Colorado State University Athletics
Thursday, September 14
Fort Collins, CO
4:00 PM
Colorado State
5-1-1, 0-0-0
2
vs
3
Utah Tech
4-4-1, 0-0-0
1
2
F
Utah Tech
2
1
3
Colorado St.
1
1
2
Rams Fight Back, Fall in the End
9/14/2023 9:05:00 PM | Women's Soccer
Fout scores twice to erase early deficit
FORT COLLINS – On a couple of different occasions, the team was shocked.
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The last time just didn't give Colorado State's women's soccer team a lot of time to react, yet even still, the Rams pushed to get one final opportunity. It sailed a bit high, leaving the Rams with their first loss of the season with a 3-2 decision going to visiting Utah Tech at the CSU Soccer Complex.
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They were disappointed. Ticked off, even. They also realized they have a bit of fight having their backs put against the wall for the first time.
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"I think it's great to know as a team we can turn around the game and come back, especially going into conference next week," defender Avery Vander Ven said. "I think it's great that it happened now and not later down the road. Now we know what it takes when it does happen, and games don't go your way."
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Colorado State (5-1-1) outshot Utah Tech 19-6, put more shots on frame (8-5) and dominated corner kicks, 10-2. What the Trailblazers did was take advantage of their limited chances.
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Undefeated entering Thursday's contest – which was delayed 75 minutes by lightning in the area – coach Keeley Hagen's team had also never trailed, a run which ended in the seventh match. And in a stunning 60 seconds of play, the first deficit became a two-goal margin to overcome.
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The first goal came in the 16th minute. So did the second, about 30 seconds later. The opening tally was a hard shot by Brynlee Rider, which deflected high off a CSU defender and just over the outstretched hand of keeper Shayna Ross. In a flash, the Blazers were on the board again, with Rider feeding Lacy Fox for a goal inside.
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It was a 1-2 punch, but it didn't floor the Rams.
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"We just responded really well. We all kept our heads up," forward Olivia Fout said. "We knew there was so much time left and we had to keep fighting. We went into this game with grittiness with the delay and it showed, except for the breakdown in the last five minutes. We're just climbing the mountain, and this is just a little divot.
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"That's the team we are. We're not going to give up. No quit. Ever."
Â
To comeback was going to require a different tact, which the backline started to deliver. Early attempts to push the ball forward just weren't working, so they started taking the ground offered to them by Utah Tech.
Â
In the 34th minute, Vander Ven settled a ball deep, then pushed it all the way to the front before she found Fout on the left side. From there, Fout made a strong move to lose her defender, firing a shot into the far corner to cut the lead in half.
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"I think what we realized after they scored the second within a minute that we needed a different response and needed to try something different. I hit a few long balls at the beginning of the game, and it wasn't really working, then I tried to find some space underneath to (Liv Stutzman) and Fout and that also kind of wasn't working," Vander Ven said. "I realized maybe switching it up, take the space they're giving me to try and open up the game a little bit. Fout did a great job taking her player on 1 v 1. It was a clinical finish, and she did it not once, but twice. I think Kenady Leighton and I, we realized the response starts with us."
Â
Leighton had her pushes, and so did Kaitlyn Abrams. It was in the 49th minute when the Rams knotted up the score, with Hale Otto feeding Fout again, and for the sixth time this season, the transfer found the net.
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Her six goals match what the Rams' season leader had a year ago. She started the season with a tally in each of the first three contests, but this was her first match in a CSU uniform with a pair. She's been a consistent and constant threat, which is exactly what the front line needed.
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"(Ali Yoshida) is a handful on the right side too. I think Liv is just sizing up her defender and doing a great job of not being predictable," Hagen said. "It's hard to be defended when you can go inside, and you go outside to get corner kicks. I'm proud of how she's really attacking the opponent and putting the ball on frame. That's what we ask for."
Â
In the 69th minute, Colorado State had a goal taken off the board by an offside call. In the 77th, they put pressure on leading to two good looks by Mia Casey and Stutzman, both of which were turned away.
