No. 14 Cougars squash Horned Frogs

PROVO — For the first time in two years, the BYU women's soccer team unleashed a major multi-goal barrage, beating TCU 4-1 in the Cougars' Mountain West Conference opener Thursday night.

The South Field crowd of 2,396 witnessed the Cougars' first four-goal half since a 6-0 shellacking of Air Force in 2005 and the most total goals scored since that date.

The still-unbeaten, 14th-ranked ranked Cougars (11-0-2 overall, 1-0-0 MWC) replace the Horned Frogs (6-7-0, 1-1-0) atop the league standings.

By scoring its four goals in a 32-minute span in the first half, BYU was able to rest its regulars for much of the second half.

With BYU previously managing two goals in four matches, one in a half-dozen others and zero in two scoreless draws, the Cougars had become a frustrated, goal-hungry squad.

BYU coach Jennifer Rockwood said her players wanted to start the match — and the conference slate — off in strong fashion. "And when you get off to a good start and when you're playing hard, good things happen," she added.

Midfielder Carolyn Swenson agreed: "Everybody came out focused and with energy."

But the Cougars' nine victories by a single-goal difference is paying off, said fellow midfielder Natalie Henriksen. "We know how to fight through games and win."

The two teams traded early goals, with Larkin and Kelsea Kakadelas assisting on Katie Fellows' goal at the six-minute mark. TCU countered six minutes later on Michelle Nguyen score.

In the 23rd minute, Larkin logged the eventual game-winning goal, a 25-yard, unassisted boomer that carried over Frog keeper Kelsey Walters and inside the left post.

It was Larkin's 11th goal of the season and her 10th game-winner — but she and the Cougars weren't done.

In the 36th minute, Nicole Urry earned a score as her looping forward pass bounced up and over Walters and into the net. Ninety seconds later, Larkin took a Becca Riddle assist for her second goal of the night.

Both teams missed second-half scoring chances — Cougar defender Amanda Draeger deflected an point-blank Frog shot when keeper Erika Woodbury came out to challenge and was shaken up. A subsequent TCU try ricocheted off the post and into the hands of backup keeper Aleena Shelton.

BYU looks for its first 2-0 start in conference play since 2003 when the Cougars play host to two-time defending MWC regular-season champ Utah Saturday at 7 p.m.

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