Flake leads No. 6 BYU to 5-1 win over Pepperdine

PROVO, Utah – Led by MAC Hermann Trophy nominee Elise Flake’s two goals, No. 6 BYU women’s soccer topped Pepperdine 5-1, Wednesday night at South Field.

Box Score

“The girls just came out flying and that’s how we wanted to start,” BYU head coach Jennifer Rockwood said. “We had some good looks and put a few away. Pepperdine is always a dangerous team and we lost a little bit of momentum toward the end of the first half. I challenged the girls to start the second half the way they started the game and they did that with four quick shots and another goal.”

Flake scored back-to-back goals early in the first half while SaraJayne Affleck, Hermann Trophy nominee Mikayla Colohan and Lizzy Braby all tallied one goal apiece. The Cougars (11-0-1, 1-0-1 WCC) outshot the Waves (5-5-2, 1-1-0 WCC) 17 to 15 while Sabrina Davis recorded three saves on the night.

BYU got on the board quickly to start the game as Affleck scored her first goal as a Cougar. Colohan slid the ball in between two Pepperdine defenders to Cameron Tucker who took the ball to the end line and crossed it back to an open Affleck on the far side of the goal and she one-touched the ball right into the back of the net to put BYU up 1-0.

Flake increased BYU’s lead to 2-0 with a one-on-one with Pepperdine’s goalkeeper in the 12th minute. Flake shot the ball and it ricocheted off the far post across the goal line and she followed through on the backside to make sure that the ball found the back of the net.

In the 22nd minute, Colohan once again slid the ball between two defenders, this time to Flake who was again one-on-one with the keeper. She rocketed the ball to the far side corner to make the score 3-0.

The Waves scored their first and only goal of the game in the 42nd minute as Davis blocked the ball but was unable to hold onto it and a Pepperdine player followed the ball into the back of the net.

Braby increased the Cougars score to 4-1 in the 49th minute, shooting the ball from just inside the 18-yard line and into the back post. Colohan found the back of the net in the 54th minute as she stretched to get her foot on the ball and redirect it right past the goalkeeper to make the score 5-1.

Pepperdine put pressure on BYU’s defense throughout the rest of the game but was unable to get the ball into the goal and BYU took the 5-1 victory.

The Cougars return to South Field on Saturday for another WCC contest against Pacific. Kickoff is scheduled from 7 p.m. MDT with a live broadcast on BYUtv and radio broadcasts on BYU Sports Network, 107.9 FM and ESPN 960 AM/ESPN 960 App.

Game Notes

• Freshman SaraJayne Affleck score her first career goal in the third minute of play.
• Elise Flake has now found the back of the net 11 times this season and 31 in her career.
• Lizzy Braby scored her second goal of the season.
• Mikayla Colohan tallied her first assists of the season (2) and scored her seventh goal.
• With the win, BYU ended Pepperdine’s three-game win streak against the Cougars.