By typical standards, Hope Leyba’s recent goal-scoring drought was nothing dramatic. By Leyba’s standards, it seemed like an eternity.
Leyba put an emphatic end to that drought.
Colorado’s junior forward recorded a hat trick for the second time this season, leading the CU women’s soccer team to a 3-1 victory against Iowa State in a Big 12 Conference matchup on Thursday night at Prentup Field.
Leyba scored goals in each of the first five games of the season and scored multiple goals in the final three games of that run, but she had gone four straight matches without a goal before putting together a dominant performance against the Cyclones.
It was the ninth hat trick in program history. Leyba joined Nikki Marshall as the only CU players to post a pair of hat tricks, and Leyba is the first to record two in the same season.
“I’m just so blessed,” Leyba said. “I was frustrated. I want to score every game.”
Leyba is one of the most physical goal-scorers in the Big 12, and she put those skills to good use while scoring her two first-half goals in much different manners.
CU (7-1-2, 1-0-1 Big 12) opened the scoring in the 17th minute, as Leyba was able to convert a header goal off a crossing pass from Ava Priest. Leyba struck again 20 minutes later when freshman Ruby Hayward touched a through pass to Leyba while cutting into the top of the penalty box. Leyba was covered tightly by an Iowa State defender, but still managed to push a sliding shot past Cyclones goalkeeper Kasey Cannistraro.
Leyba secured the hat trick in the 53rd minute off assists from Caley Swierenga and Greer Maguire.
Leyba’s flurry against the Cyclones rekindled what is shaping up to be one of the top goal-scoring seasons in team history. With 12 goals this season, Leyba moves into a five-way tie for the third-most goals in a season with a minimum of 10 games remaining. Leyba increased her career total to 22 goals, which ties Anne Stuller for seventh all-time.
Iowa State ruined CU’s shutout bid with a goal off a free kick in the 82nd minute.
“I thought we were very good going forward and we scored three very good goals,” CU head coach Danny Sanchez said. “Credit to Iowa State, I thought they created some good chances. A little disappointing to give up the free kick goal at the end, but overall a great performance for the Buffs tonight.”
Notable
CU goalie Jordan Nytes took sole possession of fourth in CU history with her 32nd win with the Buffs. … With six points, Leyba increased her career total to 47, which ranks ninth all-time. … The Buffs complete a run of three consecutive home games to start Big 12 play against Houston on Sunday (1 p.m., ESPN+).
CU Buffs women’s soccer 3, Iowa State 1
Iowa State 0 1 — 1
Colorado 2 1 — 3
Goals — Colorado: H. Leyba (Priest), 17th minute; H. Leyba (Hayward), 37th minute; H. Leyba (Swierenga, Maguire), 53rd minute. Iowa State: Goodman (unassisted), 82nd minute.
Goalies (Min.-goals allowed-saves) — Iowa State: Cannistraro (90-3-4). Colorado: Nytes (90-1-3).