College Cup Central: NCAA | Santa Clara

NCAA Tournament Bracket | NCAA Program

SANTA CLARA, Calif. – Defending national champion Santa Clara women's soccer's season came to an end losing 3-2 in penalty kicks to BYU after a scoreless draw in the NCAA College Cup semifinals Friday night at a sold-out Stevens Stadium.

No. 4 seed and 13th-ranked BYU (17-4-2) will play top-seeded Florida State on Monday with a national title on the line.

The match was decided on penalty kicks after neither team could push across a goal during 90 minutes of regulation and two 10-minute overtime sessions. 

In the penalty kick shootout, with the Broncos behind 3-2, Ellie Glenn's shot hit off the right post to end the match.

No. 12-ranked Santa Clara (15-5-3), which had its nine-match NCAA Tournament winning streak snapped, got off to a good start in the penalty-kick phase when Sally Menti made the first attempt while BYU missed its first two.  With a chance to go up 2-0, Nicole Sweeney sent her shot over the crossbar.  BYU took advantage of the opening and converted the next three opportunities by Brecken Mozingo, Bella Folino and the eventual game winner by Olivia Wade while the Broncos converted on just one of its final three kicks.

Both teams had dangerous chances in overtime to end the game in sudden death.

In the first extra session, BYU's Kendell Petersen blasted a shot from 20 yards out that was tipped by Bronco goalkeeper Kylie Foutch, hitting the crossbar.

Two minutes into the second overtime, Santa Clara had a golden opportunity when Izzy D'Aquila's header was on frame but it was cleared off the line by a Cougar defender.

It was the second close chance by D'Aquila whose header from close range in the waning minutes of regulation missed just wide of the post. D'Aquila led all players with seven shots.

For the match, the Broncos had 13 shots with the Cougars doubling up at 26 shots.  However, the teams were even on shots on goal with eight each.

After intermission, BYU had two free kick opportunities from just outside the 18 but in both instances, Foutch made the saves.  It was part of eight saves on the evening compared to seven for Cougar goalkeeper Cassidy Smith.

In a scoreless first half, BYU had the majority of the possession and outshot Santa Clara 10-7.   Seven Cougars recorded a shot with four of them on frame. 

The Broncos created chances but were unable to breakthrough as D'Aquila had four shots including two on goal. 

Thank you fans. ❤️ #StampedeTogether pic.twitter.com/2esnC1gg26

— Santa Clara Women's Soccer (@SCUWomensSoccer) December 4, 2021

NOTES

• Santa Clara is now 9-3-6 all-time against BYU and 4-0-1 in the NCAA Tournament.
• The loss snapped Santa Clara's nine-game win streak in the NCAA Tournament. The program record is 11 from 2001-02.
• Santa Clara made the College Cup for the second year in a row. It is the third time they have done that overall and first since 2001-02. In those years they advanced to the title game each time.
• The Broncos made the quarterfinals for the second year in a row for the first time since 2004 and 2005.
• Santa Clara is one of just three teams to make the third round in each of the last three years. The other teams are Florida State and Penn State. The Broncos are just one of five teams to make the third round of the NCAA Tournament five of the last six seasons. The other teams are North Carolina (2016-20), UCLA (2016-20), Florida State (2017-21), Virginia (2016-18, 2020-21), and Duke (2016-17, 2019-20).
• Kelsey Turnbow is in fifth place at Santa Clara in career goals with 56. Next is Jenni Symons and Jacqui Little with 63 each. She is in now in fifth with 38 assists. Next is Aly Wagner with 49. Turnbow is also at 150 points, which is fifth. Next is Jenny Fechner's 156.
• Turnbow is also now tied for sixth in program history with six postseason goals with Leslie Osborne and Megan Horvath. Next is Veronica Zepeda with seven. She is tied for ninth with four postseason assists with Kathleen Celio. Next is Kim Pickup with five. Her 16 postseason points is tied for sixth with Zepeda. Next is Leslie Osborne and Kristi Candau with 18 each.
• Head coach Jerry Smith now has 523 career wins, the third most Division I wins in women's soccer history.

INTERVIEW

��️ @SCUJerrySmith talks postgame about the @NCAASoccer #CollegeCup matchup with BYU.#StampedeTogether pic.twitter.com/kdUvO7x9B4

— Santa Clara Women's Soccer (@SCUWomensSoccer) December 4, 2021 

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