Revenge sisters: No. 16 BYU women's soccer downs Utah Valley in NCAA Tourney opener

PROVO — In a lot of ways, it was just like Jamie and Jenna Shepherd used to play in the backyard.

Only this time, a spot in the NCAA women's soccer tournament second round was on the line.

Allie Fryer scored the go-ahead goal shortly before halftime, Savanna Mason made five saves to earn the shutout, and Jamie and 16th-ranked BYU women's soccer upended younger sister Jenna and the Wolverines 3-0 in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament Friday night in front of 3,839 fans at South Field.

"We get along very well, but we're a little bit competitive," BYU's Shepherd sister said with a laugh. "It's a tough one; we're the same age, essentially, and we've crossed paths a couple of times. But it's definitely a challenge to come out knowing your sister is on the other side.

"I think it's probably the hardest for (their parents). It's kind of a lose-lose situation. Luckily this year, UVU got a win and we got a win; it kind of worked out."

The duo even came together at one point, where Jenna and Jamie exchanged extras in the first half and the referee had to separate the two. Maybe there were some extracurriculars exchanged before cooler heads prevailed on a night where temperatures dipped as low as 27 degrees.

Both teams, after all, combined for 24 fouls amid the 32 shots and 15 shots on goal.

"Any time you play a crosstown school, it's going to be a battle," Shepherd said.

Tara Warner and Rachel McCarthy each added a second-half goal for the Cougars (11-2-6), who advanced to face the winner of third-seeded Stanford next Thursday. The Cardinal (17-2-2) hammered Mountain West champion San Jose State, 6-0.

But if Friday's game felt physical, chippy or even rough, there might be a reason for that. Not only did the match involve a number of players who had played with and against each other since high school and youth soccer, BYU took it personally after a 4-2 loss to the Wolverines on its same home field back on Sept. 10.

The loss stung. It forced a lot of changes, like moving Shepherd into a more attacking role and swapping with fellow midfielder Olivia Wade. And the changes worked, leading to a top-25 ranking and top-20 RPI that guaranteed an at-large berth in the NCAA Tournament.

For BYU women's soccer, tourney bids have become the expectation; losses, the exception. The Cougars have advanced to the Big Dance 22 times under Rockwood, with five Sweet Sixteen appearances, two Elite Eight appearances, and last year's historic College Cup appearance that finished as national runners-up.

For as much as head coach Chris Lemay has turned the Wolverines into a formidable opponent, Utah Valley was making just its fourth tournament appearance all-time, with a 1-4 record.

"I think that loss really hurt," Shepherd said. "They got us at a time where we were still figuring some things out. We've come a long way since that game; we've overcome a lot, and we figured ourselves out and found our identity.

"We're playing some of our best soccer, and we're really excited to have the chance to keep going."

Since that loss to the WAC regular-season champions, the Cougars are unbeaten, a run of 12-straight matches that included a 6-0-3 mark in WCC play.

"I think this was a game that neither of us wanted to play in the first round, but we knew it was going to happen; it was inevitable," BYU coach Jennifer Rockwood said. "We knew it was going to be tough, we knew it was going to be physical, especially for Jamie and her sister on the other team.

"I'm just really proud of the way we battled. We've improved so much this season since the last time we played them. A lot of that is because of Jamie and her leadership on the team. She's done a fantastic job, and so has our defense."

Two teams that ranked among the best in the country in shots per game, including BYU's top mark with 26.3, did not disappoint in a first half that featured 18 total shots and five shots on target.

But Fryer gave BYU the first lead of the match, finishing a putback attempt from close range that caromed off the crossbar and into the back of the net in the 38th minute. The freshman from Spanish Fork took a rip on a ball that bounced off five different players before converting from close range her eighth goal of the year, second–most on the team.

Warner doubled the advantage in the 70th minute, finishing off Jamie Shepherd's perfect setup for the first goal of her career. The redshirt freshman from Springville eventually limped off the field with an apparent lower leg injury late in the match, but returned with a wrap over the injury that was a good sign, Rockwood said.

McCarthy finished off the scoring in the 79th minute, sending a defender to the ground before splitting the defense with a laser inside the far post to put the Cougars on top 3-0.

"Rachel's had quite a journey since she's been here at BYU," Rockwood said. "She, obviously, wanted to score some more goals this year, but she brings a ton of defensive energy. We are all about defense and high pressure here at BYU, and Rachel is a big part of that.

"She's taken a different role, but she's worked so hard to score that goal. It's been a long time … and she's been fantastic for us. I'm so excited for her to get a goal tonight."

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