Chants of “BYU! BYU!” echoed through South Field as the No. 11 BYU women’s soccer team beat Oklahoma 3–2. The Cougars scored three goals in the final eight minutes of Sept. 19’s game, overcoming a two-goal deficit.
“They came out and got the job done. What a game! At halftime we said we were going to see what we are made of in the second half, and the girls found a way to win,” head coach Jennifer Rockwood said following the game.
For the first 82 minutes, the game looked like it might be a lackluster offensive performance by the usually high-octane Cougars. BYU struggled to find the back of the net, as the team won eight corner kicks and took five shots, but nothing seemed to click.
The Cougars fell into an early hole when Oklahoma scored two goals on their three first-half shots.
“Giving up two goals on three shots in a first half is disheartening, and the girls fought back,” Rockwood said.
Late in the game, Coach Rockwood made a tactical substitution to bring in another attacker, a crucial move as the Cougars captured the momentum.
“We made a sub there at the end to put in another attacking player, and that seemed to work for us,” Rockwood said.
The drama and excitement began with 15 minutes remaining on the click when the Cougars scored what looked to be their first goal. However, the goal was quickly called back on a controversial offsides call.
Initially, the call seemed to deflate the team, but the Cougars continued to apply the pressure. In the 83rd minute, they won another corner kick. Freshman defender Ella Johnson took the ball off the corner and fired a rocket into the back of the net from the top of the box. The goal was Johnson’s first of her career.
“I was up farther than I usually am because the time was winding down,” Johnson said. “The ball rolled out to me and I had my chance, so I took it. It was unreal. I was so excited.”
About a minute later, an aggressive attack by freshman forward Ashley Hatch drew a penalty in the box. Sophomore defender Paige Hunt calmly put the penalty kick in to tie the game at two goals each.
With two minutes to play, the crowd, preparing for an exciting overtime period, erupted as a rebound came directly to junior forward Jaiden Thornock. Thornock settled the ball and fired in what proved to be the winning goal, her first of the season.
“I saw that shot ricochet off and … saw a wide-open net, and I composed myself and touched it in like we do in practice every day,” Thornock said. “I’m grateful to my team for working so hard and getting me that shot.”
Cougars fall to Long Beach State on the road
The Cougars followed up their emotional win with a biting letdown in a low-scoring game to Long Beach State Sept. 22 by a score of 1-0.
An early goal proved to be the decider for the 49ers. In the 13th minute, Long Beach won a free kick and Mimi Rangel scored on the free kick. The Cougars had their chances but could not convert. Senior midfielder Cloee Colohan hit the crossbar early in the seventh minute. Freshman forward Ashley Hatch also provided multiple shots on goal that couldn’t find the net.
BYU will look to bounce back, as the team returns home Sept. 26 against No. 14 Denver, who will come to South Field for a big matchup. The schedule doesn’t get any easier on Oct. 4, when the Cougars visit the Baylor Bears, who are currently ranked No. 13 nationally. That contest is the last non-conference matchup for the Cougars, who are expected to compete with ranked squads Portland and Santa Clara for the West Coast Conference title.
