Huskers snap No. 16 BYU soccer's 18-match home win streak


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PROVO — Eighteen times since September 2014, BYU women’s soccer has welcomed an opponent to South Field, and 18 times, the Cougars earned a victory.

Not Monday night.

Nebraska’s Haley Hanson scored the lone goal of the match 10 minutes after halftime, and Aubrei Corder made six saves to help it stand to give the Huskers a 1-0 win over No. 16 BYU on opening night in Provo.

“We certainly didn’t like that feeling, losing at home; it hasn’t happened in a while. We just didn’t play well enough to win,” BYU coach Jennifer Rockwood said. “We wasted our first 45 minutes of the game, and for some reason we weren’t playing with how we trained.

“We’ve got some mental issues that we’ve got to sort out and find our confidence.”

After a scoreless first half in front of 2,068 fans, the 5-foot-6 Hanson dived for a header that caromed off the left post to put the visitors ahead, 1-0. BYU outshot Nebraska, 16-7, but only one shot mattered — the one that entered the back of the net.

BYU goalkeeper Rachel Boaz got a fingertip on the shot, but the ball tipped into the upper corner and fell into the back of the net.

“We only gave up one ball in our end in the second half, and they scored on it,” Rockwood said. “That’s soccer. Things are going to happen, but we should be able to manufacture and score two goals. That didn’t happen.

“We just have to learn and see how bad we want to fight back and get better.”

Nebraska (2-0) picked up the first win by a visiting team at South Field since Sept. 11, 2014, when Louisiana State took a 4-3 victory. The Cougars lost their first match against a Big Ten opponent in six tries.

Mark Philbrick, BYU Photo
Mark Philbrick, BYU Photo

BYU (1-1) has conceded the first goal in each of its first three matches of the season, including last week’s exhibition draw at UCLA and Friday’s 2-1 extra-time victory at Washington State. Monday’s opener came after the Cougars outshot the Huskers 7-5 in the first half, but the home side couldn’t convert on any of its three attempts on goal.

BYU’s schedule doesn’t get easier, either; the Cougars are at top-ranked Penn State on Friday, and Rockwood admitted the team now enters the match with their backs against the wall.

“Obviously, playing the No. 1 team in the country and current national champion is a lot to get up for,” Rockwood said. “But we have to put this one behind us.

“Penn State means even more; we have to get that win. If we get that win, we can forget about this one a little bit. Our backs are against the wall nice and early. There isn’t an easy opponent in front of us, and for the rest of the season. We have to figure out how to bounce back.”

Ashley Hatch tried to equalize with four minutes remaining when the senior from Gilbert, Arizona, danced around five defenders on a counter-attack. But her rip from the top of the box was blocked by the gaggle of Husker players.

Lizzy Braby nearly converted less than 10 minutes into the match, redirecting a pinpoint cross from Hatch that was deftly saved by Corder. Just 10 minutes later, Hatch earned a free kick from 25 yards out, but Corder again claimed Nadia Gomes’ second-effort to keep the first-half a clean sheet.

In the 24th minute, Carolina Flynn tried for Nebraska’s first shot on target with a header in the 6-yard box. But Boaz made her only save of the first half to keep the ball out of the net.

“We didn’t connect very well,” Rockwood said. “We struggled to put three or four passes together, and it’s not like we were under a lot of pressure. For some reason, it just didn’t happen.”

Of BYU’s 16 shots, just six of them found the target. Gomes and Hatch led both teams with four shots each, but the Cougars’ bench combined for only one shot in 90 minutes, an off-target effort by Madie Lyons.

“You tend to learn a lot more when you struggle, and when you lose,” Rockwood said. “Hopefully we can learn a lot and get back on the field and try to get better.”

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