Rams Back to a Two-Game Weekend

FORT COLLINS, Colo. – A short bus ride to Northern Colorado on Thursday and hosting Big 12 Conference's Kansas State on Sunday encapsulates this weekend's slate for the Colorado State soccer team in week three of the season.

The matchup between the Rams and the Bears from Greeley will feel like a rematch as the two squared off in an exhibition at CSU Soccer Field on Aug. 14^th, playing to a 2-2 double-overtime tie. In that game, UNC wasted no time scoring with Taylor Bray finding net in the second minute. Gracie Armstrong provided Ram fans and teammates the first jubilant celebration of the season when she tied it in the 69^th minute, but not even a minute later, UNC's connection of Britney Donais to Haley O'Nan put the visitors back up. Again, Armstrong knotted the game when Caroline Lucas fed her the ball for the 2-2 tie, which ultimately was the final score. This Thursday's regular season contest will kick off at 7 p.m. MT under the lights of Jackson Stadium.

It's not often that the Rams face an even newer program than themselves, but that is the case when the Wildcats, established in 2016, come to town for the Sunday noon matinee at CSU Soccer Field. Colorado State traveled to Manhattan, Kan. for KSU's second season and played the Wildcats to overtime before KSU freshman Brookelynn Entz – now a fifth year and preseason All-Big 12 recipient – scored in the 94^th minute.

"It is difficult to play a team twice and the more times you play them, the harder it is because you become more familiar with your opponent," head coach Keeley Hagen said about the Bears. "However, it is a matter of improvements and noticing on film that UNC is getting better and we hope that we are doing the same when it comes to our own adjustments. Texas Tech gave us a good taste of the Big 12 conference in that first exhibition and I think K-State will be prepared to give us a similar test. First thing is first though, the UNC game tomorrow and then we'll look to improve before Sunday."

CSU Soccer Notebook

How to Follow
Game 4 (UNC) & 5 (KSU) Live Stats: https://csura.ms/SOCStats
Game 4 (UNC) Live Stream: https://csura.ms/38wTZ7H (ESPN+)
Game 5 (KSU) Live Stream: https://csura.ms/Live (Mountain West Network)

Split Week on Road & Home
- First and only weekend this season in which the Rams will be in action away and at home. Thursday's game under the lights will be the first for CSU since the 7:30 start at Nevada on Oct. 25, 2019.
- Admission is free for all of the 2021 home CSU soccer games

Last Time Out
- Colorado State and South Dakota played to a scoreless tie after two overtimes. The Rams did hold the advantage offensively with 17 shots and six on goal to USD's 10 and three, respectively.

Series' History
- CSU leads the all-time meetings with UNC at 3-2-1 and trails KSU 0-1. Full history and last box scores on page 7 on game notes.

Colorado State Notes
- Overtime has been a theme early as the only two completed regular season games needed extra time in addition to one of the exhibitions.
- Still on the lookout for the first goal of the season. Gracie Armstrong scored two against Northern Colorado in the exhibition with Caroline Lucas getting one assist.
- Fifteen letterwinners return including 11 starters, however only six of those would have been considered starters after the last full season in 2019.
- Armstrong represents the top point returner with her six from the spring and 18 in her career. Her five career goals is tied sixth all-time, while she already holds the career and individual season assist records - both at eight.
- Another key returner on offense is senior Kristen Noonan who has 11 career collegiate goals with five coming as a freshman at Cal State Fullerton.

Team Connections
- Kenady Leighton's Sheldon HS knocked out UNC freshman Ashley Hillman and Bend HS in the first round of the 2019 OSAA Playoffs.
- Gracie Armstrong played club with UNC's Maddie Duran for Real Colorado and was high school rivals with Cara Quinn.
- Baylee Bedard plays the team she started her collegiate career with on Sunday in Kansas State. Bedard spent her freshman and redshirt-freshman years (2016-17) in Manhattan. Only one Wildcat remains on the roster from Bedard's years and that is fellow fifth year Brookelynn Entz.

Northern Colorado Notes
- Northern Colorado was picked to finish third in the Big Sky Conference. Last season, UNC finished 3-3-2. The Bears return 16 letterwinners, eight starters and welcome 13 newcomers.
-Senior Lexi Pulley was named Big Sky Offensive Player of the Week after two goals in the opening week.
- The offense hasn't scored since its 3-1 outburst in the season opener on Aug. 19th against Colorado College.
- With two ties and the win over CC, the Bears finished third in the 2021 edition of the Colorado Cup.

Kansas State Notes
- Fifth year Brookelynn Entz has named to the Preseason All-Big 12 Team, which marked the first in program history.
- Going into the weekend, KSU has tallied three-straight shutouts, dating back to its 0-2 loss to Weber State on Aug. 19th. The Wildcats play Denver on Thursday before traveling to Fort Collins for Sunday's affair.
- Last season, KSU finished 3-9-2 in which they played in the fall plus five games in the spring. The Wildcats return 19 letterwinners, seven starters and welcome 14 newcomers.

"C" Badge
- After a team vote, captains were announced prior to game one and the results were all seniors; Sam Studt, Haylee Blach and Baylee Bedard.
- Studt has started 42 of her 45 career games. Blach has started all nine career games at CSU. Bedard has started 22 of 31 games played since arriving in 2018.

For More on Colorado State Women's Soccer follow: Twitter – CSUFutbol | Instagram – csufutbol | Facebook – Colorado State Soccer

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