Fresno State Women’s Soccer traveled to the mountains of Fort Collins to take on the Colorado State Rams in a highly anticipated Mountain West Conference match. Fresno, who had a strong start to the season, came into the game with a record of 5-4-2 but had cooled down as of late. Meanwhile, Colorado State had been on fire, boasting a 7-3-1 record. The game, featuring two future Pac-12 teams, kicked off under sunny skies at 11 a.m. PT in Fort Collins.
Colorado State came out aggressive from the start, creating numerous chances within the first five minutes, largely due to several well-placed through balls. Maggie Altman played a key role early on, consistently threatening Fresno’s defense. On the other hand, Fresno struggled with misplaced passes, allowing the Rams to launch counterattacks. In the 10th minute, Mia Casey scored the opening goal for Colorado State with an impressive header, thanks to a brilliant cross from Kaja Dionne. Fresno’s goalkeeper, Ashton Conley, had been doing her best to keep the Rams at bay, but there was nothing she could do to stop the early strike.
For the first 15 minutes, Colorado State continued to dominate, putting immense pressure on Fresno’s defense, particularly targeting center-back Jordan Lau. The Rams attack kept Fresno on the back foot, with Altman and Dionne connecting repeatedly to create dangerous crosses. In the 28th minute, Fresno’s Katie Morris received a yellow card, adding to their struggles. The game was briefly paused due to an injury to Sofia Coulombe, who was replaced by Taite DeLange after a 1:30 stoppage.
Fresno’s first real chance to push forward came from a free kick, but it led to nothing. Colorado State rotated some of their starting attackers, briefly giving Fresno more space to move the ball forward. Sabrina Welch, a former track athlete for Fresno, took a short corner kick that resulted in a cross, but it didn’t trouble the Rams’ defense. Fresno finally managed a shot, but Colorado State’s goalkeeper Livy Brooker made a strong save, preventing Fresno from gaining momentum.
Just before halftime, Mia Casey struck again, scoring her second goal of the match with a top-right finish, making it 2-0 for the Rams. The goal came from another excellent buildup by Colorado State’s attackers, and Casey continued to shine, showcasing the kind of form that could see her play professionally in the future. The Rams continued to dominate possession and 50/50 challenges as the half came to a close. Fresno’s coach, Brian Zwaschka, had been vocal in his frustrations with the referees, even receiving a yellow card himself. Despite some hope for Fresno with the Rams down to 9 players at the end of the half, the first 45 minutes ended with Colorado State leading 2-0.
The second half started much like the first, with Colorado State applying immediate pressure. Just two minutes in, the Rams won a corner, and Avery Vander Ven headed home to extend the lead to 3-0. Mia Casey, having an incredible match, provided the assist. Fresno had a glimmer of hope when they earned a penalty, but Jordan Lau’s attempt was saved by Brooker, who dove to her left to deny the goal. Lau’s penalty lacked pace and precision, representing Fresno’s best chance of the game thus far.
Fresno began showing signs of life after Vander Ven’s goal, trying to press forward more aggressively. In the 60th minute, Colorado State had a few more opportunities, largely created by Olivia Fout. Mia Casey almost secured a hat trick but was stopped by a well-timed tackle from Sabrina Welch in the box, with no penalty awarded. Fresno made some substitutions in the 61st minute, but Colorado State’s quick passing kept their fresh legs busy.
A yellow card was shown to Avery Vander Ven, as the Rams continued to control the pace of the game. Fresno earned a corner in the 67th minute, but it was cleared out by the Rams’ defense. A few minutes later, a foul by Colorado State’s Katy Coffin gave Fresno another penalty. This time, star player Ciara Wilson stepped up and slotted the ball into the bottom left corner, making the score 3-1. Wilson, who had been quiet in the first half, finally found her moment in what has been a standout season for her.
As the game progressed, Mia Casey continued to press for her hat trick, coming close on multiple occasions. Fresno had a golden opportunity on a counterattack in the 75th minute when the Colorado State goalkeeper stumbled, but they couldn’t capitalize. The Rams nearly scored from a free kick shortly after but were denied by the crossbar.
Fresno made two more substitutions around the 76th minute, trying to find fresh energy for a late comeback. The Rams kept pushing forward, with Olivia Fout striking the crossbar again as they looked to extend their lead. Fresno, however, found some late hope when Kaelyn Miller scored to make it 3-2, setting up an intense final few minutes.
With five minutes to go, Fresno began pushing hard for an equalizer. Colorado State won a late corner, but Fresno cleared the ball and quickly looked to counter. Maggie Altman hit the crossbar, leading to another corner for the Rams. As the clock ticked down, Fresno desperately tried to find the tying goal. In the final minute, they earned a free kick deep in their own half but failed to create a final chance. The game ended 3-2 in favor of Colorado State, who held on for the victory in an exciting Mountain West contest.
With this result, Fresno State falls to 5-5-2 on the season, while Colorado State continues their impressive run, fueled by standout performances from Mia Casey and their relentless attack.
