BYU WOMEN'S SOCCER AT STANFORD

A second Chance

The BYU Women’s Soccer Team traveled to Palo Alto to face No. 1 seed Stanford for a Second Round NCAA game. The Cougars advanced to face Stanford with a 1-0 victory over Utah Valley on Saturday at South Field.

Practice

After a long trip to Palo Alto, the team went straight to Stanford’s Cagan Stadium to practice before heading to check in at the team hotel.

Gameday

After a good night’s sleep, the Cougars got in one more practice to put the finishing touches on their gameplan for the Cardinal. The two teams played one another on Labor Day at Stanford after a neutral site game in Hawaii was canceled due to a tropical storm and wet field conditions. The Cougars lost 1-0 after allowing their first goal of the season in the first half. BYU played better in the second half, but wasn’t able to find a goal, despite earning the first corner kicks against Stanford of the season and hitting the crossbar on an Ashley Hatch attempt in the 75th minute.

Game on

Frenetic First Half

Stanford scored first in the 28th minute as a ball fell at DiBiasi’s feet at the right corner of the area. She curled one in at the far post for the 1-0 advantage. In the first half, the Cougars had a few opportunities with runs into the box, but couldn’t come away with goals. Jocelyn Loomis was shouldered off the ball around the penalty spot in the 27th minute and Madie Lyons wasn’t able to connect on a couple through balls as the Stanford defense would just get a touch.

Goal!

To start the second half, Nadia Gomes split two defenders on the wing and found space in the box. A slide took her out and the referee whistled for a kick from the spot. Phillips put sent the keeper the wrong way and tied the game at 1-1 in the 46th minute.

Stanford strikes back

In the 75th minute, Stanford’s Kyra Carusa got to the end line and sent a pass into the box and DiBiasi put her foot on it and found the far post beating Boaz for the 2-1 lead with 15 minutes left. Jordan DiBiasi scored two goals for the Cardinal, making it three on the season against the Cougars after netting the game-winner in the first game, a 1-0 win on Labor Day.

Stanford wins 2-1

In the 79th minute, Hatch drove a shot to the near post from the top of the box but the keeper made the save. In the 82nd minute, Gomes crossed a ball into the box where Ashley Hatch headed it to the far post. Stanford keeper Jane Campbell dove to keep it out of the net. An 85th minute corner kick was BYU’s last chance but the Cougars weren’t able to make anything of it as the Cardinal were able to hold on to the win.

“I’m really proud of the way our girls played,” Coach Jennifer Rockwood said. “We executed our gameplan and they gave it everything they had.” The Lady Cougars finish the record setting season with 16 wins, 3 losses and 2 ties and went 8-1 in conference play to win their 4th consecutive WCC Conference Championship. BYU returns all but three players for next season, as Seniors Sarah Chambers Gardner, Marissa Nimmer Linehan and Camille Green Heath graduate.