This post was updated Sept. 4 at 10:32 p.m.
The ball soared through the air toward forward Ellie Walbruch.
With her family in the stands, the Utah local chipped the ball up and over the rushing goalkeeper to send it bouncing into the net.
But while a year ago Walbruch would have been wearing a white jersey with the rest of the traveling Bruins, the sophomore transfer instead donned a black-and-blue jersey alongside her new team, the Cougars.
Up against her former squad, Walbruch went on to assist the second of three eventual goals converted by No. 7 BYU women’s soccer (5-0) against No. 1 UCLA (3-1) on Thursday. Although they tallied one goal of their own to avoid a shutout, the reigning national champions ultimately fell 3-1 in Provo, Utah, snapping their win streak.
BYU had never toppled a No. 1 program prior to Thursday evening.
Coach Margueritte Aozasa said the Cougars are a very strong program and when playing against strong teams, it’s a game of inches.
“I thought at times, we just lacked a little discipline and our decision making wasn’t great,” Aozasa said. “Overall I don’t think it’s a loss we’re really upset about – it exposed some things we need to work on, and we need to be better.”
Last year with the Bruins, Walbruch contributed one goal and nine shots over 13 games. Thursday’s goal against her former team marks her second of the season with BYU.
Senior forward Reilyn Turner said there were no hard feelings against Walbruch.
“Our whole team was very proud of her,” Turner said. “We’re all rooting for her and everything she does, and it was just nice to see her succeed and happy.”
Down by two with 35 minutes left on the clock, Turner was able to take advantage of a cross from junior defender Ayo Oke with a slide toward the Cougar goalkeeper, barely beating her out and pushing the ball into the goal.
Bringing the score to 2-1, Turner’s 34th career goal still wasn’t enough to turn the tide.
“Getting that goal brought us momentum,” Turner said. “But at the end of the day, BYU did a really good job of capitalizing on their moments, and they just ended up being a better team tonight.”
BYU found the back of the net again when midfielder Olivia Wade-Katoa saw forward Erin Bailey in the box with plenty of space. When a Cougar went to celebrate on the sideline after their third goal, the excitement brought down the security barrier – holding back members of the 5,209-people-strong sold-out crowd.
Junior defender Lilly Reale said playing for that crowd at South Field was a privilege more than anything. She added that although hostile environments are difficult, it was cool to see other schools with such a big support system for one of its women’s sports.
“I think it is kind of something that we don’t really see as pressure and more just as a privilege to have all these people come out and support such a big game,” Reale said. “I kind of see it as progress for, especially, just women’s sports in general.”
Last week, UCLA faced a tight match against Cal Poly but ultimately came out on top. Aozasa said that the game against the Mustangs was completely different from the one against the Cougars.
She said that going into the rest of the season, the Bruins will need to look back at what’s made them successful in the past: discipline.
“I don’t think this is a back-to-the-drawing-board moment,” Aozasa said. “It’s a work in progress, but as it should be. I’d rather it be a work in progress in August than later in the year.”
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