Cougars Find Offensive Groove in 5-0 Win

PROVO, Utah - Junior Carlee Payne scored two goals to help the BYU women’s soccer team cruise to a 5-0 victory over the Idaho Vandals, Tuesday,  at South Field.

Four different Cougars scored and BYU took a season-high 25 shots on a night where everything seemed to fall into place as the offense and defense each did their part while holding Idaho to just 5 shots. With the win, BYU improves to 5-3-2 on the season.

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"We really came out and got off to a great start even though we didn't score at the beginning when we had our chances," BYU head coach Jennifer Rockwood said. "The girls didn't get frustrated which they could have and continued to battle and fight."

The Cougars controlled the ball for much of the first half, playing aggressively. Junior forward Jennie Marshall came in midway through the half and continued give BYU shots on goal. Marshall took three shots in the first half including a long shot from 25 yards out that just missed and soared a few inches too high.

Freshman Jaiden Thornock came in the game with nine minutes remaining in the half and provided the spark the Cougars needed, getting them on the board. Thornock scored her third goal of the season in the top corner of the net from 18 yards out with just over one minute left until halftime to give BYU a 1-0 lead going into the break.

Strong defense was played by both teams in the first half but the Cougars led with 11 shots while limiting Idaho to just two.

"We have a lot to prove," Rockwood said. "The girls have high expectations and we are still trying to find ourselves and believe in what we can do."

Just seven minutes into the second half BYU added on to its lead when Payne dribbled through multiple defenders and powered a shot past the goalie to give the Cougars a 2-0 lead. Marshall nearly added another score just three minutes later with back-to-back shots that went wide.Payne tallied her second goal of then night six minutes after her first, giving BYU a 3-0 edge. Junior Cami Jensen got the assist, throwing the ball in to Payne who raced past defenders to get another shot off for her third goal of the season.

"We struggled last week so it felt great to come out here and score five goals as a team," Payne said. "To work hard and come out confident, it feels great."

The Cougar offensive display continued, this time with Marshall getting into the scoring column after seven shots. Marshall cut back and forth around the net, dodging a defender and put the ball right in the middle of the goal for her third of the season and a 4-0 BYU lead with just under 24 minutes left to play.

Senior Megan Fereday knocked in BYU's fifth and final goal off a header that hit the cross bar and bounced in. Fereday entered the game just 42 seconds before scoring her first career goal.

Up next, BYU hosts Utah State at South Field on Thursday at 7 p.m. MT. The game will be broadcast live on BYU Radio.