September 16, 2022 | SPORTS | By Michael Braithwaite
We are about a month into the 2022-2023 college varsity athletic season and four different Colorado College varsity athletic teams have already started competition.
The Women’s Division I Soccer team began their season with an exhibition match victory against the University of Texas El Paso on Aug. 10. Since then, they have gone 3-3-1 with 11 goals on 94 shots and 10 assists.
Three players, forward Erin Ewers ’26, forward Adelaide Gaffney ’23, and defender Josie Morales ’23, are tied for the team lead in goals, with each tallying two scores. Goalkeeper Ally Wakeman ’23 leads the team with 24 saves and a 1.80 goals-against average.
The team’s next match will take place at Fresno State University on Thursday, Sept. 22.
Moving on to the men’s side of the game, the Men’s Division III Soccer program began its season with two exhibition matches in August. During the regular season so far, they have played to a 2-2-1 record and have scored 11 goals on 94 shots.
Midfielders Curtis Hale ’25 and Vincent Luglio ’25 are tied for the team lead in goals scored with two apiece. Goalkeeper Jasper Broad ’26 leads the team with a 0.400 save percentage, although three different goaltenders have received significant playing time.
The men’s team’s next match will take place at No. 13 Trinity University on Saturday, Sept. 17.
The Women’s Division III Volleyball team has started the season off strong, posting a perfect 7-0 record and opening the season with a four-game sweep in the 2022 Pikes Peak Challenge on Friday, Sept. 2 and Saturday, Sept. 3.
The team has posted 302 kills this season compared to their opponents’ 183 and are averaging 2.3 aces per set compared to their opponent’s 1.1.
Outside hitter Isabella Lipacis ’24 leads the way offensively with an absurd 95 points scored, 29 more than CC’s second highest point scorer, and a 4.05 kills per set average. Middle blocker Kaylie Stuteville ’25 leads the team defensively with 1.27 blocks per set.
The team will next travel to California to play three teams in the 2022 California Lutheran Tournament on Friday, Sept. 16 and Saturday, Sept. 17.
The Men’s and Women’s Division III Cross-Country teams also began their season this fall with their first meet of the year taking place on Saturday, Sept. 3. While the meet featured a few different teams from schools in the area, it was mainly used as a warm-up race for the rest of the regular season.
Coming off an exciting season, and with a brand-new young core of first-year runners, both teams will be looking to make their marks in the Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference this season. The first official meet of the season will take place on Saturday, Sept. 17 in Denver.
Despite their main season occurring in the springtime, the Women’s and Men’s Division III Tennis programs have been practicing and competing throughout the month of September. Both teams will take on St. Mary’s University in Pueblo, Colo. this Friday, Sept. 16.
Fall play for the tennis teams will conclude on Sunday, Oct. 2 – the third day of the Intercollegiate Tennis Association Division III West Regionals.
While many fall season athletic programs are currently in full swing, some have not yet even begun. The Men’s and Women’s Division III Swim and Dive program will begin practicing in the next few weeks in preparation for their first meet on Saturday, Oct. 8.
The Men’s Division I Ice Hockey program, while they have begun practicing, will not play their first game until a showdown with the United States Air Force Academy on Saturday, Oct. 1. The team’s first home game of the season will be a Homecoming weekend matchup with the University of Alaska Anchorage on Friday, Oct. 7.