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What made the loss so heartbreaking was the Trailblazers were able to head in the game winner on just their second corner of the game – in the final minute, no less – as Rider delivered a ball Ella Rusick was able to steer to the net with a header.
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"I think the first goal was unfortunate; a deflection goal, and that's going to happen in our game. Then they just unplugged the second goal," Hagen said. "Great teaching moments for conference. I love their fight in the second half, and it's unfortunate again to give up a goal at the end. I told the group. It's never too late. I think the fastest goal has been scored in 11 seconds, and we still had 25.
Â
"That's the big teaching moment. We had an opportunity, and that could have been a goal. Our group felt like we had the equalizer before. It's good to see them fight the second half and not give up."
Â
Hagen was correct in her calculation, as her squad was able to earn a corner attempt in the final 10 seconds, and the ball did find the head of a CSU player, only it went high over the crossbar.
Â
That's why they walked away mad. Mad they gave up two early goals. Mad they thought they'd felt they had taken the lead, only to be denied.
Â
Then finally, to lose bitterly in the end. The reaction to trailing, and the loss, was telling. To all of them.
Â
"I love this team. I would die for this team. I love these coaches," Fout said. "We have a great group of girls here, and we're just getting started. This is just the beginning.
Â
"It's a learning curve. We hadn't lost yet. We all have this gut feeling in us, and we don't want to feel this again. We take this, rest on it tonight and see how we respond tomorrow and Sunday. It's about how we respond. This can't break us."
Â
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The last time just didn't give Colorado State's women's soccer team a lot of time to react, yet even still, the Rams pushed to get one final opportunity. It sailed a bit high, leaving the Rams with their first loss of the season with a 3-2 decision going to visiting Utah Tech at the CSU Soccer Complex.
Â
They were disappointed. Ticked off, even. They also realized they have a bit of fight having their backs put against the wall for the first time.
Â
"I think it's great to know as a team we can turn around the game and come back, especially going into conference next week," defender Avery Vander Ven said. "I think it's great that it happened now and not later down the road. Now we know what it takes when it does happen, and games don't go your way."
Â
Colorado State (5-1-1) outshot Utah Tech 19-6, put more shots on frame (8-5) and dominated corner kicks, 10-2. What the Trailblazers did was take advantage of their limited chances.
Â
Undefeated entering Thursday's contest – which was delayed 75 minutes by lightning in the area – coach Keeley Hagen's team had also never trailed, a run which ended in the seventh match. And in a stunning 60 seconds of play, the first deficit became a two-goal margin to overcome.
Â
The first goal came in the 16th minute. So did the second, about 30 seconds later. The opening tally was a hard shot by Brynlee Rider, which deflected high off a CSU defender and just over the outstretched hand of keeper Shayna Ross. In a flash, the Blazers were on the board again, with Rider feeding Lacy Fox for a goal inside.
Â
It was a 1-2 punch, but it didn't floor the Rams.
Â
"We just responded really well. We all kept our heads up," forward Olivia Fout said. "We knew there was so much time left and we had to keep fighting. We went into this game with grittiness with the delay and it showed, except for the breakdown in the last five minutes. We're just climbing the mountain, and this is just a little divot.
Â
"That's the team we are. We're not going to give up. No quit. Ever."
Â
To comeback was going to require a different tact, which the backline started to deliver. Early attempts to push the ball forward just weren't working, so they started taking the ground offered to them by Utah Tech.
Â
In the 34th minute, Vander Ven settled a ball deep, then pushed it all the way to the front before she found Fout on the left side. From there, Fout made a strong move to lose her defender, firing a shot into the far corner to cut the lead in half.
Â
"I think what we realized after they scored the second within a minute that we needed a different response and needed to try something different. I hit a few long balls at the beginning of the game, and it wasn't really working, then I tried to find some space underneath to (Liv Stutzman) and Fout and that also kind of wasn't working," Vander Ven said. "I realized maybe switching it up, take the space they're giving me to try and open up the game a little bit. Fout did a great job taking her player on 1 v 1. It was a clinical finish, and she did it not once, but twice. I think Kenady Leighton and I, we realized the response starts with us."
