Cougars and Utes end heated rivalry game in a 0-0 draw

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah — BYU and Utah met tonight for the 34th time in program history at Ute Field and after full time and two 10-minute overtime periods the Cougars and Utes were deadlocked in a 0-0 draw.

The Cougars came out of the gate slow, with only three shots in the first 12 minutes of play. BYU’s first scoring opportunity came in the 14th minute off a corner kick played into the box to Bella Folino whose shot missed the frame. 

Utah applied pressure in the 23rd minute with a well-placed ball up the left side. That pass led to the Ute’s first shot of the game which missed high and resulted in a BYU goal kick.

Through the 34th minute, the Utes and Cougars combined for seven shots and zero shots on goal.

The Cougars earned their third corner kick of the match in the 44th minute which was played to the back post and was headed out by Utah. The header was collected by Ashton Johnson who took a shot from the top of the box that was BYU’s closest shot of the first half, missing just outside the upper left corner of the goal.

The first half was dominated by defense and turnovers with neither team being able to possess the ball for extended amounts of time in the attacking third. The Cougars entered the locker room with eight shots on goal to Utah’s one, none of those shots finding the frame.

The Utes applied pressure early in the second half with a corner kick in the 50th minute that resulted in a Utah foul.  The Cougars countered with pressure of their own with their first shot on frame in the 53rd minute that was saved by Ute goalie Chelsea Peterson.

Just one minute later, Olivia Smith played a ball from the right side into the top of the box to Kendell Petersen whose shot hit the right post and was cleared by the Utes.

Utah earned two corner kicks in the next two minutes that both gave Utah good looks at a 1-0 lead, but the Utes failed to capitalize, BYU clearing both and countering with shots of their own.

After a BYU turnover, Utah countered with a near-perfect pass into the top of the box that Cassidy Smith had to come off her line for the save after a collision with Utah forward Brooklyn James.

A defensive miscue from the Cougars led to a Utah shot that nearly put the Utes up 1-0, but Kendell Peterson came up with a goal-saving header that went off the crossbar and was cleared by BYU.

Cassidy Smith left the game in the 83rd minute with an apparent injury and got replaced by Savanna Empey-Mason.

After a back-and-forth last seven minutes, the Cougars and Utes headed to overtime with only four shots on goal in the first 90 minutes between the two teams.

BYU came out swinging in the first overtime with three shots in the 94th minute and BYU corner. The Cougar corner and was played to Colohan at the far post putting immediate pressure on the Utes, but Colohan’s header missed wide out of play for a Utah goal kick.

The Cougars controlled the first overtime session, outshooting the Utes, but coming up empty as they headed to the second overtime session tied 0-0.

Jamie Shepherd applied the first pressure of the second overtime as she sent a rocket just over the outstretched arms of Utah goalie Chelsea Peterson, missing high over the crossbar.

The next Cougar opportunity came in the 106th minute as Colohan was fouled just outside the right-side of the box. Colohan’s free kick skipped through the wall and into the arms of the Ute keeper.

BYU, who averages nine shots on goal per game, took 19 shots in 110 minutes and only three of which found the frame. After full time and two ten-minute overtime sessions, the Cougars and Utes finished deadlocked in a 0-0 draw.

The Cougars are undefeated in their last seven games against the Utes, winning seven of the last nine meetings, the other two games ending in a draw.

BYU will return to South Field on Saturday, Sep. 11 to take on the Missouri Tigers of the SEC at 6 PM MDT. The game will be available for streaming on byutv.org and the BYUtv App with radio coverage on BYU Sports Network—BYU Radio 107.9 FM and audio play-by-play also streaming on the BYU Cougars app and at BYUCougars.com/LiveRadio.