No. 15 BYU explodes for a 6-0 win in San Diego

SAN DIEGO, Calif. — BYU women's soccer had an offensive explosion that resulted in a 6-0 win against San Diego in Torero Stadium on Wednesday night. The win marks the third-straight time BYU has won 6-0 over the Toreros. 

“Our biggest goal every game is to come in with high energy and keep the tempo, which is something the girls did right from the get-go tonight,” said Jennifer Rockwood, BYU head coach. “When you shoot the ball on frame, good things can happen. We have so many girls who can score on this team, and that was proven yet again tonight.” 

With another WCC win, BYU is now 9-2-6 on the season and 5-0-3 in West Coast Conference play. Goals by Ellie Maughan, Brecken Mozingo, Bella Folino, Jamie Shepherd, Allie Fryer and Olivia Wade secured the win for the Cougars. After another goal tonight, Mozingo leads BYU in goals with 10, with Fryer, Wade and Shepherd close behind with seven a piece. 

BYU’s offense came out with a strong attack, tallying three shots in the first six minutes on the pitch. The intense pressure up top and fast-paced tempo would write the story for tonight’s game as the Cougars scored early and often.

First Half

In the eighth minute of the match, BYU had a corner kick that was cleared out of the box, but collected by Cougar defender Laveni Vaka. She sent the ball out to the left side of the penalty box for Maughan who rocketed a shot into the back of the net as BYU took the 1-0 lead.

In the 13th minute, the Cougars doubled their lead with a goal from the top of the penalty arc by Mozingo. San Diego attempted to answer back in the 16th minute with a shot outside the 18, but BYU goalkeeper Savanna Mason punched it out.

BYU’s high press did not let up as Kendell Petersen took a shot from the left side of the penalty box that was hit out by San Diego’s keeper. Folino found the back of the net off the rebound to expand the lead to 3-0 in the 18th minute.

The Cougar attack did not give up, as Maughan took a corner kick in the 24th minute that found the head of Shepherd for BYU’s fourth goal of the night. Another goal by freshman forward Fryer in the 33rd minute extended BYU’s lead to 5-0.

BYU took the 5-0 advantage into halftime. The Cougars outshot the Toreros 21-4, with 10 shots on frame in the first 45 minutes. BYU also tallied six corners to San Diego’s one in the first half. 

Second Half

BYU saw the first chance on goal in the second half with an early shot by Folino being tipped out by the San Diego keeper. The Toreros answered with a counter attack of their own wit avail as Petersen had a strong defensive stop in BYU’s defensive third to hold the lead.

In the 68th minute, Wade stole the ball from her San Diego defender at the top of the penalty arc for a one-on-one with the keeper, sliding it through her legs for BYU’s sixth goal of the night.

The Cougars continued to keep possession on the pitch, resulting in 20 more shots and three more corner kicks in the second half, one of which was a Fryer shot that was tipped out by the San Diego keeper. 

BYU controlled the tempo of the game until the final minutes expired, securing the 6-0 win over the Toreros in San Diego. The Cougars outshot the Toreros 41-13, 20 being on frame, with six finding the back of the net. BYU’s intense offensive attack forced 14 saves by San Diego’s goalkeepers Ellyn Casto and Sophine Kevorkian.

The Cougars take the field for their final game of the regular season on Saturday, Nov. 5 as they travel to Los Angeles to play on Sullivan Field at 7 p.m. PDT. The game will be carried live on the BYU Sports Network — BYURadio.org/BYU Radio app/BYU Radio 107.9 FM.