PROVO, Utah – The BYU women's soccer team came back from a two-goal defecit to tie Baylor 3-3 on South Field Thursday evening.
In tonight's Big 12 matchup, the Cougars outshot the Bears 25-15, with 13 shots on goal, forcing Baylor's goalkeeper to make a career-high 10 saves. BYU also added 12 corner kicks compared to Baylor's five.
Erin Bailey scored the first goal of the match in the first half, her fourth consecutive game with a goal.
Junior forward Allie Fryer scored two goals in the second half to close the gap and earn the tie for the Cougars. Fryer has had two braces on the year, the only Cougar to record multiple-goal games this season. Lucy Kesler tallied an assist on the night.
With lightning delays at the beginning of the match and at halftime, tonight's game did not end until well after 10 p.m. MT.
First Half
After an hour-long weather delay, BYU and Baylor started the game. With a slick field, the teams struggled gaining control at the start of the match, with a lot of back-and-forth play.
With rain and a little bit of hail in the 15th minute, the Cougars started to put more pressure on the Bears. BYU gained more possession, rattling off four shots in the next seven minutes.
Bailey was the Cougar to find the back of the net in the first half as she scored off a ricocheted cross from Ella Rustand. Bailey was effective throughout the first half with three shots, two on target and the third just barely sailing over the crossbar.
The Cougars were aggressive throughout the half controlling much of the pace on the offensive. They shot 13 times with nine on frame, led by Bailey and Addie Gardner with three shots a piece.
Despite BYU's best efforts, the score remained 1-0 heading into the locker room. In the last five minutes, the Cougars would get four more shot attempts and forced two saves by Baylor’s goalkeeper.
Second Half
After another long lightning delay at half, the teams resumed play.
Baylor came out of the locker room with a lot of pressure up-top. Taylor Isgrig fired off a shot in the 49th minute that ricocheted off BYU's Avery Frischknecht into the goal to tie the game at 1-1.
In the 63rd minute, Baylor went up 2-1 with a goal by Hallie Augustyn. Just three minutes later, the Bears put another ball in the back of the net, extending their lead, 3-1.
The Cougars did not let up and continued to press Baylor in their defensive third. Many close calls, including two big shots from outside the box by Lucy Kesler, caused diving saves from Baylor’s goalkeeper.
It wasn’t until the 85th minute that the Cougars found their second-half goal, with Fryer scoring on a left-footed shot, assisted by Kesler.
BYU kept the ball in its offensive final third for much of the next minute and as Presley Freeman loosed a shot, the Bears’ Ava Colberg blocked it with her hand causing a penalty kick.
Fryer scored off the penalty in the 86th minute bringing the game to a 3-3 tie.
The Cougars were unable to capitalize on their late offensive chances, ending the game in a 3-3 draw.
BYU returns to South Field on Monday, Oct. 21 for its final home match of the season against Houston. The game will begin at 7 p.m. MT and will be streamed on ESPN+.