SANTA CLARA, Calif. – Needing a win and some help, Santa Clara women's soccer took care of its business with a 4-3 win over BYU on Senior Day Saturday afternoon but ended up in second place in the West Coast Conference after Pepperdine topped Portland.
The Broncos (13-6-1, 8-1 WCC) fell behind less than two minutes into the match and again saw the Cougars (7-8-4, 4-4-1 WCC) take another lead in the first half but were able to come back both times and answered a second half BYU goal with the game-winner.
Maria Sanchez scored the second Santa Clara goal on a penalty kick and added assists on the third and fourth Bronco goals. Seniors Kellie Peay and Gudrun Arnardottir both scored in their final game at Stevens Stadium.
After the Cougars came out of halftime and evened the score at 3-all in the 52nd minute on a beautiful shot by Mikayla Colohan from 30-yards out that went in just under the crossbar, a long free kick from Maria Sanchez hit off a defender and went to Maddy Gonzalez who found the back of the net to give Santa Clara the lead for good.
With the score tied at two after a penalty kick by Sanchez in the 36th, Arnardottir hit a long free kick out of the air to give the Broncos their first lead of the day.
Madie Mathews stunned the Broncos in the second minute with a goal to put the Cougars on top 1-0. After Peay headed in a corner kick to even the score in the ninth, Mathews scored her second of the match to put BYU back on top.
NOTES
- Santa Clara is now 8-1-4 all-time against BYU.
- After two scoreless draws, there had been 204 consecutive scoreless minutes in the series before the first goal of the match.
- Melissa Lowder made five saves.
- The Broncos put eight of their 13 shots on goal.
- Santa Clara has gotten 36 of its 46 goals this season from underclassmen and 21 from freshmen.
- The Broncos led the conference in goals during the regular season.
QUOTABLE
VIDEO | Postgame thoughts after #SCUBroncos beat @byusoccer_w 4-3 on Senior Day. #StampedeTogether pic.twitter.com/qLIba5DUeA
— SCU Women's Soccer (@SCUWomensSoccer) November 4, 2017
HIGHLIGHTS
HIGHLIGHTS | Goals by #SCUBroncos seniors Peay and Arnardottir on senior day, plus tallies from Sanchez and Gonzalez! #StampedeTogether pic.twitter.com/zi0tWNhCLg
— SCU Women's Soccer (@SCUWomensSoccer) November 4, 2017
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