Colohan hat trick sends BYU women’s soccer to Sweet 16 in 4-1 win over Alabama

The Cougars kept the goals coming on Thursday in a 4-1 victory over Alabama in the second round of the NCAA Tournament in Charlottesville, Virginia.

Mikayla Colohan had a hat trick with three goals and the BYU women’s soccer team has now outscored its opponents 10-1 through two rounds in the NCAA Tournament.

With the win over the Crimson Tide, BYU moves onto the Sweet 16 for the second time in three seasons, facing the winner of 1-seed Virginia and Milwaukee.

“I’m really excited, especially for our seniors. They’ve done such a great job,” head coach Jennifer Rockwood told Greg Wrubell. “There’s not a better place we’d want to be right now. (We have) an opportunity to potentially face the team that knocked us out last season (in Virginia).”

Cameron Tucker got the scoring started for the Cougars, slotting one home in the fifth minute for an early advantage.

Colohan converted a penalty kick in the 20th minute to give BYU a comfortable margin and then found the net again just before halftime to send the Cougars in the locker room up 3-0. Addie Gardner assisted the latter goal, earning her first assist as a BYU player.

Alabama got one back in the 64th minute, but Colohan quieted any thoughts of a Crimson Tide comeback with her third goal of the match coming in the 74th minute.

Colohan, the West Coast Conference Offensive Player of the Year, took eight total shots in the game and had four on frame. BYU out-shot Alabama 20-12 and led 11-2 in shots on goal.

The Cougars have now scored 71 goals this season, the most for a BYU team since 2000.

“When you come out and set a high pressure right from the beginning, you’re able to get one in and it just opens up the game and allows us to play with a little less pressure,” Colohan told Greg Wrubell. “It makes it more comfortable for us. It’s all in front of us now.”

Colohan and Tucker were given standing ovations as they exited the game in the 73rd and 75th minutes, respectively. Colohan’s hat trick moved her to third all-time in goals scored at BYU with 51.

BYU now awaits the winner of tonight’s match between Virginia and Milwaukee in the Sweet 16 on Saturday, Nov. 20 in Virginia.