PROVO, Utah — BYU women’s soccer defeated Idaho State 5-1 in exhibition play at South Field Saturday night.
The Cougars outshot the Bengals 22-3, putting 10 on goal. Sophomore Afton Perry recorded a brace, with both goals coming in the first 11 minutes. Mika Krommenhoek assisted on three of the Cougars’ five goals, while Presley Freeman added two of her own.
Ellie Walbruch, Mia Goettsche and Kate Fuller each scored to round out the Cougars’ offensive performance.
First Half
The Cougars started with heavy pressure, keeping the ball on Idaho State’s half for the first few minutes.
BYU took the lead early on Perry’s goal in the sixth minute. After Goettsche’s shot was blocked, midfielder Krommenhoek gathered the ricochet and sent it to Perry for the first goal of the night.
Three minutes later, Krommenhoek evaded an Idaho State defender and advanced the ball down the field before passing it out to Freeman. Walbruch capitalized on a cross from Freeman and tapped it in to put BYU up 2-0 in the ninth minute.
The Cougars extended their lead to 3-0 on Perry’s second goal in five minutes. After a pass from Freeman, Krommenhoek, who led the team in assists the past two seasons, set up Perry for a strike from just inside the 18-yard box.
A pair of corner kicks in the 20th and 21st minutes contributed to Idaho State’s first stretch of possession. Idaho State recorded its first shot on goal in the 22nd minute, but BYU goalkeeper Chelsea Peterson made the save.
BYU had two more shots on goal in the half, but Idaho State’s goalkeeper made a pair of saves, including a diving stop in the 30th minute.
BYU dominated possession for the rest of the first half and outshot Idaho State, 12-2, with six shots on goal.
Second Half
Idaho State reduced the deficit to 3-1 with a goal in the 48th minute.
BYU responded quickly with a goal in the 49th minute. Goettsche stole the ball from an Idaho State defender before sending it into the back of the net to extend the Cougars’ lead to three goals.
In the 66th minute, freshman midfielder Kate Fuller dribbled past two defenders and buried the ball in the top right corner for BYU’s fifth goal of the night.
The Cougars maintained pressure through the final 24 minutes, recording seven more shots and finishing with 22 in the game.
Up Next
BYU opens the season against No. 9 UCLA at Wallis Annenberg Stadium in Los Angeles Wednesday, Aug. 12, at 8:00 p.m. MDT. The game will be broadcast on Big Ten Plus.