Junior defender Caley Swierenga kicks the ball in the game against The University of Arizona at Prentup Field on Oct. 26, 2025. (Peter FitzGerald/CU Independent)
The No. 11 University of Colorado women’s soccer team (14-2-3 overall, 8-1-2 Big 12) wrapped up their regular season against the University of Kansas Jayhawks (12-4-3 overall, 6-4-1 Big 12) on Thursday, using some late-game magic to lift them to a 2-1 win.
The nation’s top-15 offense got right to work as a perfectly placed, curving pass from midfielder Reagan Kotschau that went parallel to the Kansas defensive line, finding an equally well-placed Faith Leyba just inside the 18-yard box. Leyba pushed a strong ball past Jayhawk goalkeeper Sophie Dawe to give the Buffs the 1-0 lead in the ninth minute and put her 19th goal of the season in the back of the net.
Both teams looked to swing momentum, taking three shots in the span of 10 minutes, none getting past the keepers.
Kansas had a flurry of opportunities, shooting the ball four times in less than three minutes. Colorado goalkeeper Jordan Nytes only had to make one stop, which came on a high arching shot that was brought in by her outstretched arms as she backed into the goal but kept the ball from crossing the line, allowing Colorado to maintain the 1-0 lead to halftime.
Physicality kicked in during the second half as the Jayhawks frantically searched for the equalizer, taking five shots in an eight-minute span. Still, Nytes stood on her head, saving two such shots, including a shot that went off the crossbar and landed in play, only for the next touch to soar the ball high over the net.
Eventually, the dam broke on the seventh corner kick for Kansas when Caroline Castans got a line drive to connect with Jillian Gregorski’s header past Nytes, tying the score 1-1 in the 82nd minute.
Ranked fourth in the Big 12, Colorado couldn’t afford to split points with sixth ranked Kansas in a tie for seeding purposes in next week’s Big 12 tournament.
With time winding down, senior Emerson Layne put the ball on the foot of Kotschau, gliding through a Kansas defender into open space, but Dawe went horizontal on the save, keeping the Jayhawks’ hopes of splitting the points alive in the 86th minute.
Kotschau didn’t pull her foot off the gas when a Kansas yellow card just outside their own penalty box opened up an opportunity for a Buffs set piece in the 87th minute.
Jace Holley, who ended her sophomore season with 11 goals, drew the foul that gave the free kick to the Buffs.
She and junior Ava Priest stood over the spot, but it was Kotschau who soared the free kick past the wall of Kansas’ red jerseys and the late-to-react Dawe, connecting with the nylon and putting a cherry on top of a magical regular season.
“Jace draws the foul at the top of the box, and Reagan buries it. A well-earned win by the Buffs tonight,” Colorado head coach Danny Sanchez said.
The Kansas offense, which scores at a clip that’s good enough for 35th in the nation, had their engines going all night, outshooting the Buffs 22-9. Colorado’s seven shots on goal still eclipsed the Jayhawks’ five.
“We weren’t doing a good job when we won the ball, and deservedly, Kansas gets a goal,” Sanchez said. “We knew this would be a tough match for us. We have a lot of momentum [now].”
Colorado ends their regular season at 14-2-3 and 8-1-2 in Big 12 play, good enough for 26 points and third place in the conference standings. The 2025 Buffs set a new program record in goals (48), assists (53) and points (149), all formerly set in 2018.
Hope Leyba’s 19 goals sits as the nations’ second best tally, only trailing Florida Gulf Coast University Erika Zschuppe’s 21.
Colorado Buffaloes forward, Jace Holley, playing against Arizona State University on Friday, Oct. 10th, 2025. (Aspen Doust/CU Independent)
Colorado’s next stop is in Fort Worth, Texas for the Big 12 Tournament next week. Colorado’s 26 points earns a three seed in the Big 12 Tournament where they will play sixth in the Big 12, University of Central Florida. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. MT at Texas Christian University and will be streamed live on ESPN+.
Contact CU Independent Staff Writer Jake Chau at jake.chau@colorado.edu
