GREENSBORO, N.C. – The UNC Greensboro (UNCG) women's soccer team will begin its regular season road slate on Sunday when the Blue & Gold travels to Boulder, Colorado, to face Colorado at Prentup Field in non-conference action.
 

 
SERIES HISTORY VS COLORADO
The Spartans and Buffaloes played eachother for the first time last year in Greensboro, where then-ranked No. 22 Colorado took the 1-0 victory.
 
LAST TIME OUT FOR THE SPARTANS
UNCG fell to in-state foe UNCW on Sunday at UNCG Soccer Stadium, 3-2. Junior Rina Ogimoto scored her first-collegiate goal and second-career assist. Ava Kiss tallied her first goal of the season and eighth of her career, while Ryen Ortiz chipped in her first helper of the season and sixth of her career.

ABOUT THE SPARTANS

• The Spartans concluded the 2024 season 5-9-5 overall and 3-3-3 in The Southern Conference (SoCon).
• UNCG defeated The Citadel, 3-0, in the first round of the 2024 SoCon Tournament but fell to second-seeded Samford, 2-1, in the SoCon Quarterfinal round to conclude the season.
• The Spartans began the 2025 season with three exhibitions, two at home with Virginia Tech and James Madison and one away at UNC Asheville.
• The Spartans were voted to finish sixth in the 2025 SoCon Preseason Coaches' Poll, earning 45 points.
• Redshirt senior midfielder Rachel Poplin was named to the 2025 SoCon Preason All-Conference Team, the league announced Monday.
• Poplin has started and played in all 19 games the past two seasons for the Blue & Gold with a career total of 3,238 minutes. She notched two goals for four points during the 2024 campaign.
• Emma Malone returns as the leading goalkeeper after notching 61 saves with a 1.14 GAA last season.
• Taylor Mentzer is the returning leading scorer for the Spartans after the senior recorded five goals last season.
• Merle Greulich follows closely behind as the returning leading scorer with four goals last season and was recognized as the 2024 SoCon Freshman of the Year. 
• Kiss returns after leading the team with three assists last season and posting three goals as well.

SCOUTING COLORADO

• Colorado went 12-5-5 overall last season and 4-2-5 in the Big 12, ultimately earning an at-large bid into the NCAA Tournament.
• The Buffs defeated Georgia in the first round, 3-2, and then fell to No. 3 Wake Forest, 3-1.
• The Buffaloes are currently 2-0-1 overall, opening their season with a 1-1 draw to then-ranked No. 12 Michigan State.
• Colorado then defeated Air Force, 4-1, and Fordham, 7-1, in Boulder which began a six-game home stand.
• Colorado was voted to finish sixth out of 16 teams in the 2025 Big 12 Preseason Poll.
• Jordan Nytes, Faith Leyba, Ava Priest and Hope Leyba were all voted to the 2025 Big 12 Preseason Team.
• Nytes, Faith Leyba and Priest were named to the 2025 Hermann Trophy Watch List, announced by the United Soccer Coaches.
• Hope Leyba has scored five goals for 10 points this season.
• Jace Holley is second on the team with nine points, scoring three goals and three assists.
• Nytes has seen the most time in net this season, with three game starts, 13 saves, a .80 goal against average and a 2-0-1 record.

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UP NEXT
The Spartans return to Greensboro and will begin preparing to face No. 12 North Carolina on Thursday, Aug. 28 in Chapel Hill on Dorrance Field with a 4:00 p.m. start time.