FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – The BYU women’s soccer team fell to No. 6 Arkansas 4-2 on Saturday evening on Razorback Field.
In her first game back after missing five matches for sickness, junior forward Erin Bailey scored her first goal of the season. Tara Warner got on the scoresheet with her first goal of the season and second of her career.
BYU was the first team to score on Arkansas since the Razorbacks faced Michigan State on Aug. 22.
The Hogs outshot the Cougars 19-13 tonight, the most shots BYU has allowed in a game this season. With 12 shots on target, the Razorbacks forced BYU’s goalkeeper Lynette Hernaez to make six saves.
First Half
Allie Fryer had BYU’s first chance on goal in the second minute, driving down the right side of the pitch and firing off a shot into the arms of Razorbacks goalkeeper, Keegan Smith.
The Cougar offense continued to push with three shots in the first seven minutes of play.
It was Arkansas who found the back of the net first, with a goal by Kate Doyle in the 10th minute on a counterattack.
Despite BYU’s offensive efforts and movement on the ball, Arkansas scored its second goal of the match in the 28th minute.
In the 35th minute, Sierra Pennock dribbled up the left side of the pitch, sending the ball into the box for Bailey, who took a left-footed shot through a wall of Arkansas defenders for a BYU goal, closing the gap, 2-1.
Despite outshooting The Hogs 10-6 in the first half with six shots on frame to Arkansas’ four, BYU trailed 2-1 at halftime.
Second Half
With a long goal kick in the 48th minute, The Hogs beat BYU’s backline and slid the ball past Hernaez for their third goal of the night.
In the 51st minute, Hernaez came off her line to grab a ball from the feet of the Razorbacks but was beaten for another shot on goal, saved and kicked out by BYU center back Tara Warner.
Fryer saw another chance on goal in the 56th minute, beating her defender and firing off a shot from the left-side of the 18-yard box, hitting the top crossbar and going out.
In the 63rd minute, a foul was called on BYU in the box for an Arkansas penalty kick. Ava Tankersley stepped up to the spot and saw her shot into the left-side of the goal extend the lead to 4-1.
Warner won the ball in BYU’s defensive third and dribbled down the spine of the field, blasting a shot from the top of the arc into the left-side of the goal for another Cougar goal, cutting the lead in half, 4-2.
Despite a final push by BYU, the Cougars were unable to capitalize on opportunities in their final third, falling to Arkansas 4-2.
BYU returns to South Field for its first Big 12 matchup of the season against Arizona State on Thursday, Sept. 12 at 7 p.m. MT. Live coverage for the game will be available on ESPN+.