BYU midfielder Jamie Shepherd congratulates fans after a 3-0 win over Utah Valley in the first round of the NCAA Women’s Soccer Tournament at Southfield, Provo, Friday, November 11, 2022 . (BYU photo)
Estimated duration: 5-6 minutes
PROVO — In many ways, it was just like Jamie and Jenna Shepherd playing in the backyard.
This was the only time the second round of the NCAA Women’s Soccer Tournament was at stake.
Allie Fryer scored just before halftime, Savannah Mason earned a shutout with five saves, and Jamie and world No. 16 BYU women’s soccer teamed up with sister Jenna in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament on Friday. Beat the Wolverines 3-0. night in front of 3,839 fans at Southfield.
“We get along really well, but we’re a little competitive,” Sister Shepard of BYU said with a laugh. “It’s tough. We’re basically the same age and crossed paths a few times. But knowing that your sister is on the other side is definitely a challenge.
“I think it’s probably the hardest[for their parents]. It’s kind of a lose-lose situation. Luckily, UVU won this year and we won. “
The duo came together at one point when Jenna and Jamie traded extras in the first half and the referee had to separate the two. Before, some extracurricular activities would have been exchanged.
In the end, both teams committed a combined 24 fouls between goals on 32 and 15 shots.
“Any time you play Crosstown School, it’s going to be a battle,” said Shepard.
Tara Warner and Rachel McCarthy each added second-half goals for the Cougars (11-2-6), who advanced to face the No. 3-seeded Stanford winner next Thursday. 2) defeated Mountain West champion San Jose State 6-0.
But if Friday’s game felt physical, scratchy, or even rough, there might be a reason for it. Not only was the game attended by many of the players who had played together or against each other since high school and youth football days, but he also gave the Wolverines his fourth pair on September 10 at the same home field. After losing by 2, BYU went into this match individually.
The loss hurt. A number of changes were forced, including moving Shepard to a more attacking role and swapping him for fellow midfielder Olivia Wade, and the changes paid off as he climbed into the top 25 rankings and higher. Leading to his RPI of 20th, guaranteed a rough spot to the NCAA Tournament.
BYU Women’s Soccer expects a tournament bid. loss, exception.the cougars have 22 appearances in Big Dance under Lockwooda five-time Sweet Sixteen, two-time Elite Eight, and last year’s historic College Cup, finishing runner-up in the nation.
As much as head coach Chris LeMay turned the Wolverines into a formidable opponent, the Utah Valley finished with a 1-4 record, making its fourth tournament appearance in history.
“I think that loss really hurt,” Shepard said. “They got us when we were still thinking about some things. We’ve come a long way since that match. We’ve overcome a lot. , understood themselves and found their identities.
“We are playing the best football and I am really excited to have the chance to continue doing this.”
Since that loss to the WAC regular season champions, the Cougars have been undefeated and are on a 12-game streak in WCC play, including a 6-0-3 mark.
“I think this was a game neither of us wanted to play in the first round, but we knew it was going to happen,” BYU coach Jennifer Rockwood said. “I knew it was going to be tough, and I knew it was going to be physical, especially for Jamie and his sister on the other team.
“I’m really proud of the way we played. We’ve improved so much this season since the last time we played them. A lot of that is thanks to Jamie and her leadership on the team. She’s great. We’ve done our job, and so have our defenses.”
The two teams, which ranked among the nation’s best in shots per game, including BYU’s top mark at 26.3, did not disappoint in the first half, which featured a total of 18 shots and five on target.
However, Fryer gave BYU their first lead of the match, finishing off a point-blank putback attempt that caromed behind the net from the crossbar in the 38th minute. His freshman for Spanish Folk ripped up a ball bounced by five players and scored from close range.
Warner doubled their advantage in the 70th minute, finishing Jamie Shepherd’s perfect set-up for the first goal of her career. The Springville-native redshirt freshman limped off the field late in the game with an apparent lower leg injury, but Lockwood said it’s a good sign that he’s come back covering the injury.
McCarthy scored in the 79th minute, knocking a defender to the ground before splitting the defense with a laser inside the far post to put the Cougars on top 3–0.
“Rachel has traveled quite a bit since being here at BYU,” Lockwood said. It’s all about defense and high pressure here at BYU, and Rachel is a huge part of that.
“She has a different role, but she has worked hard to score that goal. It has been a long time…and she has been amazing to us.I am so excited that she will score tonight. I’m here.”
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