Cougars rebound with 4-1 win over UVU

PROVO, Utah – No.17 BYU women’s soccer (5-3, 2-1 WCC) remains perfect against UVU after defeating the Wolverines, 4-1, in the UCCU Crosstown Clash on Wednesday at South Field.

“I think the girls bounced back really, really well,” said BYU head coach Jennifer Rockwood. “This was a really tough game for us—to lose against Santa Clara in the 80-something minute and have to come back to play UVU, who is always such a tough game for us. I’m proud of the way they came out.”

Mikayla Colohan scored two goals to give her her seventh multi-goal match of her career. The Cougars out-shot the Wolverines 26-to-12 including 13 shots on goal. Colohan led the way for BYU with seven shots in a match the Cougars never trailed.

BYU got on the board early with Colohan giving BYU a 1-0 lead. Jamie Shepherd was able to get the ball up the field to allow Colohan to put it in the back of the net just 3:41 into the match.

UVU evened things up in the 19th minute with Cassidy McCormick scoring her first goal of the year after replacing Sadie Brockbank just 63 seconds earlier.

Rachel McCarthy was dragged down at the top of the box in the 30th minute and the Cougars were awarded a penalty kick. Colohan was given the nod and put the ball past Jones-Dawe for her second goal of the day and seventh of the season.

BYU entered the break, up 2-1, with an 8-to-3 shots on goal advantage. Colohan led the way for the Cougars, tallying two goals on three shots. Bella Folino also managed to get two shots on goal but accounted for two of Jones-Dawe’s six first-half saves.

UVU forward London Miller found some space early in the 58th minute and had a good opportunity to give the Wolverines their second goal of the day. She took a wide-open shot, but the kick carried, hitting the post, keeping the Cougars up one.

In the 66th, McCarthy capitalized on the UVU missed opportunity. Olivia Wade sent the ball up-field and McCarthy beat Grace Beeston in a foot race and shot a rocket over the head of Jones-Dawe to give BYU a commanding 3-1 lead.

“(McCarthy) is someone who can come off the bench and make such a difference,” said Rockwood. “She’s proven to do that every game. To have a player like that come off the bench and light it up like she does, I think is a huge advantage for us and it’s worked well.”

With less than a minute to go, BYU sent in a corner and found Shepherd on the far side of the box. Shepherd’s shot was deflected off a UVU player, but the ball found its way past the keeper to put away the Wolverines, 4-1.  

The Cougars will be back in action on Saturday, Mar. 20, when they travel to Stockton to face Pacific. The match is set to begin at 1 p.m. PDT and will be broadcast on the BYU Sports Network – BYU Radio 107.9 FM/BYU Cougars App.