Medeiros, Hatch lead No. 19 Cougars over No. 18 Cal 2-0

WAIPAHU, Hawaii – No. 19 BYU women’s soccer used goals from Hawaii native Elena Medeiros and Hermann Trophy candidate Ashley Hatch to beat No. 18 Cal 2-0 on Friday to open the regular season.

“It’s a really big win for us,” BYU head coach Jennifer Rockwood said on the Cougar IMG Sports Network postgame show. “To start off the season with a team as good and as solid as Cal and to come out with a win is big.”

Medeiros’ goal gave the Cougars an early lead in the ninth minute. Nadia Gomes played Medeiros through two defenders and Medeiros struck it just under the crossbar and out of reach of Cal’s keeper for the 1-0 advantage.

After a 45 minute stretch without a shot, BYU got back into an offensive groove and in the 74th minute Madie Lyons headed a ball to Hatch on the right corner of the area. On a half bounce, Hatch put the ball past the keeper for the 2-0 lead with just over 15 minutes left in the game.

It was Hatch’s 25th career goal and her third straight season opener where she has scored a goal, doing so against Cal State Fullerton in both 2013 and 2014.

Junior transfer goalkeeper Rachel Boaz became the second Cougar to record a shutout in her first career start for BYU. She faced 12 shots with eight on goal, stopping all eight. The eight saves are the most in a regular season game since McKinzie Olson’s nine against Cal State Fullerton in 2011.

“She did a fantastic job,” Rockwood said. “Her presence back there adds so much confidence for our defense. She just makes it look simple.”

For the game, Cal outshot BYU 12-9 and earned one more corner kick than did the Cougars. Medeiros led BYU with three shots, while Bizzy Phillips and Hatch each had two.

True freshman Madie Siddoway made her debut in the season opener and is the third straight true freshman to make her debut in the first game of the season following Bizzy Phillips last season and Hatch in 2013. Jocelyn Loomis and Boaz also made their debuts as Cougars. Stephanie Ringwood started at center back for the first time in her career as well.

BYU will play Stanford on Monday, Aug. 24 at 7 p.m. HST (11:00 MDT) who faces host Hawaii later Friday night. The game can be heard on ESPN 960 AM and the Cougar IMG Sports Network on BYUCougars.com and the BYU Cougars app. Pregame begins half an hour before kickoff.

BYU will also host a fireside on Sunday evening at 7 p.m. at the Honolulu Tabernacle. The public is encouraged to attend.