Cougars Suffer Last-Minute Shutout to Outlaws
Brittany Eads
(310) 804-7245
britteads@gmail.com
BYU Soccer
Provo, UT (June 10, 2009) — BYU’s confidence was severely shaken last night in its game against the Ogden Outlaws, who managed to score a last-second goal and win the game using what is normally a Cougar trademark.
“Scoring a last-minute goal is usually our thing,” head coach Chris Watkins explained. “I think we were shocked that it didn’t happen. We had so many opportunities to score but finishing just killed us.”
Indeed, the Cougars had double the chances to score as their opponents, making 16 shots by game’s end.
The match commenced amid a downpour of rain that left the players soaked and sent the ball skidding wildly across the turf. The Cougars put up a formidable offense, achieving nine corner kicks and many good chances to put a ball in the net.
Ogden’s only goal came at the worst moment possible for the Cougars–during four minutes of extended time awarded at the end of the game. A late Ogden substitution gained possession of the ball in the middle of a Cougar offensive, leaving the backfield vulnerable. and after making his way around a BYU defender, sent the game-winning shot into the goal.
BYU realized the magnitude of its mistake, and in the last 30 seconds of the game, pushed every single player–including goalkeeper Bryan Black–up to the Ogden box in hopes of putting in a goal. They were unable to connect, however, and left the field disappointed at having lost a game they dominated.
“We outplayed them,” Watkins lamented. “But sometimes outplaying doesn’t matter. The guys will be very fired up to play this team again.”
The Cougars next face the Outlaws this Saturday in Ogden in what is sure to be another heated matchup.
