Colorado State University Athletics
Thursday, October 9
Fort Collins, CO
4:00 p.m.
Colorado State
2
vs
1
Colorado College
Rams Fire Away in Conference Win
10/9/2025 7:09:00 PM | Women's Soccer
Team picks up second consecutive win
There was an understandable emphasis.
Â
Entering Thursday's home match, Colorado State's soccer team had scored one goal or less in the past five outings, scoring more than one in just three of 11 contests. Not like the Rams give up a lot of goals, either, with five clean sheets on the ledger. But the only thing they guarantee is a draw.
Â
Goals win games.
Â
The Rams produced two at the CSU Soccer Field against Colorado College, producing a 2-1 victory and a second consecutive win in Mountain West play. The aggressive nature of the team came at the outset – the first goal was tallied in the opening minute – leading to 19 shots in the game (the second most this season) and a season-best eight shots on goal.
Â
It was the result of what Keeley Hagen has been having her squad work on in concert with the space the Tigers' defense was allowing.
Â
"I think it's just once you kind of work through the nonconference and the overload, you start to fine-tune things. I think that's just what we're seeing," Hagen said, her team improving to 8-2-2 overall, 2-1-1 in conference. "The players are starting to understand each other, their tendencies more. We're getting better at recognizing the opponent. I think that's the other big thing of, hey, what's the opponent giving us? And we're going to take what they're giving us.
Â
"Whereas you're trying to figure that stuff out in non-conference. So, it's a little bit of all of that. But definitely, we've got some fast front-runners, and we want to utilize that."
Â
As Hagen said, if a team doesn't have speed, it's chasing it, and opponent's have been trying to run down forwards Kaja Dionne and Michaela McGowan all season. Each one sits on the outside opposite of each other, both adept with the ball on their feet and making runs.
Â
For the past two matches, Dionne's runs have led to scoring opportunities for teammates and her first two assists of the season.
Â
Flying down the right side in the opening minute, she made a cross which Kacie Laurie scooted to get a foot on, finding the net before a full 60 seconds had elapsed. It was Laurie's first marker of her career.
Â
On these runs, Dionne has to decide if she can create for herself or others, and the past two matches have been for a teammate. In each case, it found a first-time goal scorer for the season (Mia Massey was the recipient on Sunday), giving the team seven different goal scorers this campaign.
Â
"It's both. I mean, if I'm dribbling and I see a chance, I'll slip them through," Dionne said. "But a lot of the times I can work my way around them and find the opportunity, then that's what I'll take."
Â
What the outside speed gives the Rams is options, nor does it allow a defense to shade one side of the field more than other. Dionne showed it in her debut season last year, but McGowan's addition via the transfer portal has allowed them to play off each other.
Â
Especially with the program's career goal leader posing a threat between them.
Â
"I think it's a huge advantage, honestly. I think having two speedy forwards up top and (Olivia) Foul -- obviously a very clinical finisher between us -- it's really awesome to have it on both sides. Kaja's technical as well. So, it's pretty cool that if I make a mistake or if I'm not doing well, Kaja will have my back and do it on the other side."
Â
They are both lighting quick, but each is able to supply some thunder. Dionne did in the 28th minute, but her shot rifled off the crossbar. In the 54th minute, McGowan didn't miss.
Â
Settling a Mia Casey feed in the middle, she produced a rocket to the upper right of the net and a 2-0 lead.
Â
"It was so fun. I loved it," McGowan said of her third goal, second on the team. "I don't usually play on the left side, so I got to chop in and shoot with my dominant foot."
Â
She took five shots in the game, four of which were on frame. Fout led with eight, but just one resulted in a save. With the first step being to apply ample pressure, it paid off, though the Rams found iron in one way or another three times.
Â
"We really practiced forward runs the whole week of training. Even last week, we worked a bit on transition going forward and starting forward and that just really propelled us, I think," Dionne said. "It's just making sure we get in the habit of that. And then we got a lot of opportunities."
Â
The two goals were needed when the Tigers benefitted on an own goal, a cross deflecting off defender Bridget Arnold as she was fighting off a Colorado College rush to the net. It was the best the guests could produce on a night when the Tigers took just six shots, none on target.
Â
The defense has been stout all season, and in the initial stages of the all-important conference play, the offense appears to be taking a rush forward.
Â
"It's hard because nobody wants to be running back to their own goal. So, we want to be able to try to utilize that when we can. And arguably, they're good at their feet too. I think that's one of the things that we're going to continue to improve on. It's, you shut her down, someone else comes open. You shut her down, then someone else comes open.
