BYU soccer gets past Blizzard

PROVO — It was a high scoring affair at South Field in Provo, as midfielder Chad Dreshler and the rest of the BYU men's soccer team (3-4) defeated the Colorado Springs Blizzard (3-2-2) 6-2 Saturday night.

The game marked the final time Dreshler will suit up for the Cougars as he will head off to begin a job in Kentucky. Dreshler made all 90 minutes count as he tallied six shots, one goal and an assist on the game-winning goal in his final game as a Cougar.

"It was an emotional game for me,' said Dreshler. "I wanted to go out with a game that typified my college career and I got it thanks to the guys."

"Chad is a great player and we are going to miss him but he has done what we hope all our players will do and that is graduate and have a good job waiting somewhere for them," BYU head coach Chris Watkins said.

The impending departure of their teammate seemed to inspire the Cougars to fight for every possession, something not easily accomplished as the Blizzard played a physical game against the younger BYU team.

The Blizzard jumped ahead early, notching goals in the first 39 seconds of the game and then again in the sixth minute to take a 2-0 lead.

But BYU responded by shutting out the Blizzard through the rest of the game and ripped off four goals to take a 4-2 lead into the half.

"To comeback the way we did shows the maturity of our guys,' said Watkins.

"You can see the confidence in our players" eyes and are able to compete in this league.' The Cougar comeback was fueled by goals from Dreshler, defender Aaron Gabbart, midfielder Josh Robbins and forwards Lehi Mackissack-Mendoza and Matthew Affleck who recorded four goals in two games over the weekend.

Dreshler and Affleck hooked up for one of Affleck"s two goals in the game and would prove to be the game-winning goal in the 31st minute as Dreshler found Affleck who one-touched the ball into the back of the net.

BYU outshoot the Blizzard 27-13 on the night, the most shots the Cougars have recorded in a single game as well as recording the most goals for the team since joining the Premier Development League last season.