Colohan and Lyman help BYU to WCC championship with 2-0 win over No. 6 Santa Clara

PROVO, Utah – Mikayla Colohan and Rachel Bingham Lyman netted goals in a 2-0 win over No. 6 Santa Clara as BYU claimed the West Coast Conference’s automatic bid to the NCAA tournament and at least a share of the league title Saturday night at South Field.

BYU vs. Santa Clara Box Score

“It was such a great performance tonight,” BYU head coach Jennifer Rockwood said. “We were ready to play right from the start. Last year didn’t sit well with our juniors and senior, and they fought like crazy to be champions again.”

In the 14th minute, Colohan intercepted a goal kick and fired a left-handed shot from just outside the box that found its way into the right upper 90 for a goal. The sophomore attacking midfielder increased her goal count to five on the season.

Junior goalkeeper Sabrina Davis made a couple tough saves in the first half, including a diving effort in just the second minute.

BYU (12-4-1, 7-1 WCC) threatened late in the half on a long set piece that connected with Makaylie Moore’s head in the left side of the area. Santa Clara keeper Melissa Lowder lunged toward the far post to make the save.

At the halftime whistle, BYU held the one-goal lead on an 8-4 shot advantage.

The Cougars doubled their lead in the 53rd minute when Lyman put an intended cross into the top left corner of the goal. At the top of the box, Lizzy Braby passed it down the right side for Lyman’s run. Her high-arcing cross came from well outside the box.

In the 55th minute, BYU committed a foul in the box. The Bronco (15-3-1, 6-2 WCC) penalty attempt was aimed toward the left post, and Davis made a sliding stop.

On the other end, Colohan was fouled in the box in the 59th minute. Madie Siddoway Gates fired the penalty kick and was turned away by Lowder.

In the 71st minute, Davis stifled Santa Clara’s attack again, with a save on a header from inside the area. With little time to react, Davis grasped the eye-level attempt.

The Cougars maintained their clean sheet in the waning minutes as BYU earned its sixth championship in eight years as a member of the WCC.

Gates was honored on senior night as the team’s lone senior.

The Cougars travel to Loyola Marymount for the final regular season game on Saturday, Nov. 3, at 6 p.m. PDT. The game will be streamed on TheW.tv and audio broadcasts can be heard on ESPN 960 AM/107.9 FM.

Game Notes

• Lyman netted her first career goal as a Cougar.
• This is only the second time BYU has earned a win over Santa Clara. The first victory was a 5-2 win at South Field in 2014.