By Nate Maki | Sports Writer
In a match marked by weather delays, Baylor soccer traveled to face off against BYU and came away with a 3-3 draw on Thursday night at South Field in Provo.
The Bears (7-6-4, 2-4-3 Big 12) arrived at South Field in pouring rain, lightning and hail before the match. After an hour-long delay, the Bears and Cougars (6-5-5, 4-2-3 Big 12) started the match going back and forth, matching each other with three shots before the 20th minute.
In the 22nd minute, a BYU forward launched a shot through the backline, sailing to the back of the net and breaking the scoreless tie. The Cougars ramped up the pressure later in the half as they took 13 shots compared to Baylor’s five. Eight of BYU’s shots prompted junior goalkeeper Azul Alvarez to keep the ball off the frame.
As both teams went to the locker room at halftime, the weather picked up once again, delaying the start of the second half by an hour.
With that extra time to prepare, the Bears came out aggressive, with a shot in the 46th minute and two shots in the 48th minute. The pressure eventually paid off, as junior forward Tyler Isgrig sent a cross to the box in the 49th minute. The ball bounced off a Cougar defender and straight past the goalkeeper to even the score, 1-1.
The green and gold weren’t done, as they scored two more goals in the 64th and 66th minutes. The first came from junior defender Hallie Augustyn, who took a shot at the goal that clanked off the woodwork. Augustyn followed up with a tap-in, putting the Bears in the lead 2-1.
Only two minutes later, sophomore forward Callie Conrad took a shot that hit the woodwork again, and Isgrig lead in for a header. The forward sent the ball to toward the back to the net and graduate student midfielder Ashley Merrill secured the goal with a flick of her right foot placing the ball on goal.
It wasn’t until the 85th minute that BYU found its next opportunity. Gaining momentum off a throw-in, the Cougars outran the Bears and took the ball up the field before a shot eluded Alvarez’s reach and slid into the top left corner of the net, 3-2.
Only 48 seconds later, a handball was called on senior defender Ava Colberg, awarding BYU with a penalty kick. Being tested by a penalty kick for the first time this season, Alvarez failed to make the save and evened the score 3-3.
The green and gold will be back in action on Sunday against Utah (7-5-4, 4-3-2 Big 12). Kickoff is scheduled for 1 p.m. at Ute Field.
