Soccer: Cougs overcome rough antics, advance to MWC final

Provo » Tripping, rabbit punches and a hair take-down were all part of Brigham Young's 1-0 victory against New Mexico in Thursday's Mountain West Conference Soccer Championship semifinal.

The most egregious moment came when Lobos' defender Elizabeth Lambert yanked BYU's Kassidy Shumway down in the box by ponytail. Lambert mixed it up most with Cougars' forward Carlee Payne, who scored the game's lone goal.

"That pumps me up," Payne said. "When they're pushing me, fouling me. I think that's funny."

Lambert's rough play has now gone nationwide. ESPN picked up the antics and broadcast it Thursday night.

BYU coach Jennifer Rockwood underplayed the game's rough

style. New Mexico (13-5-3) outplayed the Cougars early on. Eventually, BYU found its legs in match that featured 25 fouls.

"They seemed to want it a little bit more," she said. "We need more composure."

The Cougars managed just two shots on goal the entire game. One was all they needed.

Payne's header in the 31st minute propelled No. 17 BYU into Saturday's final against San Diego State. It is the matchup that everyone but Utah and New Mexico fans had hoped would take place.

The No 1 seeded Cougars (17-2-2) and second-seeded SDSU (13-3-5) battled earlier this season to a 2-2 overtime result. Both teams were undefeated in MWC play.

"San Diego State is the one team we haven't beat yet," BYU goal keeper McKinzie Olson said. "We want to take it to them and complete our season."

The Aztecs are on a 14-game unbeaten run. They needed two spectacular goals to escape Utah's upset bid Friday, winning 2-1 in extra time. Sarah Halverson provided the game-winner in the 108th minute.

Utah (10-10-2) was less than eight minutes from an upset of San Diego State in regulation when MWC Player of the Year Cat Walker found the back of the next from an near impossible angle from just inside the 18-yard box. By then, the Utes, off a 3-1 victory Wednesday, had begun to run on tired legs.

"Absolutely," Utah coach Rich Manning said. "The last 35 minutes we were losing some steam. [San Diego State] is such a physical team and fast. They got the benefit of the bye.

"It was frustrating."

The Utes also had a bit of bad luck in front of goal. Kelly Isleib rattled the cross bar and had two scores taken away by offsides. Erin Dalley provided Utah's lone tally. She battled two SDSU defenders inside the 18-yard box and as she fell to the turf curled in a shot.

Both Aztec goals may have hurt Utah just a smidgen more as they were set up by some the Utes had recruited, freshman Niki Fernandes of Bountiful.

"We're still hurting from that one," Manning said.

Fernandes' second assist was the real dagger to the heart. She possessed a long pass down the sideline and found Walker who had yards of open space in front of goal.

"I've been waiting all season for this," Fernandes said of playing near home. "All my friends came. Breathing Utah air again is amazing."

martyr@sltrib.com