A little more than a month after breaking both bones in his left forearm, Rapids defender Julien Baudet headed in a goal on a corner kick to lift Colorado past league-leading Houston on Sunday at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park. (photo by Jonathan Ingraham/ColoradoSoccerNow.com)

Drew Beckie, Nick Brant and Austin Haller scored for the Pioneers in a 3-0 victory over Stanford on Saturday in Commerce City. The match was the Pioneers’ final exhibition before they open the regular season Friday against North Carolina State. Pictured at right: Beckie, in the middle, is congratulated by Brant, left, and defender Kris Banghart after Beckie scored in the first half.
(photo by Tom Auclair/ ColoradoSoccerNow.com)

CU’s Kara Linder and Nikki Marshall add to their growing list of accolades, the Nats call up Conor Casey for two qualifiers, the Rapids have a few new teams to worry about, the Buffs and Pioneers have busy weekends ahead of them, the Metro State women are aiming high, and more!

DU men’s exhibition vs. Stanford is moved to Commerce City, my votes for MLS player of the week, Dedi Ben Dayan, Junior Agogo, Alexsys Tamayo, the WPS champs and more!

Spenny joins the Gallery of Honor, Soccer America picks CU’s Nikki Marshall as an All-American, free posters and soccer balls and sunglasses at the next match at Dick’s, Peter Vermes on the sidelines, and more!

We speak with Chris Sharpe, an Australian goalkeeper who has a contract with Major League Soccer but whose rights are owned by the Colorado Rapids. He trains with the Rapids, but he’s available to other MLS teams in a pinch. Imagine the odd situation, then, when he filled in as a backup keeper for Chivas USA on Saturday night at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park. … (photo by Jonathan Ingraham/ ColoradoSoccerNow.com)

Pablo Mastroeni scored in the first minute and Conor Casey added three more goals as the Colorado Rapids blew out Chivas USA 4-0 on Saturday at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park. Omar Cummings, with ball above, took over sole possession of the Major League Soccer lead with three assists. (photo by Jonathan Ingraham/ColoradoSoccerNow.com)

Chad Marshall scored on a free kick in the 39th minute as the Crew defeated Colorado 1-0 on Saturday night despite being outshot 16-5 by the Rapids. Above, Columbus goalkeeper William Hesmer denies the Rapids again. (photo by Jonathan Ingraham/ColoradoSoccerNow.com)

Jacob Peterson, Pat Noonan, Nick LaBrocca and Mehdi Ballouchy scored as the Colorado Rapids poured on the offense against the last-place New York Red Bulls, winning 4-0 on Saturday night at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park. Above: Peterson, left, Ballouchy and LaBrocca celebrate Ballouchy’s second-half goal. (photo by Jonathan Ingraham/ColoradoSoccerNow.com)

The Colorado Rapids, who normally own the Fourth of July, lost 2-1 to Chicago on Saturday, leaving 19,680 fans without a victory and without fireworks. Technical difficulties halted the evening’s pyrotechnics display, to the dismay of the largest Rapids crowd ever at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park. At left, Rapids striker Conor Casey argues a decision by referee Jorge Gonzalez. (photo by Jonathan Ingraham/ ColoradoSoccerNow.com)