Cougars Down No. 14 Kentucky

Iowa up next for BYU.

Women's Soccer Home HEADLINES BYU Falls to No. 1 Stanford, 2-0, in NCAA Tournament BYU Defeats UC Santa Barbara, 2-0, to Advance to Second Round of NCAA Tournament MWC Women's Soccer Weekly Release RELATED LINKS • Follow all of the college soccer action at CollegeSports.com • Email this to a friend

Sept. 12, 2003

LEXINGTON, Kty. - Senior Lydia Ojuka propelled the No. 12 Cougars past No. 14 Kentucky (2-2-1) in the first day of the Kentucky Invitational in Lexington, Ky.

Playing on the road for the first time this season, the Cougars improved to 4-0-1 including a record of 2-0-1 against teams in the top 25.

"Kentucky was an outstanding team," said BYU head coach Jennifer Rockwood. "The game went back and forth but we managed to get the momentum in the last 25 minutes."

The Cougars' four game shutout streak came to an end at the beginning of the first period as the Wildcats needed only 30 seconds to score their first goal of the game, when Jen Weakley connected from 12 yards out off an assist from Elizabeth Ramsey and Heather Saas.

BYU held Kentucky scoreless throughout the rest of the period, while limiting them to only four more shots.

All-American Aleisha Rose would answer back for the Cougars as she drilled in her first goal of the season off a Jennifer Fielding assist, from 17 yards out into the left corner of the net to tie the game at 1-1 going into halftime.

"Both teams had chances to pull ahead, we just kept pushing harder and harder," said Rockwood.

In the second period the Wildcats and Cougars played without a goal until the closing minutes, despite the Cougars' 8-1 advantage on corner kicks in the second period.

Defense was key in the period as Cougar goalkeeper came up with five saves, and Kattie Gabbart and Nicole Jensen shut down the Wildcat forwards.

In the 85th minute, senior Lydia Ojuka came up big for the Cougars as her header found the back of the Kentucky net to put BYU up for good at 2-1. Rose, the BYU all-time career assists record holder with 39, and freshman Bobbi Tillotson combined on the assist to Ojuka.

"Bobbi took a nice pass from Aleisha, got free and hit Lydia with a nice cross over pass and Lydia buried it," said Rockwood describing the game-winning goal. "It was a very exciting goal."

The No. 12 Cougars will face Iowa (2-3-0), who defeated Rutgers today 2-1, tomorrow at 5:00 p.m. (EDT) in BYU's second and final game of the Kentucky Tournament.