The sun dipped below the horizon in Fort Worth, Texas, as the sun set on one Big 12 team's tournament run.
After a full 90 minutes, two overtimes, and penalty kicks, the Cougars took down No.1 seed TCU, 4-3.
In just its third year in the conference, BYU women's soccer team has advanced to the second round of the Big 12 tournament for the third time.
COUGS MOVE ON🙌 pic.twitter.com/F4tMMonb6V
— BYU Women's Soccer (@byusoccer_w) November 4, 2025
Ellie Walbruch, BYU's star forward, put both goals on the board. She scored the lone goal in the first half, putting the Cougars in the lead through halftime.
The Cougars didn't keep the lead long. One minute into the second half, TCU's Sydney Berrera scored a penalty kick off a BYU handball to even the score.
Walbruch struck again only four minutes later, sending a corner kick sailing into the net.
Have you ever seen anything so beautiful???
— BYU Women's Soccer (@byusoccer_w) November 3, 2025
📺 https://t.co/LUo3kudPb9 pic.twitter.com/TDBzOy7xXU
BYU seemed to have the game sealed, as the next 20 minutes were scoreless on both sides. It wasn't until the 70th minute that Horned Frog AJ Hennessey snuck a ball past BYU goalkeeper Chelsea Peterson, once again tying the score.
The last 20 minutes of regulation were hard fought, but neither the Cougars or Horned Frogs hit the back of the net.
Going into the first overtime, the determination on both sides was palpable. Despite several good looks for each team, the board stayed even through the second overtime — 110 minutes of play left the board tied at 2.
For the first time since 2022, the Cougars were sent to tie-breaking penalty kicks. Peterson, starting for BYU for the first time, was in charge of making sure the Cougars prevailed over Horned Frogs.
In a penalty kick shootout, the teams are given five alternating attempts to make penalty kicks. Whichever team makes the most of the five wins the game. If the teams make the same amount of penalty kicks, they take turns kicking until one team misses.
Walbruch, Mackenzee Vance, Izzi Stratton, and Lucy Kesler sent goals flying past Olivia Geller, making each of their four attempts.
TCU made only three of their five penalty kick attempts, Katana Norman's final flying over the crossbar as the Cougars ran to each other in celebration.
The 2025 season has been a series of ups and downs for the Cougars, who started the season unranked. They climbed into the polls after going undefeated for the first four games of the season, including wins over No. 24 Minnesota and No. 4 UCLA. Losses to Arkansas, Arizona State and West Virginia sent them sliding back out of the top 25.
Despite unexpected losses, the team still fought to make the Big 12 tournament, sealing the final spot after their 2-0 victory over Utah on Thursday.
In an unexpected victory, BYU knocked out No. 1 seed TCU, who ended the Cougars' tournament run last year. The Cougars will continue to fight to earn an at-large bid in the NCAA tournament.
BYU will face No. 5 seed Baylor in Fort Worth on Wednesday at 3:30 p.m. MST.