The week began as frustratingly as possible for the Colorado women’s soccer team.
But the Buffaloes got back on track on Thursday night, and fifth-year senior Shyra James made history along the way.
Four days after allowing a lead to slip away in the final minutes against nationally ranked North Carolina, CU returned to the win column with a 5-1 victory against Wyoming at Prentup Field. James made it a memorable night, scoring three goals in the second half to break CU’s career goals record.
James’ first career hat trick increased her all-time total to 44 goals, breaking Nikki Marshall’s former mark of 42.
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Marshall, who helped coach James as a CU assistant in 2022, was in attendance at Prentup.
“Once I scored the first one, it kept happening and I started getting more adrenaline, more excitement,” James said. “To experience this with my team, it’s insane. To beat (Marshall’s) record, and me knowing her in that aspect, is exciting as well. She texted me good luck. It was exciting to beat the record in front of her, and how I did today.”
CU (2-0-1) got on the board early in the first matchup against the Cowgirls since 2012, with Hope Leyba converting on a header chance in the eighth minute off a corner kick from Laura Gouvin.
The 1-0 lead held through halftime, and then the match turned into the Shyra James show.
After a hand ball penalty against Wyoming, James converted the penalty kick to tie Marshall’s record and give the Buffs a much-needed cushion in the 59th minute. James was just getting warmed up.
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James blasted home a rebound goal six minutes later to give CU a 3-0 lead and take sole possession of the all-time goals record with 43, and she added to the festivities with a header goal off a crossing pass from Emerson Layne.
The first career hat trick for James was the seventh in program history, the first since Tatum Barton scored three goals against Missouri on Aug. 25, 2018. James scored her three goals in a span of 10 minutes, 23 seconds.
Wyoming’s Alyssa Bedard scored on a penalty kick in the 83rd minute to ruin the Buffs’ shutout. CU’s Lola Stanley capped the scoring with her first collegiate goal in the 88th minute.
“You can go a couple ways after (North Carolina) and we went ‘We’re going to really get after it.’ Tuesday was probably our hardest practice of the season,” said Buffs coach Danny Sanchez, who spent four seasons as the head coach at Wyoming prior to taking over at CU. “After a disappointing end to a game like Sunday, you just want to play again. So I think the team was champing at the bit to get out there again.”
Notable
On Thursday, James was one of 44 players named to the watch list for the Hermann Trophy, which is awarded to the top player in the nation. James was one of just four Big 12 players on the list, which also included the Texas Tech trio of Macy Blackburn, Sam Courtwright and Ashleigh Williams. … Buffs co-captain Rachel Rosen had started 37 consecutive games but played off the bench on Thursday. … CU completes a season-opening four-game homestand on Sunday against Michigan (noon, ESPN+).
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CU Buffs women’s soccer 5, Wyoming 1
Wyoming 0 1 — 1
Colorado 1 4— 5
Goals — Colorado: H. Leyba (Gouvin), 8th minute; James (PK), 59th minute; James (unassisted), 65th minute; James (Layne), 70th minute; Stanley (Fisher), 88th minute. Wyoming: Bedard (PK), 83rd minute.
CASPER, Wyo. — The Casper City Council voted Tuesday to approve on first reading a zoning change for a vacant 2.4-acre parcel located at 1530 SE Wyoming Boulevard, transitioning the property from residential to commercial use.
The ordinance reclassifies Lot 4 of the Methodist Church Addition from Residential Estate to General Business. Located between East 15th and East 18th streets, the irregular-shaped property has remained undeveloped since it was first platted in 1984.
While original plans for the subdivision envisioned a church and an associated preschool, Community Development Director Liz Becher reported those projects never materialized.
According to Becher, the applicant sought the rezoning to facilitate the potential installation of a cell tower or an off-premises sign. Under the new C-2 designation, a cell tower up to 130 feet in height is considered a permitted use by right, though any off-premises sign would still require a conditional use permit from the Planning and Zoning Commission. The applicant also owns the adjacent lot to the north, which the city rezoned to general business in 2021.
Becher said the change aligns with the “Employment Mixed Use” classification in the Generation Casper comprehensive land use plan. This designation typically supports civic, institutional and employment spaces.
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Despite the new zoning, the property remains subject to a subdivision agreement that limits traffic access. Entry and exit are restricted to right turns onto or from East 15th Street, and no access is permitted from East 18th Street.
The council will vote on two more readings of the ordinance before it is officially ratified.
SALT LAKE CITY (KUTV) — Two men were detained in Wyoming in connection with a fatal shooting at a downtown Salt Lake hotel that killed one man.
Carlos Chee, 23, and Chino Aguilar, 21, were both wanted for first-degree felony murder after the victim, identified as Christian Lee, 32, was found dead in a room at the Springhill Suites near 600 South and 300 West.
According to warrants issued for their arrest, Chee and Aguilar met with Lee and another woman at the hotel to sell marijuana. During the alleged drug deal, Aguilar allegedly shot and killed Lee after he tried to grab at his gun.
MORE | Shootings
Investigators said they found Lee dead in the room upon arrival, as well as a single shell casing on the floor and a small amount of marijuana on the television stand.
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The woman told investigators she had met Chee on a dating app and that he agreed to come to the hotel to sell her marijuana. She had been hanging out with him in the room, which Lee rented for her to use, when Lee asked them to leave. Lee was then shot and killed following a brief confrontation.
Chee and Aguilar allegedly fled the scene in a 2013 Toyota Camry with a Texas license plate that was later found outside of Rock Springs, Wyoming just a few hours later.
The two men were taken into custody and detained at the Sweetwater County Sheriff’s Office.
ROCK SPRINGS, Wyoming (KUTV) — A man was hospitalized with critical injuries after he was reportedly shot by a deputy responding to reports of a disturbance.
Deputies with the Sweetwater County Sheriff’s Office and officers with the Rock Springs Police Department responded to the Sweetwater Heights apartment complex in the 2100 block of Century Boulevard just after 4 a.m. on Monday to investigate reports of a disturbance involving an armed individual.
Information that dispatch received indicated that the individual had shot himself. When officials arrived, they found the individual on the balcony of an upstairs apartment “who appeared to have a gunshot wound consistent with the initial report,” a press release states.
MORE | Officer-Involved Shooting
During the encounter, a deputy discharged their weapon and struck the individual.
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Emergency medical personnel rendered aid, and the individual was transported to an area hospital in critical condition.
No law enforcement officers or members of the public were injured during the incident.
The Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation will conduct an independent investigation.
The deputy who fired their weapon was placed on administrative leave per standard protocol.
