Colorado State University Athletics
Sunday, September 4
Fort Collins, CO
2:00 PM
Colorado State
3-1-0, 0-0-0
2
vs
0
Southeast Missouri
3-3-0, 0-0-0
1
2
F
Southeast Mo. St.
0
0
0
Colorado St.
2
0
2
Rams Soar Over Redhawks in Home-Opening Win
9/4/2022 6:32:00 PM | Women's Soccer
Varied offensive attack pays off in shutout
Things are looking up for Colorado State women's soccer, which finally played on home turf after going 2-1 to start the season on the road. Liv Layton and Kendra Gipson were the two Rams to find the net within a span of 2 minutes in the first half to wind up on top 2-0 over Southeastern Missouri. While the goals came only a few minutes apart in the first half, the Rams led to way in shots (14-4), corner kicks (4-0), and saves (8-1) while keeping the ball away from their own net.
The Rams found lots of space and opportunities coming from the midfield. In the first half alone, the Rams spent 60 percent of their possession time in the offensive half of the field, allowed the only shot on their goal, and peppered Redhawks' goalkeeper Sofia Elfrink with five shots on goal. This space in the midfield allowed for multiple chances all afternoon as well. The Rams now have multiple goals for all three games they've won this season and directed their defense toward their first shutout of the season.
One of the big developments is the Rams now have six different goal scorers this season, already surpassing the five different goal scorers they had in the last campaign's run of play. It was done through the triumph of Keeley Hagen's ladies who created tons of space in the midfield, moving Redhawks players that created gaps along the wings allowing for runs for Ram midfielders coming in and getting shots on goal. Even still, she's looking for more to look up to this season.
"I was proud of the team; proud of how they started … A little frustrated in the second half, but credit to Southeastern Missouri. They hung in there; we allowed them to hang in. Southeast Missouri kept fighting and that helps us to continue to fight. Ultimately, proud of our shutout and just getting two quick goals."
The quickest of the day was in some regard the longest to get to, as for the senior Gipson, it was the first tally of her career. She is the sixth different Ram to find the net this season and it came in her 41st appearance for the program and her 31st start.
It's her second career point, as she notched an assist her freshman year.
"It felt awesome. This was my first ever collegiate goal," Gipson said. "I think the whole team just came in ready to go, that helped my energy from the start, all of us just pulling each other up and starting out strong."
The energy she felt pulsating through the team in pregame has been a constant and something she feels will get others involved.
She's pretty convinced she won't be the last new Ram this season to find the goal, not with the way the offensive attack is working early in the season and still more improvement to come.
"One thousand percent," Gipson said. "I think if we're able to get into a rhythm now early in the season it's going to only set us up for success later on. I think having that depth on the team is really going to be dangerous come conference time.
"I think when you're just relentless on the attack going at teams, you're bound to get the result you want at some point. That's what Keeley (Hagen) harps on us, just coming out from the start hard and going at them and being relentless on the attack."
Gipson's goal in the 19th minute was followed up just a few minutes later from Layton breaking through four defenders in the middle of the pitch in the 21st minute for her second score of the year. Layton found space all afternoon in the middle of the field, bringing defenders to the back of her, pulling them out of position and allowing play to spread down the wings.Â
"I think like one vs. four was a pretty awesome start to the season as a home opener, and I'm super pumped for the team. We have constantly been working on our offensive game and we have so much speed up top and really great players offensively," Layton said. "Our biggest thing is let's put that all together and I think today that really showed. We got two goals off of two great offensive runs, so I'm just super pumped about it.
"I think it's fantastic that we have six, seven different people on the scoring sheet. Every game, somebody different is looking to score and that's great compared to only having one or two goal scorers. We need to work on getting into the box and getting front post runs, we could've had two or three more goals early on in the second half, I think just making sure we perfect those runs and hopefully get another win."
Layton has been a catalyst in the CSU offense these first four matches, with a pair of assists to go with her goals. Her tally Sunday was the fifth of her career, and her two goals match what she did in 2021.
Her six shots on goal lead the Rams, and Hagen wants her to keep up the aggressive nature of her approach.
"As a nine, we talk about the expectation is you got to create and that's either scoring or creating goal-scoring chances, that's the productivity that we ask of the nine," Hagen said. "We're going to continue to raise the bar for her to keep pushing, to get more goals or assists and get her teammates in.
"It's just trying to get better in our system, and we've got to get better every day. "Just fine-tuning as we go on to eventually prepare for conference. Anybody at any time, whether it's a set piece our center backs can score and we're asking them to take responsibility when we have those chances. It's not just about one person. Heck, if we could have everybody score that's what we'd want. Players have got to step up in different situations and we're seeing that, and we just need to be consistent."Â
Goalie Emilie Gavilett, who has played every minute in net, only needed to make the one save for the squad's first shutout of the campaign.
Colorado State will ride the momentum of a two-match streak into Thursday when they host the Montana Grizzlies at 3 p.m. for the annual 'Orange Out' match at the CSU Soccer Field.
