PROVO, Utah — No. 13 BYU women’s soccer fell to Utah Valley 4-2 at South Field on Saturday night.
“You have to give a lot of credit to UVU,” said head coach Jennifer Rockwood. “They came out really fired up. Even though we scored first, we just haven’t been able to hold onto a lead yet this season, and sure enough we gave up a goal which started the unraveling of the game tonight.”
The Cougars tallied 17 shots, five on goal and four corners in the loss. The Wolverines carded 15 shots, seven on frame and earned three corner kicks including one in the 44th minute which they punched in to take a 3-2 lead into the break.
First Half
The Cougars struck first in the fifth minute as Brecken Mozingo took a pass from Olivia Smith, lost the UVU defender and sent a left-footed shot into the upper-left 90. This goal marked Mozingo’s fourth-straight match with a goal with all four coming from outside the 18.
The Wolverines would equalize in the 12th minute as Jenna Shepherd collected a rebound off a free kick and found Hannah Lee whose shot went off the right post and into the back of the net to tie the match at one.
As BYU attempted to play out of the back in the 25th minute, Juliana Carter intercepted a BYU pass, found Hannah Lee who set up Heather Stainbrook for a left-footed shot that found the bottom-left corner of the net to take a 2-1 lead.
Ruby Hladek checked into the match in the 32nd minute and immediately put pressure on UVU by collecting a rebound and taking a shot that missed just high and wide of the left upper-90.
After a foul was called on Hladek that negated a BYU goal, BYU countered a UVU shot with Tara Warner playing a through ball to Allie Fryer who faked left, came back to her right foot and beat the goalie to knot the match at two in the 41st minute.
Just as time was about to expire in the first half, a UVU corner was headed off the cross bar and found the head of Isabella Stewart who gave UVU a 3-2 lead going into the break.
Second Half
Taygan Hill started the second half between the pipes for the Cougars, the first minutes of her BYU career.
In the 58th minute, Kendell Peterson sent a cross into the box that found Jamie Shepherd whose header narrowly missed wide off the left post.
The Wolverines earned corner kicks in the 68th and 71st minute with scoring opportunities off both offerings. After threatening in the 74th minute, Carter split the BYU defenders and found the back of the net to give UVU a 4-2 lead with 11 minutes to play.
Rachel McCarthy served a well-placed corner into the box in 87th minute that found the head of Izzy Straton whose header found the woodwork, Jamie Shepherd collected the rebound whose half-bicycle kick found the frame in the right upper-90.
Warner shot in the 89th minute missed just wide right which allowed the Wolverines to drain the remaining 45 seconds and take home a 4-2 win.
The Cougars next take the field Thursday, Sept. 15 as they travel north to face the Utah State Aggies at 5 p.m. MDT. The game will be carried live on the BYU Sports Network — BYURadio.org/BYU Radio app/BYU Radio 107.9 FM.