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BYU Upsets Colorado in NCAA Tournament Action
Cougars to face Idaho State Saturday.
Nov. 14, 2003
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah - For the fifth time in the program's nine-year history, the BYU women's soccer team advanced to the second round of the NCAA Women's Championship with a 2-0 win over No. 11 Colorado on Thursday at Ute Field in Salt Lake City. The win over the Buffaloes, who earned the No. 10 seed in the tournament, marks the highest seeded team the Cougars have defeated in the post season since BYU upset UCLA 2-0 in the second round back in 1998. "Colorado has been ranked all year, so it was good to get a win against them," said BYU head coach Jennifer Rockwood. "It's also nice to be the underdog for a change." Under Rockwood, the Cougars have recorded seven-straight NCAA appearances and amassed a 6-6 overall record that includes five shutouts, while scoring 21 goals and allowing 15. In Thursday's game the Cougars came out with intensity and attacked the Buffalo defense from the outset, setting the tone for the rest of the game. "I think getting in gave us some extra excitement," said Rockwood. The Cougars applied the pressure to the Buffaloes throughout the first period as BYU dominated possession and in doing so gained a 4-2 advantage on corner kicks and out shot Colorado 7-3. BYU jumped out to the early lead scoring in the 11th minute of play as senior Lydia Ojuka found senior Terra Bigelow on the left side after sophomore Brooke Thulin threw in the ball, Bigelow then punched the ball into the net. For Bigelow it was her eighth goal of the season while being only the 11th goal that Colorado's keeper Jessica Keller has allowed in 18 games. When play resumed in the second period, Colorado came out determined to even the score, but the Cougar defense continued to come through. Colorado nearly got on the board in the 76th minute when Kathryn Grandinetti crossed the ball to Fran Munnelly in the box, Munnelly's shot was drilled off of the crossbar preserving the Cougar bid for a shutout.
The go-ahead goal in the game was scored by senior Jennifer Fielding on a pass from senior Aleisha Rose and freshman Annie Zwahlen.
Fielding took the ball in the middle of the box and drilled it past the keeper, sealing the victory for the Cougars at 2-0 with less than three minutes left to play. The Cougars will play Idaho State at 12:00 p.m. at Ute Field in Salt Lake City, Utah, in the second-round of the NCAA Women's Soccer Championships. |
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