DENVER Colorado’s Nikki Marshall scored two goals, as the No. 14 Buffaloes (1-0-0) topped the Pioneers (0-1-0), 2-0.

 

“Both teams played well,” DU head coach Jeff Hooker said. “We made two poor mistakes by turning over the ball in bad positions, and Colorado capitalized on it.”

 

Marshall put Colorado on the board first off a pass from Alex Cousins with seven minutes left in the first half. Marshall found the goal again off an assist from Mel Hall with 30 minutes remaining in the game.

 

The Pioneers made a run in the second half. Sophomore midfielder Lizzy Carlson (Honolulu, Hawaii) shot through the Buffaloes defense, but the ball hit the post with 26 minutes remaining in the game.

 

“If Lizzy’s ball would have gone in, the game would have been completely different at the end,” Hooker said. “It was a great opportunity, but unfortunately it did not go in.”

 

The game was cancelled with 8:13 left due to lightening in the area.

                                                                                                              

The Pioneers play their second game in the Denver Classic against Air Force (0-1-0) on Sunday at 1:15 p.m. Colorado will face Fairfield (1-0-0) in the first game at 11:00 a.m.