Â
Leighton had her pushes, and so did Kaitlyn Abrams. It was in the 49th minute when the Rams knotted up the score, with Hale Otto feeding Fout again, and for the sixth time this season, the transfer found the net.
Â
Her six goals match what the Rams' season leader had a year ago. She started the season with a tally in each of the first three contests, but this was her first match in a CSU uniform with a pair. She's been a consistent and constant threat, which is exactly what the front line needed.
Â
"(Ali Yoshida) is a handful on the right side too. I think Liv is just sizing up her defender and doing a great job of not being predictable," Hagen said. "It's hard to be defended when you can go inside, and you go outside to get corner kicks. I'm proud of how she's really attacking the opponent and putting the ball on frame. That's what we ask for."
Â
In the 69th minute, Colorado State had a goal taken off the board by an offside call. In the 77th, they put pressure on leading to two good looks by Mia Casey and Stutzman, both of which were turned away.
Â
What made the loss so heartbreaking was the Trailblazers were able to head in the game winner on just their second corner of the game – in the final minute, no less – as Rider delivered a ball Ella Rusick was able to steer to the net with a header.
Â
"I think the first goal was unfortunate; a deflection goal, and that's going to happen in our game. Then they just unplugged the second goal," Hagen said. "Great teaching moments for conference. I love their fight in the second half, and it's unfortunate again to give up a goal at the end. I told the group. It's never too late. I think the fastest goal has been scored in 11 seconds, and we still had 25.
Â
"That's the big teaching moment. We had an opportunity, and that could have been a goal. Our group felt like we had the equalizer before. It's good to see them fight the second half and not give up."
Â
Hagen was correct in her calculation, as her squad was able to earn a corner attempt in the final 10 seconds, and the ball did find the head of a CSU player, only it went high over the crossbar.
Â
That's why they walked away mad. Mad they gave up two early goals. Mad they thought they'd felt they had taken the lead, only to be denied.
Â
Then finally, to lose bitterly in the end. The reaction to trailing, and the loss, was telling. To all of them.
Â
"I love this team. I would die for this team. I love these coaches," Fout said. "We have a great group of girls here, and we're just getting started. This is just the beginning.
Â
"It's a learning curve. We hadn't lost yet. We all have this gut feeling in us, and we don't want to feel this again. We take this, rest on it tonight and see how we respond tomorrow and Sunday. It's about how we respond. This can't break us."
Â
Team Stats
UTU
CSU
Goals
3
2
Shots
6
19
Shots on Goal
5
8
Saves
4
2
Corners
2
10
Fouls
10
7
Scoring Plays
Lacy Fox (4)
Assisted By: Jordyn Denton
GOAL by UTU Fox, Lacy Assist by Denton, Jordyn.
16:47
Lacy Fox (4)
Assisted By: Brynlee Rider
GOAL by UTU Fox, Lacy Assist by Rider, Brynlee.
17:01
Olivia Fout (6)
Assisted By: Avery Vander Ven
GOAL by CSU Fout, Olivia Assist by Vander Ven, Avery.
34:44
Olivia Fout (6)
Assisted By: Hale Otto
GOAL by CSU Fout, Olivia Assist by Otto, Hale.
49:22
Ella Rusick (1)
Assisted By: Brynlee Rider
GOAL by UTU Rusick, Ella Assist by Rider, Brynlee.
89:28
Game Leaders
Shots
5
SOG
3
Goals
2
Assists
0
Shots
2
SOG
0
Goals
0
Assists
1
Shots
4
SOG
3
Goals
0
Assists
0
Players Mentioned
D/M
/ Women's Soccer
F
/ Women's Soccer
D
/ Women's Soccer
GK
/ Women's SoccerM
/ Women's SoccerM
/ Women's Soccer
M/F
/ Women's Soccer2025 Soccer Experience
Thursday, October 09
Colorado 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