PALO ALTO, Calif. – After ending double overtime in a 1-1 draw with UCLA, the BYU women's soccer team advanced Friday night on penalty kicks to the NCAA Tournament Round of 16.
The BYU goal came from Mattyn Summers-Oviatt, her fourth goal of the season. Halle Dixon added her fourth assist this season, while Mika Krommenhoek tallied her eighth assist, on the BYU goal.
All four of the Cougars' penalty-kick shooters converted. It's BYU's second perfect-shooting PK shootout this year.
Cougar goalkeeper Chelsea Peterson had six saves in regulation and stopped the first two shots she faced in PKs, setting the Cougars up in prime position.
The Bruins outshot the Cougars 27-17, but BYU had more shots on frame, 9-8. In an aggressive battle, 22 total fouls were called and two yellow cards were assessed, one of which went to the Cougars' Ella Labrum.
The Cougars won their third penalty kick shootout in three weeks, one over TCU in the Big 12 Tournament, another over Utah State in the first round of the NCAA Tournament and now against UCLA in the second round.
This marks the first time in program history that the Cougars have won back-to-back penalty-kick shootouts in the NCAA Tournament.
First Half
The Bruins had the first shot of the game just over the crossbar in the second minute. In the sixth minute, BYU freshman Mia Lopez took a left-footed shot in the box, punched out by a diving UCLA goalkeeper.
UCLA’s first shot on target was a header from a corner kick in the 13th minute of the match, collected by Peterson.
The teams traded times of possession until Peterson came off her line in the 22nd minute to clear an offensive attack by the Bruins, denying any shots on goal.
Summers-Oviatt was fouled in the 25th minute, giving the Cougars a free-kick opportunity from 30 yards out. Ellie Walbruch took a shot off the set piece, curving the ball just left of the goal post.
In the 29th minute, a misplaced BYU pass gave UCLA a chance on goal in the center of the box, tipped over the crossbar by Peterson for her second save of the match.
The Bruins earned back-to-back-to-back corner kicks in the 32nd minute, all cleared out by BYU’s backline.
After battling to gain possession back, UCLA had back-to-back shots inside the 18 in the 40th minute, one blocked by the Cougar defense and the second missing wide right.
The first half ended in a 0-0 draw. UCLA held the overall shot advantage, 8-4 through the first 45, but BYU had more shots on goal, 3-2. The Bruins added six corner kicks compared to the Cougars' two.
Second Half
In the first 30 seconds of the second half, a misplaced pass from the BYU backline led to a Bruins shot, hit out by Peterson and cleared.
The Cougars answered with a shot by Mia Goettsche in the 47th minute, collected by the UCLA keeper.
The Bruins regained possession and took their 11th shot of the match in the 56th minute, saved by Peterson.
In the 69th minute, Afton Perry fired off a shot from the top of the arc, hit over the crossbar by UCLA’s keeper.
The Cougars moved the ball up the field in the 72nd minute as Dixon found Krommenhoek down the left side of the pitch. Krommenhoek sent a left-footed, one-touch cross into the box that found the head of Summers-Oviatt, giving BYU a 1-0 lead.
The Bruins did not let up, putting pressure on the BYU backline. In the 81st minute, UCLA forward Emma Egizii took a shot, blocked by a BYU defender. Egizii won the ball back and fired a shot past Peterson for the equalizer with just under nine minutes left to play.
Both teams fought hard to stay alive, exchanging moments of offensive bursts of energy through the final few minutes of regulation. BYU’s final push consisted of Izzi Stratton, who won the ball back in her own box and took the ball all the way up the spine of the field, firing off a shot that was blocked by a Bruins defender.
Tied at the end of regulation, BYU and UCLA moved to the first 10-minute golden-goal overtime period.
First Overtime
In the first minute of overtime, Ellie Walbruch sent a ball into the box that Krommenhoek got a touch on, but was grabbed by the UCLA keeper.
The Bruins had a shot in the 95th minute, blocked by the BYU defense. Another UCLA shot came in the 98th minute, hit high and wide over the crossbar.
With two shots apiece, the first overtime period ended in a 1-1 draw.
Second Overtime
UCLA had the first shot of the second overtime period in the 104th minute that ricocheted off a BYU defender and bounced into the arms of Peterson.
The Bruins earned a corner kick in the 106th minute, played short and passed around the top of the 18 before a shot was fired off, stopped by the outstretched leg of Stratton and cleared out.
Despite BYU’s efforts, the second overtime period ended in a 1-1 draw, and the teams prepared for a penalty kick shootout.
Penalty Kicks
UCLA was first up at the spot, saved by the experienced BYU goalkeeper Peterson.
Mackenzee Vance took BYU’s first PK, fired into the upper 90, and put the Cougars up 1-0.
UCLA’s second shot was also saved by Peterson, and BYU’s Walbruch converted, giving BYU the 2-0 edge.
The Bruins made their third PK, and Stratton scored BYU’s third.
After the Bruins made their fourth shot, Dixon buried her penalty kick, giving BYU the 4-2 penalty kick shootout victory.
The Cougars now advance to the Sweet 16 to be played on Monday, Nov. 24 at 2 p.m. MT. The match will be streamed on ESPN+, and BYU will face the winner of the Stanford vs. Alabama game.