No. 7 BYU women's soccer defeated UCF 3-2 Monday at South Field in the team's final home game.
The night started off by celebrating the 11 seniors who will be graduating this year. Some of those seniors included Zoe Jacobs, Olivia Wade-Katoa, Ellie Boren, Jamie Shepherd, Brecken Mozingo, Kendall Petersen, Bella Folino, Laveni Vaka and Rachel McCarthy. The players were honored before the game with their accomplishments and were escorted by their family and friends onto the field. With 4,683 fans in attendance, the field was filled with good energy and excitement for the seniors.
The game started off strong with multiple shots on goal by the Cougars. In the third minute of play, forward Allie Fryer scored with a shot to the center of the goal with an assist from seniors Mozingo and Shepherd.
After the goal BYU began to gain more confidence and kept most of the possession throughout the first half. During the eighth minute, shots on goal were seen by both Fryer and Boren. The Cougars continued to take shots on goal from outside the keepers box with Mozingo taking most of the corner kicks.
Wade-Katoa found the back of the net in the 20th minute with an assist from Kendall Petersen making the game 2-0 in favor of the Cougars. The senior girls continued to dominate the game with well controlled passes from the defense to the midfielders making the game very fast-paced and entertaining to watch.
The Knights put up a fight by continued press on BYU's backline. They had corner kicks and shots on goal and met our Cougars with speed and aggressiveness. UCF made it on the board in the 34th minute of the game. Chloe Netzel launched a shot from just outside the 18 to the top right of the net, making the score 2-1. Just two minutes later, the Knights made another shot but was blocked by Vaka.
BYU's seniors continued to dominate with Mozingo scoring another goal with only two minutes left in the half. By breaking through the Knights' defense, and with an assist from Tara Warner, she gave the Cougars a 3-1 lead by halftime.
Second half started of quick paced for both teams with possession going from both sides of the field. Mozingo, Wade-Katoa and Shepherd all took more shots on goal with the ball going just wide of the frame for each of them.
In the 80th minute, the Knights were awarded a penalty kick, taken by Mia Asenjo, bringing the game to 3-2.
BYU held onto the one goal lead to win 3-2, capping off a perfect regular season for the program's inaugural Big 12 campaign.
'I can't believe we're here at this game,' Shepherd said. 'It doesn't seem real, but such a fun experience to just be surrounded by 10 girls that I have just grown to love. They are truly my best friends and it's so fun to be out here on senior night celebrating with them.'
All three Cougar goals were either scored or assisted by a senior player.
'Our senior class; it doesn't really matter where they're at on the field, they are all impact players and all very mature, very experienced. For them to come out and play tonight, was actually very fitting,' BYU associate head coach Brett Anderson said.
The Cougars now move to postseason play competing in the Big 12 tournament in Round Rock, Texas. The first round will begin Oct. 28.
