BYU worked around a variety of obstacles, including a barrage of fouls, in a 3-1 win over Iowa State on Monday night in Provo.
It was a scrappy, physical affair like previous games. Despite a large number of fouls called early on the team, BYU (5-4-3 overall, 3-1-1 in Big 12 play) pulled out a victory, credited to disruptive plays.
“Games are physical. There is a lot riding on each game. I think we let it frustrate us a bit,” coach Jennifer Rockwood said of the team’s performance. “For the most part, we came out strong. … I am proud of our girls, we battled through.”
Early on, both teams committed several fouls and struggled to cash in on corner kicks. Iowa State had three saves in the first half compared to none for the Cougars.
BYU took a 1-0 lead courtesy of Allie Fryer. But with a little over three minutes left in the half, the Cyclones scored to tie the game at one apiece.
In the second half, more fouls tallied up.
BYU scored twice, thanks to Avery Frischknecht and Mackenzee Vance, respectively. A 16-7 advantage in shots taken proved to be the difference for the Cougars.
Rockwood was asked what she liked about her team through its three-game homestand.
“I think we’ve had more of an attacking mindset,” she said. “Our press has been very effective when you play against teams that like to hold the ball, we try to disrupt them. This makes our players run a lot more but helps us press more.”
BYU was averaging 8.9 fouls a game coming into Monday night. It committed 17 total in this game. Iowa State was not far behind with 16.
Vance scored the nail in the coffin to give the Cougars 3-1 lead.
“In the moment, I wasn’t thinking about it much, I’m just gonna go to goal,” she said.
The Bluffton, South Carolina native made a pass to Mika Krommenhoek, who slipped it back to her in an open spot, allowing her to put the ball in the net.
“It’s always rewarding to play against physical teams,” Vance said. “It feels good matching their level of aggressiveness and intensity. That’s one of the big things we are working on; being more aggressive and showing them who came out to play.”
This was the second meeting against the Cyclones. BYU won 7-0 in Ames, Iowa last year. BYU now leads the series 2-0 with Monday night’s victory in Provo.
Up next for the Cougars is a much-anticipated showdown on the road with the Arizona Wildcats in Tucson, Arizona, at Murphy Field at Mulcahy Soccer Stadium. The match is set for Friday at 7 p.m. MDT.
“Knowing what we’re capable of is something we can take with us (on the road),” Rockwood said. “Arizona has had a great season so far. You never know what to expect on a given weekend. That is what is great about the Big 12, the competitiveness from week to week.”