Santa Clara topped No. 7 seed BYU 1-0 Friday night at South Field in the first round of the NCAA women's soccer tournament, ending the Cougars' season in a match that the host school saw ample chances go by the wayside.
"A very tough loss for us," BYU coach Jennifer Rockwood said. "(I) felt that it wasn't our best overall performance, but I felt that we still did enough to probably at least put one in the back of the net. … We had some really good opportunities. We only gave up one shot in the second half, and unfortunately that was the one that got us."
The Cougars' momentum swelled out of the halftime break, but BYU lost it in the 70th minute when Santa Clara senior forward Tori Powell scored the evening's lone goal on a right-footed strike from the top of the box.
In almost any other match, Powell would not have taken the shot.
"We don't really like shooting from outside the penalty box," longtime Santa Clara head coach Jerry Smith said. "We said to the team, 'In Provo, you can shoot outside the penalty box. It's a little thinner air and the ball will travel a little faster.'"
As quickly as the ball traveled into the BYU goal, the Cougars' season was on thin ice.
"I didn't feel too much pressure in front of me, so I kind of looked at where the goalkeeper was, decided to hit it high and was just happy it went in," said Powell, who had been substituted into the match just over 10 minutes before scoring.
BYU midfielder Mika Krommenhoek (18) and Santa Clara forward Lucy Mitchell (27) chase after the ball during the first half of a first-round game of the NCAA Tournament held at South Field on the campus of Brigham Young University in Provo on Friday, Nov. 15, 2024. | Isaac Hale, Deseret News
BYU forward Allie Fryer (23) takes a shot on the goal during the first half of a first-round game of the NCAA Tournament against Santa Clara held at South Field on the campus of Brigham Young University in Provo on Friday, Nov. 15, 2024. | Isaac Hale, Deseret News
BYU forward Mackenzee Vance (44) controls the ball during the first half of a first-round game of the NCAA Tournament against Santa Clara held at South Field on the campus of Brigham Young University in Provo on Friday, Nov. 15, 2024. | Isaac Hale, Deseret News
BYU defender Ella Rustand (12) heads the ball while she's guarded by Santa Clara forward Tori Powell (12) during the first half of a first-round game of the NCAA Tournament held at South Field on the campus of Brigham Young University in Provo on Friday, Nov. 15, 2024. | Isaac Hale, Deseret News
BYU midfielder Mika Krommenhoek (18) and Santa Clara forward Colby Barnett (31) compete for possession of the ball during the first half of a first-round game of the NCAA Tournament held at South Field on the campus of Brigham Young University in Provo on Friday, Nov. 15, 2024. | Isaac Hale, Deseret News
BYU forward Allie Fryer (23) reacts after the Cougars' goal that would've tied the game was nullified due to a referee's call during the second half of a first-round game of the NCAA Tournament held at South Field on the campus of Brigham Young University in Provo on Friday, Nov. 15, 2024. | Isaac Hale, Deseret News
BYU defender Mattyn Summers (27) stands beside a group of celebrating Santa Clara players after the Broncos scored a goal on the Cougars to make the score 1-0 during the second half of a first-round game of the NCAA Tournament held at South Field on the campus of Brigham Young University in Provo on Friday, Nov. 15, 2024. | Isaac Hale, Deseret News
BYU defender Mattyn Summers (27) controls the ball during the first half of a first-round game of the NCAA Tournament against Santa Clara held at South Field on the campus of Brigham Young University in Provo on Friday, Nov. 15, 2024. | Isaac Hale, Deseret News
Santa Clara goalkeeper Marlee Nicolos (1) makes a save on a shot on the goal from the Cougars during the second half of a first-round game of the NCAA Tournament held at South Field on the campus of Brigham Young University in Provo on Friday, Nov. 15, 2024. | Isaac Hale, Deseret News
BYU forward Allie Fryer (23) reacts after her shot on the goal went wide during the first half of a first-round game of the NCAA Tournament against Santa Clara held at South Field on the campus of Brigham Young University in Provo on Friday, Nov. 15, 2024. | Isaac Hale, Deseret News
BYU midfielder Lucy Kesler (33) and Santa Clara forward Colby Barnett (31) compete for possession of the ball during the first half of a first-round game of the NCAA Tournament held at South Field on the campus of Brigham Young University in Provo on Friday, Nov. 15, 2024. | Isaac Hale, Deseret News
BYU midfielder Lucy Kesler (33) heads the ball during the second half of a first-round game of the NCAA Tournament against Santa Clara held at South Field on the campus of Brigham Young University in Provo on Friday, Nov. 15, 2024. | Isaac Hale, Deseret News
BYU midfielder Mika Krommenhoek (18), Santa Clara midfielder Mana Hayashi (6) and forward Colby Barnett (31) compete for possession of the ball during the first half of a first-round game of the NCAA Tournament held at South Field on the campus of Brigham Young University in Provo on Friday, Nov. 15, 2024. | Isaac Hale, Deseret News
BYU defender Presley Freeman (20) chases the ball while guarded by Santa Clara forward Lucy Mitchell, right, and midfielder Kat Jordan (13) during the first half of a first-round game of the NCAA Tournament held at South Field on the campus of Brigham Young University in Provo on Friday, Nov. 15, 2024. | Isaac Hale, Deseret News
BYU midfielder Mika Krommenhoek (18) and Santa Clara forward Kennedy Schoennauer (33) compete for possession of the ball during the first half of a first-round game of the NCAA Tournament held at South Field on the campus of Brigham Young University in Provo on Friday, Nov. 15, 2024. | Isaac Hale, Deseret News
