Nov. 15, 2003
Stats
Salt Lake City, UT--Krissa Campbell scored two first half goals as the Brigham Young University Cougars defeated the Idaho State University Bengals 2-0 in the second round of the NCAA College Cup Saturday morning at Ute Field.
The Bengals, fresh off an upset of #14 Utah in the first round of the tournament, came into the game having gone 6-0-1 in the last seven games. ISU also had not allowed a goal in 331:11 heading into the game. But the Cougars, fresh off an upset of their own against 11th-ranked Colorado in their opening round game were able to use their team speed to get opportunities early against the ISU defense.
Jaime Rendich brought the ball down the right side and sent a pass to Lydia Ojuka crossed the ball into the box to Campbell, who headed the ball into the right corner of the net past goalkeeper Shannon Boyle to give the Cougars a 1-0 lead just 7:40 into the game.
The Cougars continued to apply pressure to the Bengals and outshot ISU 15-2 in the first half. Boyle and the ISU were able to keep the Cougars out of the goal for the next 29 minutes, but BYU finally broke through again late in the half. Again it was Campbell, who was in the right place at the right time to extend the Cougar lead. Boyle stopped an initial shot on goal, but the ball slipped through her hands and Campbell put it into the back of the net for a 2-0 lead at the 36:08 mark.
"One of the things we pride ourselves on is playing tight defense," ISU Head Coach Gordon Henderson said. "I'm proud of the way we responded."
The Bengals took control early in the second half. With the future of the Bengals up front, including freshman Amanda Rigby, freshman Chantal Kim, sophomore Jamie Meehan and freshman Jessie Bobert the Bengals took the fight to BYU. ISU took three shots, including two on goal. But the BYU back line, led by Claire Thomas kept the Bengals out of the goal.
"One of the things that's not reflected in the stats is the three or four times that we were a half-step, a step away from scoring a goal," Henderson said. "The interesting thing was that we created more opportunities than even when we won 2-0 last season. For them to battle the way they did was amazing."
"We have to recognize that we were playing a very good opponent and I congratulate BYU on the win and for playing a very good game. It looked as if they played the same type of game plan as they did against Colorado, which wasn't a big surprise to us. We were just unable to not concede that early goal. I thought that Krissa Campbell for them was magnificent and really was the difference between the two teams. I think what I take out of the game is how well we played."
The Cougars improved to 16-6-2 with the win and will advance to the third round of the NCAA College Cup.
With the loss the Bengals saw their most successful season to date come to an end with a 10-9-2 record. Four ISU seniors, Emily Blanchard, Heather Jones, Rissa Raveaux and Janel Smith, played in their final game as Bengals and leave a legacy that will last. In their time at ISU the Bengals went from a neophyte program to one that has won the last three Big Sky Conference Tournament titles and advanced to three NCAA College Cups, including this year's appearance in the second round, the first time in school history that the Bengals have advanced past the second round.
"What's amazing is that this is only the sixth year of our program and we've now been to three College Cups," Henderson said. "There are a lot of teams from large schools that haven't been to the College Cup at all. (This season) to come through all the injuries the way they did, this is a very special team."
