Estimated read time: 3-4 minutes
This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.
PROVO — Eighteen times, the eighth-ranked BYU women’s soccer team ventured into the attacking third with a chance in Monday night’s home opener against Ohio State.
All 18 of them went unrewarded.
The Cougars played the Buckeyes to a 0-0 draw after 110 minutes of soccer at South Field.
“There were lots of encouraging things, there’s no question. I thought this was our best performance overall,” said BYU head coach Jennifer Rockwood. “We had glimpses — but we’ve got to be more consistent. Defensively, we were really solid.
“It all comes down to when you have those chances … and we need to learn to turn it over and finish it off.”
Lizzy Braby led the Cougars (0-1-1) with six shots, including the home side’s lone shot on goal, and goalkeeper Hannah Clark made four saves to earn a shutout alongside Ohio State stopper Devon Kerr.
“The possession in the midfield, once we get it, it’s unstoppable. We’re just having a hard time finding a rhythm. But we’ll get it,” Braby said. “There was a lot of progress. In the attacking third, we were finding each other a lot more.”
BYU opened the match with four of the game’s six shots in the opening 20 minutes, but the Cougars’ best chance of the first half came when substitute Elise Flake ripped a shot from just outside the area that caromed off the right post in the 34th minute.
The Buckeyes (1-0-1) countered just eight minutes later, converting a corner kick into a header that rebounded off the crossbar as both teams settled for a scoreless first half.
Braby nearly bagged a goal for the Cougars in the 60th minute, but her one-touch shot on frame was easily snared by Devon Kerr.
BYU outshot the visiting Bucks 13-7 through regulation, but Ohio State was more direct with a 3-1 shots on goal advantage in the first 90 minutes.
“I really thought we did a good job coming out, which is something we have done well this year,” Rockwood said. “We started out just like we addressed; now we have to put the final touch in. All that energy and work doesn’t matter unless you reward yourself with a goal.”
Braby nearly ended it five minutes into the first golden-goal extra-time session, but her shot from inside the 6-yard box floated just left of the far post. But it was the Cougars’ only chance of the first extra period, which Ohio State dominated with a 6-2 shots margin.
Ohio State opened the season with a 1-0 win at Arizona State, while BYU lost at Penn State 3-1 on Friday.
The Cougars host Cal State Fullerton at 7 p.m. MDT Friday night.
NEW HOME — Monday night’s match was the first competitive women’s soccer match on a newly designed turf at South Field. The Cougars replaced the pitch over the summer, opening at the start of the men’s soccer season in Premier Development League play, though the women’s team has practiced through the summer and early fall on campus.
“It’s really nice, flat and nice grass — and then the fans make it an incredible environment,” defender Taylor Isom said. “There’s nothing like playing at home.”