BYU midfielder Mika Krommenhoek (18) kicks the ball away from Santa Clara defender Tessa Ferguson (20) during the first half of a first-round game of the NCAA Tournament held at South Field on the campus of Brigham Young University in Provo on Friday, Nov. 15, 2024. | Isaac Hale, Deseret News
BYU defender Presley Freeman (20) controls the ball while guarded by Santa Clara forward Tori Powell (12) during the second half of a first-round game of the NCAA Tournament held at South Field on the campus of Brigham Young University in Provo on Friday, Nov. 15, 2024. | Isaac Hale, Deseret News
BYU midfielder Mika Krommenhoek (18) passes the ball to a teammate while guarded by Santa Clara forward Lucy Mitchell (27) during the second half of a first-round game of the NCAA Tournament held at South Field on the campus of Brigham Young University in Provo on Friday, Nov. 15, 2024. | Isaac Hale, Deseret News
BYU defender Presley Freeman (20) controls the ball while guarded by Santa Clara defender Tessa Ferguson (20) during the second half of a first-round game of the NCAA Tournament held at South Field on the campus of Brigham Young University in Provo on Friday, Nov. 15, 2024. | Isaac Hale, Deseret News
BYU forward Erin Bailey (7) tries to cut through Santa Clara defender Caroline Gray, left, and defender Marisa Bubnis (14) during the second half of a first-round game of the NCAA Tournament held at South Field on the campus of Brigham Young University in Provo on Friday, Nov. 15, 2024. | Isaac Hale, Deseret News
BYU forward Mackenzee Vance (44) reacts after her shot on the goal went wide during the second half of a first-round game of the NCAA Tournament against Santa Clara held at South Field on the campus of Brigham Young University in Provo on Friday, Nov. 15, 2024. | Isaac Hale, Deseret News
BYU goalkeeper Lynette Hernaez (00) talks with her teammates on the sidelines during the second half of a first-round game of the NCAA Tournament against Santa Clara held at South Field on the campus of Brigham Young University in Provo on Friday, Nov. 15, 2024. | Isaac Hale, Deseret News
BYU midfielder Lucy Kesler (33) looks to pass the ball during the second half of a first-round game of the NCAA Tournament against Santa Clara held at South Field on the campus of Brigham Young University in Provo on Friday, Nov. 15, 2024. | Isaac Hale, Deseret News
BYU forward Allie Fryer (23) takes a shot on the goal while guarded by Santa Clara defender Caroline Gray (26) during the second half of a first-round game of the NCAA Tournament held at South Field on the campus of Brigham Young University in Provo on Friday, Nov. 15, 2024. | Isaac Hale, Deseret News
BYU defender Presley Freeman (20) heads the ball while guarded by Santa Clara defender Lauren Hunter (25) during the second half of a first-round game of the NCAA Tournament held at South Field on the campus of Brigham Young University in Provo on Friday, Nov. 15, 2024. | Isaac Hale, Deseret News
BYU defender Abbi Sine (16) passes the ball while guarded by Santa Clara midfielder Marissa Vasquez (16) during the second half of a first-round game of the NCAA Tournament held at South Field on the campus of Brigham Young University in Provo on Friday, Nov. 15, 2024. | Isaac Hale, Deseret News
A referee calls a yellow card on a Santa Clara player during the second half of a first-round game of the NCAA Tournament against BYU held at South Field on the campus of Brigham Young University in Provo on Friday, Nov. 15, 2024. | Isaac Hale, Deseret News
BYU defender Abbi Sine (16) looks to drive the ball around Santa Clara forward Colby Barnett (31) during the second half of a first-round game of the NCAA Tournament held at South Field on the campus of Brigham Young University in Provo on Friday, Nov. 15, 2024. | Isaac Hale, Deseret News
In the 89th minute, it It looked as if the Cougars had snatched their season from its brink when sophomore defender Avery Frischknecht found the back of the net, but an offside call proved otherwise, leaving BYU little time to push the match past 90 minutes as the final buzzer sounded moments later.
The loss keeps the Cougars from earning their first win over their former West Coast Conference foe in their last five tries. Prior to Friday night, the teams' most recent meeting was in 2022, when they played to a scoreless draw in BYU's final year in the league.
Entering the NCAA tournament, the Broncos thought they wanted nothing to do with the Cougars.
"We have so much respect for the BYU program, the coaching staff, … the team," Smith said. "We did not want to see BYU when the selection show came out at all."
The Cougars' season concludes at 9-7-5, marking the first year the Provo school failed to reach 10 wins since 2017. Despite the season ending defeat, BYU couldn't be more optimistic about the future.
"It's the youngest BYU team that we've ever had," Rockwood said. "For them to finish fourth in the Big 12, finish ranked in one of the polls and host an NCAA tournament game (I'm), really proud of our team and the players and how hard they've worked through a lot of adversity."
Freshman midfielder Mika Krommenhoek expressed a similar sentiment to that of her coach.
"Obviously it was a unique year having so many young players," she said, "but I think honestly it was a little bit of an advantage for us just because we were able to grow together and we had to progress together, overcome those challenges together. … We were able to…gain that chemistry, which I think will be really big for us going forward."
Rockwood believes the challenges of this year will bring greater success in the future.
"We'll be ready and better than ever next season," she vowed.
BYU defender Mattyn Summers (27) stands beside a group of celebrating Santa Clara players after the Broncos scored a goal on the Cougars to make the score 1-0 during the second half of a first-round game of the NCAA Tournament held at South Field on the campus of Brigham Young University in Provo on Friday, Nov. 15, 2024. | Isaac Hale, Deseret News
