Top scorer Mozingo out to lead No. 13 BYU soccer back to NCAA Tournament

PROVO — Brecken Mozingo thought she had found everything she wanted when she enrolled at UCLA to play with the Bruins' powerhouse women's soccer program.

The Alta High graduate who has played against older players in semipro leagues since she was a teenager even admits she was happy in Westwood. But something just didn't feel right.

So after playing in six games as a freshman, Mozingo transferred back home, caught the attention of BYU head coach Jennifer Rockwood, and asked for a spot on the Cougars' roster — another powerhouse program, if not in the exact same mold as the Pac-12 power in Los Angeles.

Mozingo has made her own power in her home state.

"It was just the way that things were lining up in my life to bring me back here," Mozingo explained on BYUtv. "There were too many coincidences and ways that I was seeing God's hand in my life for me to not take the opportunity.

"I was necessarily happy at UCLA; I loved the girls, loved the atmosphere, but I missed my family, and I wanted to be back in the culture that I've grown up with. At the end of the day, I wanted to come back — and I've loved it."

Before every game with the 13th-ranked Cougars, Mozingo writes "All In" on her thigh, a constant reminder to stay focused on the present and to be all-in on this year's BYU program. It worked well enough, as Mozingo leads the team with nine goals and a conference-high eight assists.

And with the biggest match of Mozingo's junior season coming in Saturday's regular-season home finale against West Coast Conference leaders Santa Clara (6 p.m. MDT, BYUtv), the 5-foot-6 goal scorer from Sandy faces her biggest challenge yet.

A win for the Cougars (8-2-5, 4-0-2 WCC) would go a long way toward assisting the Cougars in their bid for a title on the way out of the conference, but Santa Clara remains No. 1 in the league and No. 23 in the latest national coaches poll for a reason.

The Broncos (9-6-1, 6-0 WCC) are led by Izzy D'Aquila, who tops the WCC with 17 goals and 39 points and haven't lost a match in conference play after a brutal nonconference run.

But the Cougars are on a run of their own, an eight-match unbeaten streak that dates back to a stunning 4-2 loss on Sept. 10 to crosstown rival Utah Valley. Since then, the Cougars have ranked among the most offensive teams in the country, leading the WCC in shots (384), points (109), goals (37) and assists (35).

"I think we were just in a rut; I don't know if the team knew why," said freshman Alllie Frey, who has a team-high three game-winning goals in the past five games. "But we're very attack-minded as a team, and I think we lost that. Our coaches have really drilled into our heads to be shooters first. We're a shooting team, and I think everyone has taken confidence to take those shots.

"I think that's the biggest difference: we're finally taking shots."

Mozingo has been at the center of the mindset. The former Alta star who has two club state titles and set the school record with 38 goals in 2016 grew up as a forward, drifted into a withdrawn role in Rockwood's system, then graduated back into a more attack-minded midfield position after the departures of Mikayla Colohan and Cameron Tucker.

In many ways, it's unlocked another layer of her game.

"I was held back, and now I'm finding myself with more opportunities to take shots," Mozingo said. "I put that pressure on myself. I know I can score, but now I feel like I need to."

Whether scoring or dishing out one of her team-high eight assists, Mozingo is a "huge player for our team," Fryer said. A vital one for the offense, even.

"That's why the ball constantly goes to her side: She's proven herself, and she's the lead scorer on our team for a reason," the newcomer from Maple Mountain added. "She's so good on the ball, and I think that's why she gets it so much.

"It's why our offense is successful. She not only scores goals but puts in a lot of assists."

She's also taken on a leadership role for a freshman class of nine players that Rockwood has hailed as one of the deepest in years for the program.

But her most important role may be yet to play: Mozingo wants to lead the Cougars back to the NCAA Tournament like last season, when she started all 24 matches and recorded seven goals and nine assists on 72 shots. Even if their current ranking offers a good sign, they know they have work to do, both Saturday night and in road games against San Diego and Loyola Marymount.

"We have a tremendous opportunity to make it to the tournament," Mozingo said. "It just takes us locking in, and buying into what we did last season, why Jen picked us to even be at BYU.

"I think staying in the moment is what will get us there."

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