Viernes Scores Four Goals to Lead BYU to 5-1 Win Over UNM in MWC Championship

PROVO -- It seems the honors and awards keep piling up for BYU senior forward Jeni Viernes, who scored four goals and was named MWC Tournament MVP after the Cougars' 5-1 win over New Mexico in the tournament championship. Viernes was also named MWC Player of the Year earlier in the week.

"It's great to have that kind of game when this could be my last game here," the Murray, Utah native said.

"Willy (Viernes) got off to a tough start at the beginning of the year," said BYU head coach Jennifer Rockwood, referring to Viernes' battle with a strain of mono. "She's worked hard to earn these honors."

Viernes got things started when she capitalized on a mistake by Lobo keeper Kristen Winters, who decided to allow the ball to roll into the box before attempting to pick it up. Viernes alertly attacked and was able to poke the ball away from Winters and push it into the open net. The goal put BYU up 1-0 16 minutes into the game.

"Willy (Viernes) is amazing," said junior Aleisha Cramer-Rose. "We kind of got off to a slow start and she pulled us back up."

The Lobos tied the game in the 25th minute when UNM's sophomore midfielder LeAnne Hendren found the back of the net, making the score 1-1.

But Viernes was just getting started, as she would grab a hat trick before the first half even ended. She scored two more goals in the span of 10 minutes to put BYU up 3-1 at the half.

Her second goal came as Cramer-Rose centered to Viernes from the deep left corner, with Viernes then heading the ball past Winters. Goal number three for Viernes and BYU came two minutes before the half as Viernes drew the keeper out on the right and slid the ball across the face of the goal to give the Cougars a 3-1 advantage.

"I'm glad Willy was on and was able to get us a lead," Rockwood said.

The fourth goal of the afternoon for Viernes came on another header as the ball went from junior forward/midfielder Lydia Ojuka to freshman forward/midfielder Jaime Rendich to Viernes, who headed the ball in with 11 minutes left in the game.

Freshman forward/defender Davia King and sophomore Krissa Campbell combined to get the ball to Ojuka who tapped in the Cougars' fifth goal in the 87th minute to make the final score 5-1.

GAME NOTES

BYU has now won four-straight regular season and tournament titles, the only team to win those titles since the Mountain West Conference was organized in 1999. In their two tournament games this year, the Cougars out-scored their opponents 14-3.

Viernes set several MWC tournament records with her performance, including points (8) and goals (4).

Jennifer Henry-Fielding left the match in the 69th minute after being hit in the face by the ball during a crowded scramble in front of the UNM goal. The junior forward received a bruise as a result, but no concussion or other serious injury.

As the winner of the MWC tournament, BYU receives an automatic bid to represent the Mountain West Conference in the NCAA Women's College Cup Championships, which begin next week. The 64-team Division I soccer Championship bracket will be announced on ESPNEWS on Monday, Nov. 11 at approximately 4:30 p.m. EST.

ESPNEWS can be found on DirecTV at channel 207 and on Dish Network channel 142. In addition, some cable systems carry the ESPNEWS signal. Immediately following the ESPNEWS announcement, the bracket will be available at www.ncaasports.com.

