PROVO -- Another ranked team fell prey to the BYU women's soccer team (8-3-1) Friday night as the Cougars defeated the No. 14 USC Trojans (4-4-3) 2-1 at South Stadium, and improved to 3-1-1 against top-25 teams on the season.
The win was extra sweet for BYU head coach Jennifer Rockwood as it was her 150th career win, making her the first Mountain West Conference coach to reach the 150-win plateau.
"This was a game that we needed to win," said Rockwood after the game, "It was really nice to get the 150th on this one."
On the night, it in which the two teams pushed the ball up and down the field all night long as the defense on both teams prevented the other's from controlling the ball.
For the majority of the first period, the Trojans and Cougars fought an even battle with BYU gaining the edge in the 23rd minute when sophomore Brooke Thulin struck her first goal of the season.
Thulin, who got the start in Friday night's game in place of the injured Jaime Rendich, scored on an open goal when USC's Julie Peterson stepped up to make the stop. Peterson missed the ball and Thulin tapped it in to put the Cougars up 1-0.
At the half, the Cougars had out shot the Trojans 5-2 as the majority of the half turned into a defensive game as each team tried to push the ball up the field.
Senior Jennifer Fielding put another shot in for the Cougars early in the period, but it was called off as the Cougars were called for offsides.
Minutes later, following a USC free kick, the Trojan's Kelly Blais found the back of the Cougar net to even the score at one apiece.
But before regulation would end, the Cougars' freshman Annie Zwahlen delivered the final blow to the 14th-ranked Trojans as she teamed up with senior Terra Begelow for the game-winning goal.
For Zwahlen, it was her third goal and second gamer-winner of the season. She also scored the lone goal in the Cougar's upset win over No. 7 Tennessee.
BYU heads into conference play next week and Rockwood hopes this game will give them some momentum, "This was an outstanding win for us, " she said, "Hopefully this will turn the tide for us as we go into conference."
The Cougars open conference play with New Mexico on Oct. 9, at South Stadium. Game time has been changed to 6:00 p.m. (MDT) to accommodate fans with the BYU, Colorado State football game.
The Automated ScoreBook For Soccer
Southern Cal. #14 vs Brigham Young (Oct 03, 2003 at Provo, Utah)
Southern Cal. #14 (4-4-3) vs.
Brigham Young (8-3-1)
Date: Oct 03, 2003 Attendance: 1878
Weather: 60s rain possible
Goals by period 1 2 Tot
Southern Cal. #14 0 1 1
Brigham Young 1 1 2
Southern Cal. #14
Pos ## Player Sh SOG G A
GK 1 Julie Peterson 0 0 0 0
D 3 Amanda Roach 0 0 0 0
D 6 Nikki Goza 0 0 0 0
MF 7 Megan Abbamonto 1 0 0 0
F 9 Tina Sutorius 2 1 0 0
MF 11 Ashley Casas 2 1 0 0
D 16 Hillary Schwarzbach 0 0 0 0
D/F 17 Jocelyn Leche 0 0 0 0
MF 18 Kelly Blais 2 1 1 0
MF/F 19 Rosa Anna Tantillo 0 0 0 0
MF/F 24 Jocelyn Hein 0 0 0 0
Substitutes
14 Lindsey Green 0 0 0 0
15 Shannon Cross 0 0 0 0
20 Lindsay Parker 0 0 0 0
25 Tracy Lansing 1 0 0 0
26 Lauren Shepherdson 0 0 0 0
Totals......... 8 3 1 0
Brigham Young
Pos ## Player Sh SOG G A
GK 1 EVANS, Natalie 0 0 0 0
F 8 BIGELOW, Terra 0 0 0 1
MF/F 9 CAMPBELL,Krissa 2 0 0 0
D 10 JENSEN, Nicole 2 0 0 0
MF/D 13 THULIN, Brooke 1 1 1 0
F 14 FIELDING, Jennifer 1 1 0 0
MF/D 16 LUI, Charlene 0 0 0 0
MF 17 ROSE, Aleisha 2 0 0 0
D 19 HOLMAN, Britney 0 0 0 0
F/MF 20 OJUKA, Lydia 2 1 0 0
D 25 THOMAS, Claire 0 0 0 0
Substitutes
2 ANDERSON, Amberlea 0 0 0 0
4 KING, Davia 0 0 0 0
6 ZWAHLEN, Annie 1 1 1 0
12 TILLOTSON, Bobbi 1 0 0 0
22 MARTINS, Kimberly 0 0 0 0
Totals......... 12 4 2 1
Southern Cal. #14
## Player MIN GA Saves
1 Julie Peterson 90:00 2 0
TM Southern Cal #14 0:00 0 2
Brigham Young
## Player MIN GA Saves
1 EVANS, Natalie 90:00 1 2
Shots by period 1 2 Tot
Southern Cal. #14 2 6 8
Brigham Young 5 7 12
Corner kicks 1 2 Tot
Southern Cal. #14 1 0 1
Brigham Young 0 0 0
Saves by period 1 2 Tot
Southern Cal. #14 0 2 2
Brigham Young 0 2 2
Fouls 1 2 Tot
Southern Cal. #14 6 9 15
Brigham Young 5 8 13
SCORING SUMMARY:
GOAL Time Team ## Goal Scorer Assists
1 22:33 BY 13 THULIN, Brooke (1) Unassisted
2 53:45 USC 18 Kelly Blais Unassisted
3 88:37 BY 6 ZWAHLEN, Annie (3) 8 BIGELOW, Terra
CAUTIONS AND EJECTIONS:
YC-BY #17 (79:57)
Officials: Referee: Tim Cohen; Asst. Referee: Travis Godfrey; Bill Davis;
Alt. Official: Travis Stephens; Timekeeper: Jerry Freestone; Scorer: Kathy Jensen;
Offsides: Southern Cal. #14 1, Brigham Young 3.