Fernandes' brace helps BYU roll Colorado College


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PROVO — Niki Fernandes came into BYU’s game Saturday night looking for goals.

The sixth-year senior striker found them in the Cougars’ final non-conference home game.

Fernandes scored two goals as BYU rolled Colorado College, 4-0 to move its win streak to three in a row in front of 2,243 fans at South Field.

“I felt good out there,” Fernandes said. “We’ve been working really hard on passing in the final third, and I thought it paid off well today. It’s always helpful when you’re scoring.”

Fernandes struck early, putting away a Marissa Nimmer corner kick in the fifth minute that ricocheted of the head of teammate Bizzy Phillips before the 5-foot-3 forward buried the ball with a header of her own.


It was fun soccer to watch. I thought we were composed, we moved the ball well, and I was especially pleased with how our forwards did in the first half. Scoring early is something we haven't done a lot this year.

–BYU coach Jennifer Rockwood


She scored again barely 17 minutes later, slotting home a cross from fellow striker Ashley Hatch to complete the first brace of her long career.

“It was fun soccer to watch,” said BYU coach Jennifer Rockwood, who celebrated a birthday in the win. “I thought we were composed, we moved the ball well, and I was especially pleased with how our forwards did in the first half. Scoring early is something we haven’t done a lot this year.”

Nimmer helped BYU (4-3-2) find the back of the net again in the 40th minute with a corner kick that bent right on frame before hitting a Tiger defender for the own goal to go up 3-0. Michele Murphy capped the scoring by converting a penalty kick she earned for herself in the 55th minute after Colorado College’s Anne LaPointe received a yellow card for taking Murphy to the ground in the box.

Having both strikers find the form was one of many goals the Cougars accomplished through their opening homestand, Rockwood said.

“Niki’s been continually getting better and better,” she added. “Her and Murphy were looking for a goal this season, so for them to get at least one before we head out (on the road) was really important. They’ve been working so hard.”

BYU will hit the road Thursday for a road match at Denver at 7 p.m. The Cougars will then head to Dallas for a Saturday road tilt with SMU before beginning West Coast Conference play on the road at San Diego Oct. 3.

“We’ve been working really hard these last couple of weeks to find our groove, our rhythm and our confidence,” Rockwood said. “I think we accomplished a lot of our goals these last two weeks being at home. We’ve got three wins on our field, for our fans, (and) I think it builds a lot of momentum for us going into this coming week, where we need to pick up two wins and then propel us into our conference play.”

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