Top spot in the WCC stays with #5 BYU

SAN DIEGO-- The No. 5 BYU women's soccer team defeated San Diego on the road, 4-1, to stay in first place in the West Coast Conference and improve its record to 15-1-1 on the year. 

In BYU's quickest goal-scoring combination of the season, Jaiden Thornock and Cloee Colohan each netted a goal in the first six minutes of play to get things started early in the Cougars' favor.

Thornock's goal came in the third minute after she intercepted a pass between San Diego defenders and defeated the goalkeeper in a 1-on-1 stand-off. Colohan finished off a cross from teammate Jessica Ringwood to find the lower right corner of the net, through the fingers of the Torero goalkeeper, and get her goal in the sixth minute. 

Thornock led all players with six shots on the night.

The Cougars had a few more chances in the first half but nothing solid, so they took the 2-0 lead into halftime. 

Early in the second half, BYU defender Dana Oldroyd Cusick took control of the ball at midfield and dribbled it all the way upfield. Cusick crossed the ball in front of the net to a running Michele Murphy who took a shot that hit the crossbar and bounced away into Torero possession.

Just a couple minutes later, after keeping the pressure on, Carlee Payne Holmoe crossed a ball into traffic, but Colohan was able to get a touch on it and score her second goal of the night through San Diego defenders and goalkeeper. 

In the 71st minute, San Diego responded to BYU's attack with a goal of its own. A long cross from Torero Emily Dillon went over the head of BYU goalkeeper Erica Owens and Mariah Hobbs was there to follow up and sneak the ball into the net to put the score at 3-1. 

Ready with a quick response, Cusick scored a goal just five minutes later after taking the ball the entire length of the field and beating three San Diego defenders to get the ball into the lower left corner of the net. The goal secured BYU's 4-1 victory over the Toreros. 

Up next for the fifth-ranked Cougars is their final home game of the regular season on Saturday when they host Saint Mary's at 1 p.m. MDT on South Field.