The Colorado lacrosse team netted nine first-half goals to build a comfortable lead Monday at Kittredge Field, and the Buffaloes never let off the gas pedal to record their first Pac-12 win of the season, defeating California 15-5.
Junior Charlie Rudy notched seven goals for the Buffs (3-3, 1-1 Pac-12), while five other players scored as a show of balance. Ashley Stokes tallied her first hat-trick with three goals and Bailey Hawkins had a pair of markers. Devon Bayer, Zoe Lawless and Sydney Zimmerman each added a goal for CU to give the Buffs a great offensive edge.
Defensively, the buffs limited Cal’s opportunities all game long, as the visitors mustered just 10 total shots of which six were on goal.
“I thought we did a good job defensively, again strong 1-1 defense down there to limit Cal,” head coach Ann Elliott Whidden said. “Offensively, we did a better job sticking to the plan but we have to clean things up and get a bit more dynamic as we head into this weekend.”
Shots on frame were a little closer in the second half — 9-8 in favor of Colorado — but goalie Julia Lisella stopped nine of 14 shots on goal overall to allow the Buffs to add to their lead.
“I think consistency and Julia go together,” Whidden said. “You know what you are going to get from Julia on a daily basis. Sometimes you get a lot more than you expect and I think you saw that on Saturday and I think you saw that again today.”
Rudy has scored in 11 straight games dating back t.o last season, and her seven goals was just one short of her won personal game best — and CU team record — of eight. She played fewer minutes in the blowout to allow the Buffs to play some key reserve players.
CU heads west to take on USC on Friday at 5 p.m. MT.
Colorado 15, California 5
California 3 2 — 5
Colorado 9 6 — 15
Goals — CAL: Zaccaro, Nikki (1); Mix, Megan (1); Roxas, Catherine (1); Dey, Olivia (1); Mason, Quinnlyn (1); COLO: Rudy, Charlie (7); Stokes, Ashley (3); Hawkins, Bailey (2); Bayer, Devon (1); Lawless, Zoe (1); Zimmerman, Sydney (1).
Goalies (minutes-goals allowed-saves) — CAL: Drullinger, Riley (30-9-3), Lily Rathbun (30-6-3); COLO: Lisella, Julia (60-5-9)
