High-intensity, high-scoring and powerful are all accurate descriptions of the offense of the 2014 BYU women's soccer team. The Cougars scored an impressive 47 goals this season in 21 games. They also averaged 2.24 goals scored and 19.3 shots per game and led the conference in goals scored.
Ashley Hatch scored 18 goals this season for the Cougars. (Universe Photo)
Sophomore Ashley Hatch led the Cougars this season in goals scored with 18. She also had six assists on the season. Michelle Murphy came up second in scoring with six goals, as well as six assists. Elena Medeiros and Niki Fernandes both netted five goals this season and had an impressive seven assists each. Marissa Nimmer ended the season with four goals and five assists.
The freshman class was a huge bonus to the Cougars' already strong offense. Three true freshmen scored goals this season. Nadia Gomes and Bizzy Phillips both ended the season with three goals each and three and two assists, respectively; Madi Lyons netted two goals and one assist. Phillips started all season for the Cougars at midfield, while Gomes and Lyons frequently came off the bench for the Cougars. Gomes played in all 21 games, and Lyons played in 19. Several other freshmen saw playing time as well this season.
Jaiden Thornock was the last Cougar to score this season, ending the season with one goal and two assists. The Cougars had a total of 41 assists this season. The Cougars were 4-for-4 on penalty kicks and had 118 corner kicks during the season.
Hatch moved into fourth place on BYU's all-time record of games with multiple goals scored. Hatch also recorded a hat trick during the season, BYU's first hat trick since 2005 and the 17th in Cougar history.
Hatch was named West Coast Conference Co-Player of the year and is also a finalist for the 2014 Soccer News Net College Boot award, an award given to the women's college soccer player of the year.
The Cougars ended the season with a 13-5-3 record and the outright WCC championship. During the season, the Cougars had an 11-game winning streak and a 13-game unbeaten streak.
Despite losing in the first round of the NCAA tournament, the Cougar offense had a successful season and will return most of its starting offensive players next season.