USU loses third straight to BYU Cougars
The regionally ranked No. 10 USU women’s soccer team suffered a gut-wrenching loss to Brigham Young, as Lindsi Lisonbee scored in the 71st minute to secure the 1-0 win for the Cougars, in Provo, Thursday night.
“It was pretty heartbreaking,” USU head coach Heather Cairns said.
The Aggies have dropped three straight losses on the road. Not only are they winless on this trip, but they’ve also been unable to find the net, something they were doing with ease earlier in the season. USU has been outscored in its three losses a combined 5-0.
Unlike the last two games in Oklahoma, the Aggies didn’t have to shake off a slow start and try to find their rhythm later in the game. Cairns said USU had some great opportunities but were unlucky to come away scoreless in the first half.
“We played some really good soccer,” Cairns said. “We limited their opportunities, created some good ones of our own and had some good possession.”
The second half, like the first, was more back and forth soccer, with the Aggies once again putting a lot of pressure on the BYU goal, but the Cougars grabbed the game winner off of a Lisonbee set-piece in the 71st minute.
Unable to convert off a corner in the 70th minute, BYU was able to take advantage on the next corner, just a minute later, as Jessica Ringwood swung a nice ball into the box and Lisonbee was on the backend to head it home.
The Aggies came close to leveling it in the dying seconds but a last gasp shot went just over the bar.
Cairns found plenty of positive things to take away from the game despite the loss.
“This could have been the best soccer we played all year,” Cairns said. “I was so proud of how we came out, I was proud of our preparation.”
The Aggies will look to shake off this loss and get back to their winning ways Sept. 25, when they visit Idaho to play Boise State.
– eliason.wright3@aggiemail.usu.edu