Folino's brace helps No. 7 Cougars open Big 12 tourney with 6-0 win over Oklahoma

PROVO — BYU's first conference tournament appearance in 13 years looked like an old habit after 90 minutes.

Bella Folino had a brace, Ellie Boren notched two assists, and No. 7 BYU women's soccer exploded with five second-half goals Monday to cruise to a 6-0 win over Oklahoma in the quarterfinals of the Big 12 Tournament in Austin, Texas.

Allie Fryer, Olivia Wade-Katoa, Erin Bailey and Ellie Walbruch each added a goal for BYU, the No. 2 seed in the tournament which won the 450th match under head coach Jennifer Rockwood.

Freshman goalkeeper Lynette Hernaez made one save in 75 minutes, splitting the two-save shutout with Savanna Mason as BYU's press limited the Sooners to just two shots on goal from their 13 shots.

"I've been here for six years, and I think I finally understand the press," Folino told the ESPN+ broadcast crew after the match. "Ultimately, it helps us keep the ball in our attacking third."

Folino opened the scoring in the ninth minute, taking a pass from Boren and converting her fifth goal of the year — and 39th of her career — inside the top left corner to give the Cougars a 1-0 advantage.

The Sooners matched BYU in the first half with four shots, but the Cougars converted the only shot on target of the first 45 minutes.

Even while struggling to defend against Oklahoma's physical, direct style of play, Rockwood's side found the slightest edge early.

"We just have to play quicker, play our two-touch rhythm," Rockwood told the ESPN+ broadcast at halftime. "If we can continue to switch the ball and play on the weak side more, I think we can do that."

Boren set up a second goal for the Cougars in the first five minutes of the second half. The senior delivered a well-placed through ball into the area for Fryer, who settled it home in the 50th minute to double BYU's lead 2-0.

Folino hustled for a brace in the 61st minute, beating the goalkeeper to a backward pass at the top of the penalty box before finishing with her left foot for her 40th career goal.

"I saw them play the ball backwards, and I thought it was a great opportunity to sneak in behind and finish it," Folino said.

Wade-Katoa made it 4-0 in the 68th minute, finishing Izzi Stratton's first assist of the season following Brecken Mozingo's corner kick to stretch the lead to 4-0.

Bailey scored her team-high 10th goal of the year off an assist from Camryn Jorgensen in the 82nd minute before the sophomore celebrated with classmate Walbruch — the final goal scorer in the 89th minute.

The Cougars will face UCF in Wednesday's semifinals. The sixth-seeded Knights stunned No. 3 TCU, 3-2 on a late goal by Chloe Neztel in the late quarterfinal Monday night.

Around the league, Texas Tech got an 89th-minute goal from Gisselle Kozarski to hold off No. 9 Cincinnati 2-1. The top-seeded Red Raiders will face No. 4-seeded Texas in Wednesday's semifinals after Lexi Missimo's brace led the Longhorns to a 3-1 win over West Virginia.

The winner of the week-long, 10-team tournament will clinch an automatic berth in the NCAA Tournament. For BYU and Texas Tech, two top-10 teams nationally that should be comfortably in the field, the extra games also provide opportunities to raise their resume and seeding profile — even build a case for one of four No. 1 seeds that would grant home-field advantage through the College Cup semifinals.

BYU entered the week with the No. 2 RPI, trailing only Penn State (12-1-4). Texas Tech was sixth in the most recent RPI ratings, the only other Big 12 team in the top 30 (TCU is No. 38).

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