After two straight draws, undefeated BYU looks to match high projections


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PROVO — Two games into the 2014 NCAA women’s soccer season, BYU coach Jennifer Rockwood is happy her team is still unbeaten, but she also knows the Cougars still have plenty of work to do.

With a scoreless draw Monday against Washington State at South Field followed a 1-1 tie on the road at Cal State Fullerton, No. 23 BYU (0-0-2) is still searching for its first win as it heads to SEC territory to face Tennessee Friday night.

“The schedule doesn’t get any easier, but I think we’ve learned a lot,” Rockwood said. “We’re still undefeated. There’s a lot to look forward to.”

BYU outshot Washington State, 17-14 Monday but couldn’t find the back of the net in 110 minutes of play just three days after playing another 110-minute go-around in California. As the clock ran down on the season’s home opener Monday, there were heavy legs.

“We looked at each other when we hit extra time, and we were just tired,” said senior team captain Annie Amos, who played all 220 minutes of the Cougars’ opening weekend. “But it’s all making sure you have mental toughness at that point, and you push through it. It’s exhausting to play double overtime in three days.”

Still, keeping the Cougars’ first clean sheet of 2014 will be one positive BYU takes away.

“It’s definitely a huge accomplishment to keep a zero on the board,” said Amos, who played 1,847 minutes in her first season as a full-time starter last year. “We’re keeping our team in the game the whole game. It’s rough to walk away with a tie, but it’s nice knowing we did our job as a defense.”

After two straight draws, undefeated BYU looks to match high projections
Photo: BYU Photo

The job and accompanying clean sheet were the first of a college career for redshirt freshman goalkeeper Hannah Clark, who split time with senior Katherine Snyder between the posts. Clark made one save in 55 minutes of play, while Snyder had four grabs in the opening half.

“I think it’s definitely making us better,” Clark said. “Both of us are working super hard trying to get that spot. If it’s what it takes right now, I think both of us need game experience. We’re getting the opportunities and hopefully we’ll just keep working hard. I think both of us are improving a ton.”

Far from a negative, Rockwood said the two-keeper job is simply because both players have earned the playing time. The Cougars are working to replace All-American goalkeeper Erica Owens along with four other starters from 2013.

“Both keepers these both games have done a great job,” Rockwood added. “We kept a shutout tonight, so I think that’s the least of our issues. "The goalkeeper stuff will work its way out. It’s a shutout, and they both did a great job and what they needed to do to keep the zero on the board.”

The duo also combined for three saves and one goal allowed at Fullerton, and Clark added the increased competition (and minutes) can propel her team into the heart of the young season — one that sees the Cougars projected to win the West Coast Conference with a No. 23 ranking in the NSCAA poll.

“We’ve played two really good teams now, and I just think it really mentally prepares us and pushes us to get better, to score,” Clark said. “We need to get those wins. Hopefully this will push us forward.”

It’s a long season, and one the Cougars know well.

“We know we have improvement, but that we can still get there,” Amos said. “Every game matters to make it to the (NCAA) tournament. It just means we still haven’t hit our peak yet. We’ve got improvement to do, and we’re going to make it up there.”

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