3 subs, 3 goals: No. 7 BYU women's soccer earns historic 3-1 win over No. 1 UCLA

PROVO — Daughters of Westwood, meet the Queens of the Mountain.

In the biggest game of the season, and arguably the biggest game at South Field since 2018, Ellie Walbruch, Rachel McCarthy and Erin Bailey helped BYU women's soccer hand No. 1 UCLA its first loss of the season 3-1 in the Cougars' first-ever victory over a top-ranked opponent Thursday night.

The No. 7 Cougars improved to 5-0 on the season with their fourth win all-time over a top-five foe in front of a standing room-only crowd of 5,209 fans boosted by an overflowing student section — a handful of which brought a European soccer supporters-style tifo that read "Queens of the Mountain" to hang across the west end line.

Reilyn Turner scored for the Bruins (3-1), the reigning national champions who dropped their first game since a 2-0 setback to archrival USC in last year's regular-season finale.

"Obviously, it's a huge win for us against an outstanding UCLA team that is very dangerous and had us nervous until the very end," BYU coach Jennifer Rockwood said. "But what a great atmosphere for women's college soccer tonight. Cougar Nation really showed up tonight and our girls came out.

"Our mantra is 'score first, score early,' and we were able to do that with Ellie Walbruch coming off the bench and putting her first touch into the back of the net. We got tremendous minutes from our bench tonight; we needed them."

BYU was winless in five prior matches against the No. 1 team in the United Soccer Coaches' poll, including a loss on penalty kick to then-No. 1 Florida State in the NCAA College Cup final.

But for Walbruch, this match was personal — and not only because it started with her younger sister singing the national anthem.

"It meant a lot. I think it really shows that we are one of the best teams in the country; we just beat the best team in the country," said Walbruch, who had one goal and nine shots in 13 games as a freshman for the Bruins last year. "It just shows we can compete with anyone. We put a lot of hard work into this game, and it showed. But for me, it's awesome. It's just a great win."

UCLA out-shot the Cougars 6-3 early, leaving BYU's best chance on a breakaway in the 20th minute. But Bella Folino's shot was saved in the center of the goal.

Walbruch, the UCLA transfer from Highland, checked in at the 24th minute and changed the game in the first half. Officially 1 minute, 3 seconds after her substitution by the box score, the sophomore was celebrating on the near sideline with the second goal of her BYU career that gave the Cougars a 1-0 lead over her former club.

With UCLA goalkeeper Neeku Purcell playing well off her line, Walbruch took a pass from Kendell Petersen in transition and spotted the ball over the defense that landed in the bottom right corner, sending the sellout crowd into a frenzy.

"We just knew we had to get some longer balls. When she went in, I told her to be ready. We got some great service from Petey and she's just a great player, a smart player, and what a great touch to put that one in. … No extra motivation needed for Ellie or any of the girls."

McCarthy doubled the lead in the 37th minute, burying Petersen's second assist of the night with a right-footed rip from 5 yards outside the 18 for what would become the match-winner.

"They gave us a lot of space in the first half," said McCarthy, who was genuinely surprised that BYU had never beaten the No. 1-ranked team prior to Thursday, "and so we used that space pretty well."

It's the first time UCLA had allowed multiple goals before halftime of a game the Bruins trailed since Aug. 28, 2016, when the team trailed 2-1 en route to a 4-3 extra-time loss to Florida.

Positioned as another nonconference match with lofty goals in play for two of the top teams on the West coast, representing the Pac-12 and Big 12, the Cougars turned the moment into something much bigger. The sold-out stadium that included Utah Royals FC head coach Amy Rodriguez was electric from start to finish, and the Cougars gave the decidedly pro-BYU crowd plenty of reasons to cheer.

"It was a blast to see this environment, having everything filled up," McCarthy said. "It felt like a national championship game."

Still, UCLA went hunting in the second half; the Cougars didn't expect anything less.

Turner pulled one back in the 55th minute for the Bruins, redirecting a low cross from Oke Ayo with a slide to cut UCLA's deficit to 2-1.

But Bailey restored the Cougars' two-goal lead, finishing off a cross from Olivia Katoa in the 79th minute, seconds before celebrating with a mass of students that toppled the plastic barricade behind the west goal.

All three of BYU's goals came from substitutes, a nod to the tactical adjustments and shot calling of Rockwood, the program's only head coach in the NCAA Division I era.

"She's smart, and we have a lot of depth on this team," Walbruch said. "Not just our starters, but our subs coming in. We're excited for this season."

BYU hits the road for five of the next six matches, beginning Saturday at Utah Valley (7 p.m. MDT, ESPN+), with just one home match — Sept. 14 against TCU — before Sept. 28.

But the preseason favorites to win the Big 12 with a pair of top-25 wins just earned stratospheric expectations for the upcoming season — a crown the Cougars are more than willing, and ready, to accept.

"It's crazy," Walbruch said. "But this team has a lot of winners; this team has a chance to win the national tournament, in my opinion. I think it really showed to other teams that they should be scared of us. We're here to prove it."

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