Colorado Buffaloes junior foward, Reagan Kotschau, scores the winning goal in double overtime against the University of Utah Valley on Friday, Nov. 14th, 2025 (Remi Krupinski/CU Independent).
Hope Leyba’s hands must be on her face—at least according to the officials in Colorado’s matchup against Utah Valley. In the first half, an attempted clearance from Utah Valley goalkeeper Leah Wolf ricocheted off Leyba’s face and into the net, only to be waved off for a phantom handball as the Buffs pressed for an equalizer. They would eventually find that equalizer and more, as the Colorado Buffaloes (16-3-3) defeated the Utah Valley Wolverines (14-4-3) 2–1 in extra time in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament.
Utah Valley got the goal scoring going early, as senior Ruby Hladek found Bailey Peterson unmarked and crashing into the 18-yard box. She easily slid the ball into the back of the net just four and a half minutes into the game, putting the Wolverines up 1-0.
Both Leyba and the nation’s leading goal scorer, Utah Valley’s Faith Webber, generated the offense their teams were looking for in the first half hour of play, with Leyba shooting the ball twice and Webber three times.
That’s when freshman Vivi Zacarias put a perfectly placed ball for Leyba, sending the defender in a whirlwind and leaving the 21-time goal scorer all alone with the goalkeeper Wolf. Wolf came outside the 18-yard box to play the ball, but a well-positioned Leyba put her head on the ball, allowing it to roll into an unguarded net. The field judge called the goal back for a phantom handball despite both of Leyba’s hands flailing in the air and blood trickling from her face, keeping the score 1–0 after half an hour of play.
Colorado Buffaloes junior foward, Hope Leyba, controversial no goal against the University of Utah Valley on Friday, Nov. 14th, 2025 (Remi Krupinski/CU Independent).
Colorado used the momentum to get a crossing pass to deflect out, connecting with Zacarias who snuck it past Wolf for the equalizer in the 39th minute as the Buffs tied the game 1-1.
A quick turnaround shot from the corner of the 18-yard box forced a save from Colorado goalkeeper Jordan Nytes, keeping the score knotted at one heading into the half.
The Wolverines, who boast the nation’s 3rd best offense, outshot the Buffs 9-7 and generated seven corner kicks to the Buffs’ two.
Nytes was active in goal, including making two leaping saves on Hladek, the nation’s point leader.
The Wolverines offense started to kick into gear, generating four shots in a six minute span before the first hour of play.
In the final minute of regulation time, Priest took a corner kick but couldn’t keep it in bounds, sending the game into extra time.
Zacarias, who got the game tying goal, nearly ended it, but her shot went off the post and the Buffs weren’t able to convert.
In the second overtime, a long ball from Priest connected with the head of a diving Regan Kotschau, who put her sixth goal of the season in the back of the net, ending the 106-minute saga and advancing the Buffs to the second round.
Colorado Buffaloes Women’s Soccer, huddling before they face University of Utah Valley on Friday, Nov. 14th, 2025 (Remi Krupinski/CU Independent).
“We really were just trying to grind out through tired legs,” Kotschau said. “We also didn’t want to go into [penalty kicks]. We’d rather get it over with in overtime. I think it was just that extra pressure I guess that just really gave us that drive to go to goal.”
Thousands of Colorado fans came out to the playoff game, creating an energizing environment to play in.
“The atmosphere tonight, the community that came out, everyone from CU, it was absolutely fantastic,” head coach Danny Sanchez said. “We don’t always get these, so we’re gonna enjoy it.”
As a Colorado native, Kotschau transferred back to CU from Washington State, allowing her family to cheer her on.
“I mean my family’s here, my grandparents are here and just being able to play in front of them in person is just so fulfilling and it’s so amazing,” Kotschau said.
During the extra time, the Buffs continued to battle through the physically demanding Wolverines’ offense. Defender Faith Leyba started cramping and stayed down on the field for a considerable amount of time during the first overtime, but she was able to battle through the pain and ended up clearing the potential game-winning shot by Utah Valley off the goal line.
“She saved the season, and that’s what she does,” Sanchez said. “Regan will get the props as she should, but Faith made that play.”
As for the disallowed goal, it allowed the Buffs to play with some more fire.
“We couldn’t let that one play dictate the whole game,” Kotschau said. “We just really wanted it and we just felt like we were [cheated].”
Still, Colorado fought through and now advances to the second round for the second consecutive year. They will travel to Lansing, Mich. to play the winner of Dayton and No. 6 Xavier on Thursday, Nov. 20. Kickoff is still set to be announced.
Contact CU Independent Staff Writer Jake Chau at jake.chau@colorado.edu.
