PROVO -- On a warm Halloween afternoon, the No.9 ranked BYU women’s soccer team secured its second consecutive regular season Mountain West Conference Championship after finishing their conference season unbeaten with a 2-0 win over Wyoming on Senior Day.
“I’m really excited for these players and their futures,” said BYU head coach Jennifer Rockwood. “I’m proud of the way they played.”
The Cougars finish the regular season with a 16-2-2, 6-0-1 record and on a 14-game unbeaten, six-game winning, streak.
BYU’s active offense tested Wyoming’s back line throughout the first half. The Cougars took their first real chance after just 15 minutes of play. Jessica Ringwood got free on the left side and sent a cross to a wide-open Carlee Payne in front of the goal. Courtney Merkle’s one-handed save barely kept Payne’s header out of the upper left corner of the net.
Merkle got some help from the post with 20 minutes left to play after a header by Kassidy C. Shumway bounced from her hands to the post and back again without crossing the line.
Shumway got closer and closer to penetrating the defense with a ball across the face of a goal and then a sliding shot that veered just wide, both with 15 minutes left on the clock in the first half. Play settled down and neither team had a solid opening the rest of the half.
With so many close calls, it was only a matter of time before Shumway’s efforts led to a goal. Five minutes into the second half, Payne went streaking down the field taking two defenders with her before passing the ball off to Shumway. This time, with an open net, the junior sent a soaring ball into the top of the goal giving BYU a 1-0 lead.
“Wyoming came out and made it hard for us in the first half,” Rockwood said. “I was happy with the way the players kept up their hope and confidence.”
Wyoming tried to tie things up midway through the half with a shot near the left post but sophomore McKinzie Olson made a diving save to prevent the Cowgirls from evening the score.
Willis extended the lead with 16 minutes left when her free kick slipped through the goalie’s fingertips and into the net making it 2-0. Both teams had a few chances in the remaining time, but were unable to convert any of those to points.
“We love to play here in Provo and hope to have a lot of fans come out and support the girls in the conference tournament,” Rockwood said. “We took another step in the right direction today.”
Olson recorded her 10th personal shutout of the season to give her a new career-high. The Cougars finished with 15 shots to Wyoming's four.
The team will next host the Mountain West Conference Championship beginning Wednesday at South Field. BYU will play its first game Thursday at 3 p.m.
Tickets for the tournament are now on sale through byutickets.com.
Soccer Box Score (Final)
BYU COUGAR SOCCER
Wyoming Cowgirls vs #9 Brigham Young (Oct 31, 2009 at BYU PROVO UT)
Wyoming Cowgirls (9-7-3 ;3-3-1 ;MWC) vs. Goals by period 1 2 Tot
Brigham Young (16-2-2;6-0-1 ; MWC) -------------------------------
Date: Oct 31, 2009 Attendance: 1617 Wyoming Cowgirls.... 0 0 - 0
Weather: 40 SUNNY 7MPH WINDS Brigham Young....... 0 2 - 2
Wyoming Cowgirls Brigham Young
Pos ## Player Sh SOG G A Pos ## Player Sh SOG G A
------------------------------------------ ------------------------------------------------
GK 0 MERKLE, Courtney.... - - - - GK 32 OLSON, McKinzie..... - - - -
MF 3 LAYTON, Emily....... 1 1 - - F 3 ANDERSON, Lauren.... 1 1 - -
D 4 BURGER, Bostyn...... - - - - F 7 PAYNE, Carlee....... 1 1 - 1
D 6 CODDINGTON, Chelsea. - - - - MF 8 KONING, Mercede..... - - - -
MF 9 JOHNSON, Jenny...... 1 1 - - D 11 Willis, Andrea...... 2 2 1 -
D 11 MASUMIYA, Allison... - - - - F 13 BARTHOLOMEW, Stacy.. - - - -
D 13 WILSON, Emma........ - - - - MF 15 KAKADELAS, Kelsea... - - - 1
MF 14 ETHERIDGE, Kerstyn.. - - - - D 18 LISONBEE, Lindsi.... 1 - - -
D 17 COSGROVE, Mara...... 1 1 - - F 21 SHUMWAY-C, Kassidy.. 7 4 1 -
F 19 RICE, Nicole........ - - - - F 22 RINGWOOD, Jessica... 1 1 - -
MF 22 CANDELARIA, Juliana. - - - - F 23 VANDER VEUR, Alyssa. 1 1 - -
---------- Substitutes ---------- ---------- Substitutes ----------
1 JANIS, Shalayne..... 1 1 - - 9 MARSHALL, Jennie.... 1 1 - -
5 DIVENCENZO, Jerrica. - - - - 14 JAMESON, Ashleigh... - - - -
8 BLUME, Carmen....... - - - - 16 JANIS, Auna......... - - - -
10 JOHNSON, Morgan..... - - - - 19 ERNST, Nicole....... - - - -
12 MOHTADI, Olivia..... - - - - 25 URRY-Gilliam, Nicole - - - -
24 AMSBERRY, Katie..... - - - - Totals.............. 15 11 2 2
29 JONES, Sydney....... - - - -
33 BURKE, Meagan....... - - - -
Totals.............. 4 4 0 0
Wyoming Cowgirls Brigham Young
## Player MIN GA Saves ## Player MIN GA Saves
--------------------------------------- ---------------------------------------
0 MERKLE, Courtney.... 77:09 2 8 32 OLSON, McKinzie..... 90:00 0 4
33 BURKE, Meagan....... 12:51 0 1
Shots by period 1 2 Tot Saves by period 1 2 Tot
------------------------------- -------------------------------
Wyoming Cowgirls.... 1 3 - 4 Wyoming Cowgirls.... 4 5 - 9
Brigham Young....... 6 9 - 15 Brigham Young....... 1 3 - 4
Corner kicks 1 2 Tot Fouls 1 2 Tot
------------------------------- -------------------------------
Wyoming Cowgirls.... 0 4 - 4 Wyoming Cowgirls.... 6 4 - 10
Brigham Young....... 2 4 - 6 Brigham Young....... 7 3 - 10
SCORING SUMMARY:
GOAL Time Team Goal Scorer Assists
-----------------------------------------------------------
1. 50:11 BY SHUMWAY-C, Kassidy PAYNE, Carlee
2. 73:17 BY Willis, Andrea KAKADELAS, Kelsea
CAUTIONS AND EJECTIONS:
YC-BY #23 (25:15); YC-WY #9 (84:36)
Officials: Referee: KAREN SWAMMER; Asst. Referee: BRENT STEVENS; SCHYLER PACK;
Alt. Official: PHILIP PACK; Timekeeper: JERRY; Scorer: SARA;
Offsides: Wyoming Cowgirls 1, Brigham Young 1.