Outlaws Outmatched by Cougars in Series' Final Game
Brittany Eads
(310) 804-7245
britteads@gmail.com
Zach DeFrancis
Provo, UT (July 5, 2009) - If anything was going through BYU forward Zack DeFrancis' mind Saturday as he set up for his game-winning free kick against Ogden, it was that he wanted it – really badly.
“It was the perfect shot for my range, the perfect distance out,” DeFrancis recalled. “I remember [teammate] Richie Bindrup walked up to me and asked, 'Do you want this?” I knew I did. As soon as I kicked it, I knew it was good.”
DeFrancis' knuckleball of a kick in the 67th minute of the match would be the only goal for the Cougars, but all they would need to overcome the Outlaws 1-0, who they defeated for the third and final time in a recent four-game series against the team's biggest in-state rivals.
BYU's South Stadium crackled with energy throughout the heated matchup. Excited fans of both teams screamed during moments of victory and disappointment, due largely to the high number of fouls and yellow cards awarded to both teams, but Ogden in particular. Three Outlaws received yellow cards within two minutes of each other, with midfielder James Jaramillo eventually receiving two and being ejected from the field.
The Cougars struggled to maintain their lead until the end of the game, as the Outlaws pushed a heavy offensive in the minutes following BYU's goal. Despite what head coach Chris Watkins described as “sloppy play,” the team was able to claim a much-needed win that they hope will propel them into tournament play later this month.
“We definitely played smarter Wednesday,” Watkins stated. “Tonight we played more panicked. The competition we're facing is better, and we need to play them, but we're really going to need to rise up if we're going to fare in the playoffs.”
For more information, visit http://www.byusoccer.com
