The Colorado Buffaloes women’s lacrosse team is preparing for its home opener against Cornell on Sunday at Kittredge Field in Boulder. The game will start at noon Mountain Time, which is a change from the previously scheduled 1 p.m. start. This match marks the first time the Buffs will face the Big Red, and it also serves as Cornell’s season opener. Last year, Cornell finished with a 9-6 overall record and went 3-4 in Ivy League play.
Colorado enters the game following a significant win over No. 2 Northwestern, marking their highest-ranked victory to date. Head coach Ann Elliott Whidden commented on her team’s confidence after that win: “I think we’ve always believed in ourselves,” she said. “But it’s hard when for five weeks the only people you play are yourself to know where you’re really at. We knew coming in here was going to be a huge test… but when this team can focus on themselves, a lot of great things can happen.”
Whidden praised her team’s ability to handle pressure during the Northwestern game: “Any time you can gain a little momentum early is huge,” she said. “What I’m most proud of is that we were able to sustain that. We had a couple of tough moments there in the third quarter, but we held it together.” She added, “Just solid in the net,” referring to goalkeeper Elena Oh’s performance late in the match. “Making saves that we definitely needed her to make so that we could stay in this game and remain confident.”
She further noted, “At the end of the day, there are so many excuses,” Whidden emphasized. “We just have to find a way. And I think in that last minute, they found a way to get it done together.”
Seniors Maddie Shoup and Jess Peluso received conference recognition for their roles against Northwestern; Shoup was named Big 12 Attacker of the Week after scoring five goals—three coming in the fourth quarter—and Peluso earned Big 12 Defender of the Week honors for her work anchoring Colorado’s defense.
Goalkeeper Elena Oh also collected an award as Big 12 Goalkeeper of the Week after making crucial saves late in regulation.
Fans can watch Sunday’s game on ESPN+ or follow live stats at CUBuffs.com/WlaxStats. Tickets for both single games and season passes are available through CUBuffs.com/WlaxTix.
For more information about Colorado Lacrosse or updates on upcoming games, fans can visit cubuffs.com/wlax or follow @cubuffswlax across major social media platforms.
