Soccer Battles Back to Draw with No. 13 BYU, 3-3
PROVO, Utah – The Razorbacks (4-1-1) tied with No. 13 BYU (3-1-2) in a back-and-forth affair at South Field. A combined five goals were scored in the first half and Arkansas netted the only goal in the second 45 minutes. Sisters Anna and Ellie Podojil led the Hogs with a goal apiece.
How it Happened
A goal kick in the 11th minute from goalie Grace Barbara led to Jessica De Filippo’s second score of the season. A BYU defender failed to pick up the ball at midfield and allowed for A. Podojil to take it down the field. A. Podojil and De Filippo linked up in the penalty box where De Filippo redirected A. Podojil’s pass into the back of the net.
The Cougars tied the match up four minutes later via forward Brecken Mozingo.
The Hogs got back out in front three minutes after that. Defender Shana Flynn fired a shot on target from outside the 18-yard box however, the ball was deflected off A. Podojil’s back and into the top of the net for Anna’s second goal of the season. Flynn was credited with her first collegiate assist.
BYU scored the next two goals to take the lead going into halftime. Arkansas trailed at the break for the second time this season.
The Razorbacks withstood the pressure of the Cougars down the stretch. Barbara made three saves and the defense held BYU scoreless in the second half.
Thanks to late game heroics by junior midfielder Ellie Podojil, the Hogs were able to escape Provo with a tie. E. Podojil found the back of the net in the 84th minute after BYU’s Mason came off her line. Defender Reagan Swindall lobbed a ball into the box where several Hogs were waiting to strike. Mason attempted to intercept Swindall’s ball but instead, it deflected off her foot and over to E. Podojil for the easy score in a wide-open net.
BYU finished the match outshooting Arkansas, 19-9. A. Podojil led the Hogs with four shots.
Hear it From Coach Hale
“We grew up tonight; we started well. The second half of the first half was not to our standards and BYU punished us for it. I thought in the second half we were good enough to win. BYU is very good and that is one of the tougher places to play in college soccer. We are never happy with a tie. We will certainly grow from this moving forward.”
Next Up
The Hogs will head to Phoenix, Arizona for a matchup with Grand Canyon on Sunday, Sept. 11 at 8 p.m. CT. The match will be live streamed on ESPN Plus.
For more information on Arkansas Soccer, follow @RazorbackSoccer on Twitter.