2002 MWC Tournament Most Valuable Player

Jeni Viernes, BYU

2002 MWC Tournament Outstanding Goalkeeper

Kristen Winters, New Mexico

2002 MWC All-Tournament Team

Bobbie Benegas, Utah

Brooke Bowman, BYU

Aleisha Cramer-Rose, BYU

Marte Dolva, New Mexico

Jennifer Henry-Fielding, BYU

Shauna Gurr-Bingham, Utah

Michelle Longmire, New Mexico

Annii Magliulo, UNLV

Boo Tingling, SDSU

Jeni Viernes, BYU

Soccer Box Score (Final)
                       The Automated ScoreBook For Soccer
           New Mexico vs Brigham Young (Nov 09, 2002 at Provo, Utah)
New Mexico (12-8-1 3-2-1) vs.                     Goals by period       1  2  Tot
Brigham Young (16-5-0 6-0-0)                      -------------------------------
Date: Nov 09, 2002  Attendance: 761               New Mexico..........  1  0 -  1
Weather: 45 cloudy, rain possible                 Brigham Young.......  3  2 -  5
New Mexico                                     Brigham Young
Pos ## Player                Sh  G  A          Pos ## Player                Sh  G  A
--------------------------------------         --------------------------------------
GK  0  WINTERS, Kristen....   -  -  -          GK  30 GOTT, Mandy.........   -  -  -
D   5  DEVAULT, Deidre.....   1  -  -          MF  2  THULIN, Brooke......   1  -  -
MF  9  PARTCH, Abbie.......   1  -  -          MF  9  CAMPBELL, Krissa....   1  -  1
M   11 LONGMIRE, Michelle..   1  -  -          D   10 OLMSTEAD, Farrah....   -  -  -
M   12 ADDISON, Rachael....   1  -  -          D   13 HOECHERL, Annie.....   -  -  -
D   13 MCBRIDE, Marissa....   -  -  -          F   14 FIELDING, Jennifer..   4  -  -
MF  14 THEYS, Erchen.......   -  -  -          D/M 15 BOWMAN, Brooke......   2  -  -
D   15 PAETZ, Eryn.........   -  -  -          D/M 17 CRAMER ROSE, Aleisha   1  -  2
D   17 POLLOCK, Clare......   -  -  -          F   18 VIERNES, Jeni.......   8  4  -
F   19 HENDREN, LeAnne.....   1  1  -          D   19 HOLMAN, Britney.....   -  -  1
F   20 DOLVA, Marte........   -  -  -          MF  20 OJUKA, Lydia........   1  1  1
     ---------- Substitutes ----------              ---------- Substitutes ----------
    2  PITCOCK, Nicole.....   -  -  -              4  KING, Davia.........   1  -  1
    3  NOWFEL, Michelle....   -  -  -              5  GABBERT, Katie......   -  -  -
    4  MELENDRES,Linda.....   -  -  -              8  BIGELOW, Terra......   -  -  -
    7  RENDELL, Kelli......   -  -  -              11 RENDICH, Jamie......   1  -  1
    10 HAFNER, Laura.......   -  -  -              21 PHILLIPS, Jenavieve.   -  -  -
    25 LACOVARA, Alicia....   -  -  -
                                                      Totals..............  20  5  7
       Totals..............   5  1  0
New Mexico                                     Brigham Young
## Player                 MIN  GA Saves        ## Player                 MIN  GA Saves
---------------------------------------        ---------------------------------------
0  WINTERS, Kristen....  90:00  5     8        30 GOTT, Mandy.........  90:00  1     1
TM TEAM................   0:00  0     1
Shots by period       1  2  Tot                Saves by period       1  2  Tot
-------------------------------                -------------------------------
New Mexico..........  3  2 -  5                New Mexico..........  2  7 -  9
Brigham Young.......  9 11 - 20                Brigham Young.......  0  1 -  1
Corner kicks          1  2  Tot                Fouls                 1  2  Tot
-------------------------------                -------------------------------
New Mexico..........  2  1 -  3                New Mexico..........  2  9 - 11
Brigham Young.......  3  2 -  5                Brigham Young.......  6  6 - 12
SCORING SUMMARY:
GOAL   Time Team     ## Goal Scorer              Assists
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 1.   16:19 BY       18 VIERNES, Jeni            19 HOLMAN, Britney
 2.   25:06 UNM      19 HENDREN, LeAnne          Unassisted
 3.   33:40 BY       18 VIERNES, Jeni            17 CRAMER ROSE, Aleisha
 4.   43:42 BY       18 VIERNES, Jeni            17 CRAMER ROSE, Aleisha
                                                 slot pass thru defense 1v1 w/keeper
 5.   79:08 BY       18 VIERNES, Jeni            11 RENDICH, Jamie/20 OJUKA, Lydia
 6.   87:00 BY       20 OJUKA, Lydia             9 CAMPBELL, Krissa/4 KING, Davia
CAUTIONS AND EJECTIONS:
YC-BY #20 (88:17)
Officials: Referee: Fabio Tovar; Asst. Referee: Steve Yeates; Sly Yeates;
Alt. Official: Bill Marsh; Timekeeper: Jerry Freestone; Scorer: Kathy Jensen;
Offsides: New Mexico 2, Brigham Young 3.