AMES, Iowa - No. 6 BYU women’s soccer (10-0-2, Big 12 3-0-2) tallied a season-high seven goals and 30 shots, blanking Iowa State 7-0 Monday evening.
"A great performance tonight," said head coach Jennifer Rockwood. We have given up some goals early in conference play, and keeping a zero on the board was a huge goal for us going into tonight's match. Bella went out and scored right from the get-go, so I think that helped us settle in.”
Six different Cougars found the back of the net on seven assists in their third win in Big 12 play. In a physical match, 21 total fouls were called and two yellow cards were given.
The Cougars outshot the Cyclones 30-10, putting a season-high 20 shots on frame compared to Iowa State’s two. BYU also added 11 corner kicks and forced 13 saves by Iowa State goalkeepers.
Sophomore forward Erin Bailey notched her second brace of the season, now leading the team in goals with nine, while junior defender Zoe Jacobs had her first career goal. Senior Brecken Mozingo scored her seventh goal of the season, Ellie Boren scored her second and Ellie Walbruch scored her fifth.
Senior Bella Folino tallied a goal and an assist on the night. Olivia Smith-Griffitts, Kendell Petersen, Sierra Pennock, Olivia Wade-Katoa and Jacey Wood added assists in tonight’s Big 12 matchup.
Wood’s assist was the first of her career, while Petersen’s was her ninth of the season, which leads the team.
First Half
BYU came out strong, with a goal one minute into the match, courtesy of a cross by Petersen hit off an Iowa State defender and finished by Folino for her fourth goal of the season. Folino’s goal was the quickest goal scored by the Cougars so far this season.
The Cougars continued to press the Cyclone backline with a shot fired off by Allie Fryer, forcing Iowa State goalkeeper Avery Gillahan to make a diving save in the 11th minute.
A foul at the top of the Iowa State 18-yard box gave BYU a free kick in the 20th minute. Mozingo lined up and fired off a shot into the top right corner of the net, extending the Cougar lead, 2-0.
The Cyclones had a look on goal in the 37th minute with a ball sent behind the BYU backline, but was cleared out by Jacobs.
In the 38th minute, Pennock snuck a ball through Iowa State’s defensive line, finding the feet of Bailey, who took a near-post shot, sliding the ball past the keeper for BYU’s third goal of the night.
The Cyclones answered back with a shot of their own from the right side of the Cougar 18, saved by senior goalkeeper Savanna Mason as the clock wound down.
BYU went into the locker room with the 3-0 advantage against Iowa State. The Cougars doubled the Cyclones’ shots, 12-6 with eight being on frame to Iowa State’s zero. BYU also added five corner kicks to Iowa State’s one through the first 45 minutes of play.
Second Half
The Cougar offense started the second half quickly, with a through-ball sent by Folino to Mozingo in the box, cleared out by Cyclone defenders.
In the 50th minute, the Cougars connected passes all the way up the spine of the field, giving Wade-Katoa the opportunity to send a ball to Folino who crossed the ball into the box for Bailey’s second goal of the night, extending the BYU lead, 4-0.
BYU continued firing off shots, with a Mozingo shot in the 55th minute, tipped over the crossbar by the Iowa State keeper.
Just five minutes later, a foul was called on the Cyclones for another BYU free kick from 20 yards outside the box. Smith-Griffitts sent the ball into the box and Boren got her body on it for BYU’s fifth goal of the night.
In the 66th minute, freshman Camryn Jorgensen sent a ball into the box, shot by Walbruch, hitting off the keeper. Jacobs collected the ball and took a left-footed shot, scoring her first career goal, BYU’s sixth goal on the night.
Less than three minutes later, Wood sent a ball into the box, finding Walbruch for BYU’s seventh goal of the night, the most scored by the Cougars this season.
The Cyclones saw an opportunity on goal in the 83rd period with a cross right in front of the goal line, being cleared out by Walbruch, holding Iowa State scoreless.
BYU held possession through the final minutes of the game as 20 different Cougars saw minutes on the pitch in tonight’s 7-0 win over Iowa State.
The Cougars return to South Field for a top-25 matchup against Big 12 opponent No. 14 Texas Tech on Thursday at 7 p.m. MT.