Southern Utah Women's Soccer Narrowly Falls at BYU, 3-2

PROVO, Utah - Sept. 23 - Southern Utah women's soccer trailed 2-1 at half, but scored an early goal in the second half to tie the game at 2-2, but it was a final goal on one of 12 set pieces for the Cougars on the night that led to the 3-2 defeat for the Thunderbirds on Wednesday night. The loss drops SUU to 2-5-1 on the year, while BYU moves to 7-2-1 overall, but it wasn't without some shock when the final whistle sounded. Southern Utah was the first opponent this year to score two or more goals in Provo during the entire season.

"We knew that our team is capable of hanging with any team on any given night," head coach Brian Stock said after the game. "The girls played their guts out and if we're going to get beat, than that look of total total relief in the faces of our opponents, is the look we want at the end of the game."

Southern Utah found itself down early as BYU's Carlee Payne collected her eighth goal of the year on a breakaway in the third minute. The Cougars made it a 2-0 lead just shy of the 15th minute as Andrea Willis was able to push the ball into the back of the net on ball served by Alyssa Vander Vuer from the corner.

The Thunderbirds chipped into the lead as freshman Rachel Krenzer came from the back line, dribbling a ball down the far side and bent the ball to the far end of the goal in the 43rd minute pushing the score to 2-1.

The margin held through the intermission and into the 52nd minute when sophomore Michelle Judd collected a ball from Riley Bassett within the 18-yard box and toed the ball past the Cougar keeper to tied the game 2-2.

The score held until the 68th minute when BYU finally broke through the Thunderbird defense, as Kassidy Christensen-Shumway collected a ball on a corner set piece served in from Carlee Payne and put the shot in the back of the net. In all, the Cougars recorded 11 corner kicks during the match and recorded 21 shots to the Thunderbirds' four.

Freshman keeper Breana Fitzgerald was exceptional during the night, recording 11 saves on several diving stabs and leaping parries.

"I was really nervous coming into the game," she said after the match. "But, I knew I would settle down after I got the first touch and was really proud of that way our defense played tonight. After that third goal, I wasn't going to let them score again."

Southern Utah will face its second Mountain West team later this week, when the Thunderbirds travel to Las Vegas for a match with the UNLV Rebels. That game is scheduled to kick-off at 4:00 p.m. (PT).

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Players Mentioned

#10 Riley Bassett: MF; 5' 10"; Sophomore

#25 Breana Fitzgerald: GK; 5' 9"; Freshman

#11 Michelle Judd: MF; 5' 8"; Sophomore

#16 Rachel Krenzer: D; 5' 8"; Freshman

Players Mentioned

#10 Riley Bassett
: 5' 10"; Sophomore
: MF

#25 Breana Fitzgerald
: 5' 9"; Freshman
: GK

#11 Michelle Judd
: 5' 8"; Sophomore
: MF

#16 Rachel Krenzer
: 5' 8"; Freshman
: D