TCU
BYU
No. 11/15 BYU pushes past TCU, 2-0
10/5/2006 12:00:00 AM | Women's Soccer
Oct. 5, 2006
FORT WORTH, Texas - Despite being outshot 23-8 by No. 11/15 BYU, the TCU soccer team used a ball-hawking defense to hold the Cougars to just one goal for the first 89:53 of the match in BYU's 2-0 win on Thursday at Garvey-Rosenthal Stadium.
In the conference opener for both teams, BYU (10-1-1, 1-0-0 Mountain West Conference) was able to score its second goal with just seven seconds to play after TCU (5-6-1, 0-1-0 MWC) pulled up its defense in hope of tying the match in the final minutes.
After BYU took a 1-0 lead into the half and 12-1 advantage in shots, the tide of the game began to shift as TCU's offensive attack began to come to life in the second half. After attempting as season-low one shot in the first half, TCU was able to tally five shots in the first 10 minutes of the second half.
Despite the scoring opportunities, TCU received a first-hand look at BYU's defense that has only allowed five goals all season, and only once surrendered more than one goal.
"We wanted to go out and play, and I felt in the second half we did a very good job of containing them," head coach Dan Abdalla said. "In the second half each team had four of five chances and they put their chances away."
Despite BYU taking 23 shots for the game, including nine on goal, goalkeeper Katy Buchanan and the TCU defense was not fazed by the Cougars' offensive attack that continuously put pressure on the Horned Frogs.
"I think we looked to relax more in the second half and not panic," Abdalla said. "Our ability to stay composed opened up the game for us and we made them have to defend us."
With BYU controlling possession for most of the first half, the Cougars took a 1-0 advantage at the 14:42 mark of the game, as Katie Larkin took a pass from Annie Zwahlen and fired a shot from 30 yards out that beat Buchanan to the left side of the net.
From that point on, TCU and BYU were in a defensive struggle with neither team being able to crack the opposing team's defense.
TCU's best scoring opportunity of the game came with 35:30 to play, as Lizzy Karoly, the conference leader in shots, was able to get free down the middle of field. Karoly was able to get just inside the 18-yard line and fire a shot that BYU's goalkeeper Erika Woodbury was able to block by making a diving save with her hands in the air as she slid towards the sprinting Karoly.
The ball caromed off Woobury's arms and to the feet of Chelsea White, who fired a shot at the open net that was blocked by a BYU defender.
BYU's final goal came at the 89:53 mark, as Carolyn Swenson took advantage of TCU's defense being pulled up by scoring on a one-on-one breakaway with Buchanan.
Three players had two shots apiece to lead the Horned Frogs, including Karoly, White and Michelle Nguyen.
TCU will play its second conference match of the season on Sunday when New Mexico visits Garvey-Rosenthal Stadium for a 1 p.m. match.