Â
The Rams found lots of space and opportunities coming from the midfield. In the first half alone, the Rams spent 60 percent of their possession time in the offensive half of the field, allowed the only shot on their goal, and peppered Redhawks' goalkeeper Sofia Elfrink with five shots on goal. This space in the midfield allowed for multiple chances all afternoon as well. The Rams now have multiple goals for all three games they've won this season and directed their defense toward their first shutout of the season.
One of the big developments is the Rams now have six different goal scorers this season, already surpassing the five different goal scorers they had in the last campaign's run of play. It was done through the triumph of Keeley Hagen's ladies who created tons of space in the midfield, moving Redhawks players that created gaps along the wings allowing for runs for Ram midfielders coming in and getting shots on goal. Even still, she's looking for more to look up to this season.
"I was proud of the team; proud of how they started … A little frustrated in the second half, but credit to Southeastern Missouri. They hung in there; we allowed them to hang in. Southeast Missouri kept fighting and that helps us to continue to fight. Ultimately, proud of our shutout and just getting two quick goals."
The quickest of the day was in some regard the longest to get to, as for the senior Gipson, it was the first tally of her career. She is the sixth different Ram to find the net this season and it came in her 41st appearance for the program and her 31st start.
It's her second career point, as she notched an assist her freshman year.
"It felt awesome. This was my first ever collegiate goal," Gipson said. "I think the whole team just came in ready to go, that helped my energy from the start, all of us just pulling each other up and starting out strong."
The energy she felt pulsating through the team in pregame has been a constant and something she feels will get others involved.
She's pretty convinced she won't be the last new Ram this season to find the goal, not with the way the offensive attack is working early in the season and still more improvement to come.
"One thousand percent," Gipson said. "I think if we're able to get into a rhythm now early in the season it's going to only set us up for success later on. I think having that depth on the team is really going to be dangerous come conference time.
"I think when you're just relentless on the attack going at teams, you're bound to get the result you want at some point. That's what Keeley (Hagen) harps on us, just coming out from the start hard and going at them and being relentless on the attack."
Gipson's goal in the 19th minute was followed up just a few minutes later from Layton breaking through four defenders in the middle of the pitch in the 21st minute for her second score of the year. Layton found space all afternoon in the middle of the field, bringing defenders to the back of her, pulling them out of position and allowing play to spread down the wings.Â
"I think like one vs. four was a pretty awesome start to the season as a home opener, and I'm super pumped for the team. We have constantly been working on our offensive game and we have so much speed up top and really great players offensively," Layton said. "Our biggest thing is let's put that all together and I think today that really showed. We got two goals off of two great offensive runs, so I'm just super pumped about it.
"I think it's fantastic that we have six, seven different people on the scoring sheet. Every game, somebody different is looking to score and that's great compared to only having one or two goal scorers. We need to work on getting into the box and getting front post runs, we could've had two or three more goals early on in the second half, I think just making sure we perfect those runs and hopefully get another win."
Layton has been a catalyst in the CSU offense these first four matches, with a pair of assists to go with her goals. Her tally Sunday was the fifth of her career, and her two goals match what she did in 2021.
Her six shots on goal lead the Rams, and Hagen wants her to keep up the aggressive nature of her approach.
"As a nine, we talk about the expectation is you got to create and that's either scoring or creating goal-scoring chances, that's the productivity that we ask of the nine," Hagen said. "We're going to continue to raise the bar for her to keep pushing, to get more goals or assists and get her teammates in.
"It's just trying to get better in our system, and we've got to get better every day. "Just fine-tuning as we go on to eventually prepare for conference. Anybody at any time, whether it's a set piece our center backs can score and we're asking them to take responsibility when we have those chances. It's not just about one person. Heck, if we could have everybody score that's what we'd want. Players have got to step up in different situations and we're seeing that, and we just need to be consistent."Â
Goalie Emilie Gavilett, who has played every minute in net, only needed to make the one save for the squad's first shutout of the campaign.
Colorado State will ride the momentum of a two-match streak into Thursday when they host the Montana Grizzlies at 3 p.m. for the annual 'Orange Out' match at the CSU Soccer Field.
Â
Team Stats
SEM
CSU
Goals
0
2
Shots
4
14
Shots on Goal
1
10
Saves
8
1
Corners
0
8
Fouls
6
7
Scoring Plays
Kendra Gipson (1)
Assisted By: Liv Layton
GOAL by CSU Gipson, Kendra Assist by Layton, Liv.
18:52
Liv Layton (2)
GOAL by CSU Layton, Liv.
20:40
Game Leaders
Players
mid
Shots
3
SOG
2
Goals
1
Assists
1
Shots
2
SOG
1
Goals
1
Assists
0
def
Shots
2
SOG
1
Goals
0
Assists
0
mid
Shots
2
SOG
2
Goals
0
Assists
0
Players Mentioned
D
/ Women's Soccer
M/F
/ Women's SoccerColorado State Soccer: Fout (L), Hagen (M), McGowan (R) (9/1/25)
Monday, September 01
Colorado State Soccer: Mia Casey (L) & Kate Dunne (R) (8/6/25)
Wednesday, August 06
Colorado State Soccer: Keeley Hagen Media (8/6/25)
Wednesday, August 06
Colorado State Soccer: Keeley Hagen Preseason 2024
Wednesday, August 14