Disappointed but not defeated. Not after only one match.
The Northern Colorado women’s soccer team gave up two goals in each half to the U.S. Air Force Academy, dropping its season opener to the Falcons 4-0 Thursday evening at Jackson Stadium in Greeley.
Air Force Academy’s Eleanor Musgrove scored three goals, securing the Falcons’ third-straight win over the Bears.
The Falcons beat UNC 2-1 last year in Colorado Springs, and Air Force won 2-1 in 2022 in Greeley, which was also UNC’s season opener. UNC’s last win over Air Force was a 3-1 victory Aug. 16, 2018, in Boulder.
“I think what we take from this is there were a lot of learning moments through the match,” UNC coach Tim Barrera said, adding his team didn’t play any preseason exhibition matches before facing Air Force. “No excuses. They were good on the night, and we made some bad mistakes and they made us pay.”
Air Force had 15 shots on goal to three for UNC. The Falcons took nine corner kicks. UNC had three.
UNC had a 1-13-4 record a year ago, and 1-4-3 record in the Big Sky Conference. The Bears’ lone win in 2023 came in its final match, a 4-0 victory over Eastern Washington in late October. UNC scored 12 goals in 18 matches while allowing 41 goals.
University of Northern Colorado forward Sunnie Yarnell, right, tries to get around an Air Force Academy defender during a women’s soccer match Thursday, Aug. 15, 2024 at Jackson Stadium in Greeley. Yarnell is a freshman from Northridge High School and Greeley and she was in the Bears’ starting lineup for her first collegiate match. (Courtesy/UNC Athletics, Dean Popejoy).
Barrera said the team learned a lot about itself and the players through the first match. It’s information and experience that just can’t come from intrasquad scrimmages.
Barrera said Musgrove is a dynamic player, who took advantage of defensive breakdowns on her first two goals. Musgrove, a junior midfielder from Illinois, scored her first goal 8 minutes, 54 seconds into the match after beating her marking defender.
Musgrove struck again about 37 minutes into the half after a Falcons corner. Musgrove was in place to clean up UNC’s disorganization in front of Bears keeper Maddie Smith.
“That was the gift goal,” Barrera said. “Players have good nights and some of our players didn’t have good nights.”
Air Force’s leading scorer last year recorded five goals and four assists. Musgrove didn’t score in 2023 while appearing in 16 matches with three starts.
Twenty-two UNC players received minutes against Air Force including five freshmen. Six were sophomores. One of the freshmen was Northridge High School graduate Sunnie Yarnell. Yarnell was in the starting lineup at forward in her first collegiate match. She played 57 minutes and didn’t take a shot.
Barrera said Yarnell is “a real smart, dynamic player,” and her left foot is her dominant foot, giving the Bears a different look on the attack.
Barrera said Yarnell is expected to contribute to the team this season with a lot of room to grow and develop. She played club soccer with the Colorado Rush in Denver through high school. Barrera said the Rush are among the top two or three clubs in Colorado.
Barrera thought Air Force’s physicality affected Yarnell, but that is part of adjusting to the college game, he said.
“She’ll be better for it,” the coach said. “It’s a big difference. A little more physical, for sure.”
Originally Published: August 16, 2024 at 11:40 a.m.
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Publish date : 2024-08-16 12:40:00
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