Sold-out match with fellow No. 7 Texas Tech may be BYU soccer's biggest game of year

PROVO — It would be naive and insincere to say that BYU women's soccer faces a "one-game season" Thursday night when the Cougars host Texas Tech, and certainly not before the possibility of a win-or-go-home, single-elimination tournament like the postseason brings.

But Thursday's match may be as close it gets.

The seventh-ranked Cougars — tied for seventh with their Big 12 counterpart Red Raiders, that is — have faced plenty of big moments on South Field in their inaugural season in the Big 12 Conference. There was the visit by then-No. 1 UCLA, which BYU toppled 3-1, and the first-ever Big 12 match in program history that played to a 3-3 draw with TCU, to name a couple.

If BYU (10-1-2, 3-0-2 Big 12) wants a sniff at a conference title in its first year in the league, the Cougars will need a result against Texas Tech — the surprise team that currently leads the league.

The Red Raiders (11-0-2, 5-0-0 Big 12) got off to their best start in program history, are unbeaten in conference play after a 3-0 home win over Cincinnati, and are led in scoring by Ashleigh Williams' 12 goals and Macy Blackburn's 11 assists, a number tha talso ranks second nationally.

"We're always playing for those big games. Texas Tech has had an unbelievable season," BYU coach Jennifer Rockwood said after Monday's 7-0 win at Iowa State. "They're going to come in with a lot of confidence. We haven't played our very best at South Field yet, so I believe it might be in us on Thursday night."

The Cougars are led by sophomore forward Erin Bailey, who is come off the bench to lead the team with nine goals after netting one in BYU's season-high offensive effort against the Cyclones. Senior outside back Kendell Petersen leads the team (and ranks tied for fourth nationally) with nine assists, and Brecken Mozingo and Bella Folino are having historic senior seasons of their won with 29 and 32 career goals that rank 14th and 12th, respectively in program history.

But BYU has also struggled in its new conference home, turning from the California coast toward Texas and the Heartland — and all the soccer development that comes with it — for the first time in program history.

The Cougars are unblemished on the road in league play, though their lone loss came 1-0 at Utah State back on Sept. 16 that dropped them from the No. 1 ranking for the first time in school history. Their two lone draws have come at home, with decidedly defensive teams in TCU and Cincinnati that brought a physicality tough to match.

Away from Provo, BYU is 3-0 in the Big 12, including a 3-2 win over Texas and Monday's result that included a significant pro-Cougar cheering section at Iowa State's Cyclone Sports Complex.

"Cougar Nation always shows up," Rockwood said. "I even saw someone I taught in fourth grade. We love our fans; they show up for us, and I thought the girls played hard for them and really appreciation Cougar Nation."

But Thursday's game, which is already sold out and will be streamed on Big 12 Now on ESPN+, is different. Both teams are ranked in the top 10 in the NCAA's RPI ratings, meaning a win could go a long way toward national seeding in the NCAA Tournament.

"It's a big game," Folino said. "We're super excited, coming off this win, we want to go and get another big one at home."

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