Katie Larkin scored BYU’s game-winning goal despite playing hurt as BYU’s women’s soccer team won its first match in the Mountain West Conference Tournament Wednesday, 2-0.

The game was scoreless until the 66th minute when Larkin headed a pass from senior Carolyn Swensen into the net, giving BYU a 1-0 lead.

Larkin stayed in her position as a starter on the team. A team sourcs said she was playing with a sore ankle but was always planning on making the start.

“There’s a lot of emotion in these games,” Larkin said.

She started the game and played the entire first half. Less than two minutes into the second half, she was taken to ground. A foul was called, and she took a few seconds to get up. She stayed in the game and less than two minutes later was awarded a free kick when held by a TCU player to prevent a breakaway.

An All-American, Larkin was named to the Missouri Athletic Club Hermann Trophy Watch List with teammate Jessica Harmon-Carter. The Hermann Trophy is women’s soccer’s equivalent of college football’s Heisman Trophy. Larkin leads BYU in scoring with 13 goals, five assists and 61 shots.

Carolyn Swensen assisted Larkin in the first goal and dodged around a charging goalie to score BYU’s second goal in the 89th minute.

“I was excited when I saw her come out,” Swensen said. “She had no way to grab the ball.”

BYU took 14 of its 28 shots in the first half, but none of them scored.

BYU nearly scored in the sixth minute, when junior Katie Fellows’ shot hit the bottom half of the crossbar and shot downward. It was cleared from the box by TCU. A Kassidy Christensen header nearly missed in the 17th minute.

Play was interrupted in the 22nd minute when TCU freshmen Jenna Hayes fell down injured as the ball was stolen from her. She returned to the game in the second half.

BYU freshman Kassidy Christensen collided with TCU’s goalie in the 58th minute and stayed down temporarily. The collision drew boos from the crowd. Christensen stayed in the game.

TCU’s coach repeatedly complained to officials. At one point, he kicked a ball onto the field to protest a no call. He also chased a linesman when he didn’t get an offside call he wanted. His voice was becoming hoarse by the end of the game.

BYU senior goalie Erika Woodbury completed her school-record 39th career shutout and tied her own single-season record of 12.

“Hard-working defenders,” Woodbury said, when asked how she has done it.

A crowd of 375 came to South Field to watch the match.

BYU will play second-seeded San Diego State in a semifinal match today at 4 p.m. on South Field. The winner will play the winner of fifth-seeded Utah and top-seeded UNLV.



Copyright Brigham Young University 8 Nov 2007