Cougars lose 2-1 to Stanford in NCAA Second Round

BYU vs. Stanford Box Score

BYU vs. Stanford Photo Gallery

STANFORD, Calif. – BYU fell to Stanford 2-1 in the second round of the NCAA tournament on Thursday at Stanford.

The Cougars (16-3-2) equalized the game to begin the second half on a penalty kick from Bizzy Phillips in the 46th minute, but Stanford (18-2-1) found the game-winner in the 75th minute. 

Stanford’s 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.

“I thought it was a completely different game than the first one,” BYU head coach Jennifer Rockwood said. “We played phenomenally. We came out strong and put a lot of pressure on them and made them uncomfortable.

“We got the PK, got the game tied and got things going our way. I thought we played a great game.”

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.

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.

The Cougars had two corner kicks and two shots from Lyons and Elena Medeiros before Stanford struck for its goal. Kyra Carusa got to the end line and sent a pass into the box. DiBiasi put her foot on it and found the far post beating Boaz for the 2-1 lead with 15 minutes left.

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.

The Cougars were out shot 15-10, but had more shots on goal than the Cardinal 6-5.

BYU returns all but three players for next season, as Sarah Chambers Gardner, Marissa Nimmer Linehan and Camille Green Heath graduate.

“I’m really proud of the way our girls played,” Rockwood said. “We executed our gameplan and they gave it everything they had.”