2016 senior class has been good to BYU women's soccer

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PROVO — The 2016 senior class of BYU women’s soccer players has a lot of talent.

There’s Ashley Hatch, the star striker and U.S. Women’s National Team player who has 17 goals — the third-most in the NCAA.

Next to her is Michele Murphy Vasconcelos, the former and forever-nicknamed “Murph” who has 12 goals and 12 assists — a feat unmatched nationally. Add the clinically technical Elena Medeiros, the stout goalkeeper Rachel Boaz and the leadership of Miranda Bailey Topham, and you’ve got a good group.

And then there’s Paige Barker. The former Paige Hunt arrived at BYU from back-to-back all-state seasons at Bountiful High, and the expectations could not have been higher.

The Cougars were fresh off a run to the Elite Eight, and the then-freshmen came in with a lot of expectations — the NCAA Tournament was a minimum standard, and greatness was expected.

“They love the game and have a drive to practice when no one is watching,” Barker said. “We all spend time by ourselves taking extra touches, and we’ve been committed for this time. We’ve prepared, and we have a groove going where we work well together. We’re in sync. I think the stars are aligned in this group, and we work well together.”

The senior has played more than 6,000 minutes for the Cougars, totaling three goals and eight assists as she’s played multiple defensive positions and currently starts at holding midfield. She’s helped lead BYU to 70 wins over a career that included an 18-month stop as a missionary for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Indiana.

But no win would be bigger than Saturday at 7 p.m. MT against Gonzaga (6-9-2, 2-6 West Coast Conference), clinching at least a share of the Cougars’ fifth straight WCC championship.

“There are a lot of classes that come through here with one or two conference titles, and the chance to win four is unbelievable,” Barker said. “We know it is within our grasp, and we are going to work hard and not underestimate Gonzaga. We know it is within reach, and we’re going to go for it.”

When the six seniors and fourth-ranked BYU (15-2-1, 6-1-1 WCC) walk on to South Field for the final regular-season game of their careers Saturday, they could become the winningest class in BYU soccer history.

Winning another conference title is the least Barker can do for a school that means so much to her.

“It’s changed my life, and not just playing the game,” she said. “Getting to know the players and the coaching staff, at school, it has changed me forever, and I’m grateful to be a part of it.”

More immediately, a win over the Zags and a loss or draw by Pepperdine on the same day would also clinch an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament.

“It shows how hard we’ve worked,” Hatch said of the title. “It’s always been a goal, from Day One of the season, to win that championship.”

That won’t make the weekend any easier for head coach Jennifer Rockwood, who began recruiting most of her players in eighth or ninth grade.

“It’s always hard. I’ve been doing this for a long time, and I don’t look forward to senior night, at all,” Rockwood said. “It’s hard because I spend so much time with them. And then — poof — they’re gone and off to bigger and better things. You spend so much time, and then they are gone … so it’s always hard to see great kids leave the program.”

But first things first. The Cougars’ season is virtually guaranteed not to end Saturday evening. Barring a major upset, BYU will receive a bid to the NCAA Tournament and will be in line for at least one home match in the postseason.

That’s not the end goal for this year’s seniors, though.

“In order to be counted as one of those amazing senior classes, we need to take the team far into the tournament,” Vasconcelos said. “We need to go somewhere we haven’t gone before.”

Hatch’s goals have remained lofty through a standout prep career in Arizona to becoming one of the top scorers in the nation despite missing two games during Jill Ellis’ most recent national team training camp.

But first and foremost is the goal to win a conference title, and the Cougars, who have been focused on lofty goals all season, are concerned to check off that box.

“It would mean a lot,” Hatch said. “I’ve had lots of games at South Field, and it’s sad that the end is already here, but I’m excited to get out there and give it my all.”