Top-ranked BYU soccer easily handles Utah in rivalry match

SALT LAKE CITY — The BYU Cougars didn’t have time to worry about the added pressure of being the nation’s top-ranked women’s soccer team.

Taking a bus ride to play “the team up north,” the Cougars dominated Saturday evening. They scored their first goal just three minutes into the match and went on to bury Utah 6-1.

Allie Fryer got BYU going early, and she and Olivia Smith-Griffitts finished with two goals apiece as BYU outshot the Utes, 23-6.

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After upsetting UCLA nine days earlier to move from No. 7 to No. 1 in the polls, the Cougars have relished the respect that has come with it.

“Same old, same old,” said Smith-Griffitts, who had been scoreless coming into the game. “But it feels good to out there and play with that kind of confidence.”

BYU improved to 7-0 on the season and can now focus on opening the long-awaited Big 12 Conference slate Thursday at home against TCU.

Utah fell to 3-2-2 and has matches at Weber State and Colorado State before its Pac-12 schedule begins.

“BYU was simply better than us today,” said Utah coach Hideki Nakada. “We started off well and looked good in our possession early on, but giving up a goal with their first shot took a lot out of us and gifting them the next two goals essentially was too much for us to come back from.

”I know our team is significantly better than what we showed today, so I am disappointed for our players but we will learn and move on from this and get ready for our next match.”

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Utah simply did not have an answer for BYU despite playing in front of a record home crowd of 3,224, and BYU goalkeepers Savanna Mason and Lynette Hernaez really only had to field two shots.

“Super proud of our girls in going up against a solid program,” said BYU coach Jennifer Rockwood, whose team has a 26-7-3 record in the rivalry, including six wins in the last nine matches.

“We knew they would have a big crowd and we matched their intensity. We got that early goal and then scored two more off our press.”

Olivia Katoa and Rachel McCarthy also found the net as BYU built a 3-0 lead before Utah regained some momentum on a penalty by Katie O’Kane just before intermission.

Smith-Griffitts ended the threat 10 minutes into the second half and, by continuing to pressure the net, kept the ball on the north side of the field for much of the match.

“We needed to keep our composure when we got up 3-0,” said Rockwood, whose 30-player roster features 23 Utahns. “We have the experience. These girls have all played in big games before.”

More big games await, starting with TCU, a road match at Utah State and then the rest of the Big 12 schedule. Along the way, the Cougars will deal with being the biggest game on each of their opponents’ schedule.

“We’re ready for it,” Smith-Griffitts said. “But nobody remembers who is No. 1 in September ….only in November.”