to put the ball in the back of the net,” Whidden said. “Everyone’s going to get opportunities so we need other people to step up.

Once again, the Pioneers got a late goal, this time coming from a free position shot from Julia Gilbert. The Buffs couldn’t finish quarters all day, which was the difference at the end.

Down 9-5, the Buffs had their hands full heading into the final quarter. The dynamic duo of Rudy and McGee didn’t waver, as Rudy got one early to give herself a hat trick, and McGee followed suit, getting her own hat trick and closing the deficit to two with 9:32 left in the game.

This was Rudy’s third hat trick in just as many games to start her blazing-hot 2023 campaign. 

Rudy got another goal, her fourth of the day, with 1:25 left in the game, giving the Buffs one final chance. The small but mighty crowd at Kittredge Field all rose to their feet and made as much noise as possible in hopes of a thriller goal to force overtime.

Colorado got control off the opening draw, and in a game where they were getting outplayed by Denver for 59 minutes, found themselves in a position to force overtime. The suspense in the crowd was short-lived, as the Buffs turned it over with a minute left in the game. Denver was able to run out the time, and escape with a 9-8 victory.

In the final six minutes of the game, Colorado turned the ball over five times. The one possession that didn’t end in a turnover was Rudy’s fourth goal.

“It’s the purpose that we play with,” Whidden said. “We lacked a little bit of purpose. We thought things were going to be easy.”

Despite the slow start to the season, Rudy was confident that things would take a turn for the better. 

“I’m looking forward to what we can accomplish,” she said. “I know it’s just going to get better as the season goes on.”

The Buffs are back in action on March 3 against the Michigan Wolverines at 3 p.m. at Kittredge Field.