Â
"And that's really kind of the methodology that we're getting into now as we get into conference and people start getting more confident."
Â
Â
Entering Thursday's home match, Colorado State's soccer team had scored one goal or less in the past five outings, scoring more than one in just three of 11 contests. Not like the Rams give up a lot of goals, either, with five clean sheets on the ledger. But the only thing they guarantee is a draw.
Â
Goals win games.
Â
The Rams produced two at the CSU Soccer Field against Colorado College, producing a 2-1 victory and a second consecutive win in Mountain West play. The aggressive nature of the team came at the outset – the first goal was tallied in the opening minute – leading to 19 shots in the game (the second most this season) and a season-best eight shots on goal.
Â
It was the result of what Keeley Hagen has been having her squad work on in concert with the space the Tigers' defense was allowing.
Â
"I think it's just once you kind of work through the nonconference and the overload, you start to fine-tune things. I think that's just what we're seeing," Hagen said, her team improving to 8-2-2 overall, 2-1-1 in conference. "The players are starting to understand each other, their tendencies more. We're getting better at recognizing the opponent. I think that's the other big thing of, hey, what's the opponent giving us? And we're going to take what they're giving us.
Â
"Whereas you're trying to figure that stuff out in non-conference. So, it's a little bit of all of that. But definitely, we've got some fast front-runners, and we want to utilize that."
Â
As Hagen said, if a team doesn't have speed, it's chasing it, and opponent's have been trying to run down forwards Kaja Dionne and Michaela McGowan all season. Each one sits on the outside opposite of each other, both adept with the ball on their feet and making runs.
Â
For the past two matches, Dionne's runs have led to scoring opportunities for teammates and her first two assists of the season.
Â
Flying down the right side in the opening minute, she made a cross which Kacie Laurie scooted to get a foot on, finding the net before a full 60 seconds had elapsed. It was Laurie's first marker of her career.
Â
On these runs, Dionne has to decide if she can create for herself or others, and the past two matches have been for a teammate. In each case, it found a first-time goal scorer for the season (Mia Massey was the recipient on Sunday), giving the team seven different goal scorers this campaign.
Â
"It's both. I mean, if I'm dribbling and I see a chance, I'll slip them through," Dionne said. "But a lot of the times I can work my way around them and find the opportunity, then that's what I'll take."
Â
What the outside speed gives the Rams is options, nor does it allow a defense to shade one side of the field more than other. Dionne showed it in her debut season last year, but McGowan's addition via the transfer portal has allowed them to play off each other.
Â
Especially with the program's career goal leader posing a threat between them.
Â
"I think it's a huge advantage, honestly. I think having two speedy forwards up top and (Olivia) Foul -- obviously a very clinical finisher between us -- it's really awesome to have it on both sides. Kaja's technical as well. So, it's pretty cool that if I make a mistake or if I'm not doing well, Kaja will have my back and do it on the other side."
Â
They are both lighting quick, but each is able to supply some thunder. Dionne did in the 28th minute, but her shot rifled off the crossbar. In the 54th minute, McGowan didn't miss.
Â
Settling a Mia Casey feed in the middle, she produced a rocket to the upper right of the net and a 2-0 lead.
Â
"It was so fun. I loved it," McGowan said of her third goal, second on the team. "I don't usually play on the left side, so I got to chop in and shoot with my dominant foot."
Â
She took five shots in the game, four of which were on frame. Fout led with eight, but just one resulted in a save. With the first step being to apply ample pressure, it paid off, though the Rams found iron in one way or another three times.
Â
"We really practiced forward runs the whole week of training. Even last week, we worked a bit on transition going forward and starting forward and that just really propelled us, I think," Dionne said. "It's just making sure we get in the habit of that. And then we got a lot of opportunities."
Â
The two goals were needed when the Tigers benefitted on an own goal, a cross deflecting off defender Bridget Arnold as she was fighting off a Colorado College rush to the net. It was the best the guests could produce on a night when the Tigers took just six shots, none on target.
Â
The defense has been stout all season, and in the initial stages of the all-important conference play, the offense appears to be taking a rush forward.
Â
"It's hard because nobody wants to be running back to their own goal. So, we want to be able to try to utilize that when we can. And arguably, they're good at their feet too. I think that's one of the things that we're going to continue to improve on. It's, you shut her down, someone else comes open. You shut her down, then someone else comes open.
Â
"And that's really kind of the methodology that we're getting into now as we get into conference and people start getting more confident."
Â
Players Mentioned
D/F
/ Women's Soccer
F
/ Women's Soccer
D/MF
/ Women's Soccer
MF
/ Women's Soccer
MF/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