Utah senior Amy Kofoed broke the record for most goals scored in a career with 39 against UNLV this year. She is the biggest scoring threat in Utah soccer history, but she has never completed a hat trick: scoring three goals in one game. That is, until yesterday afternoon.
Kofoed completed her first hat trick, scoring three goals plus one and led the Utes past the Cowgirls of Wyoming, 8-2. However, not only did Kofoed break the Utah single game record for most goals scored in a game with four, but she also had an assist, giving her a grand total of nine points, also breaking the school record for most points in one game.
“I’m excited to hold two more records, but that’s not at all what I was shooting for,” Kofoed said after the game. Kofoed even admitted that she didn’t mean to score the fourth goal, but couldn’t pass up an open shot. “It just so happens that I got in, and the team worked the ball in and we got them in the back of the net.”
“I’m very pleased with Amy,” said Ute head coach Amy Winslow. “She had goals and she had assists. That shows where her game has come to.”
Wyoming came into this game forcing teams to fight the whole way in order to beat them. Of its eight previous losses, six of them were by one goal or less. Defeating the Cowgirls by six goals was unexpected, but well received.
“For the first time in a long time we finished what we needed to finish,” Winslow said.
The loss was the worst loss of the year by far for the Cowgirls and marks the only time Wyoming has allowed more than three goals in a game?The only other time was to Colorado College, when they lost 3-1 nearly two weeks ago.
Despite allowing more than one goal at Ute Field for the first time this season, the Utes hammered Wyoming all afternoon long.
Five of Utah’s eight goals were scored in the first half, giving them an early cushion. Despite those five goals, Winslow was still concerned with the team’s play.
“In the first half, I didn’t think we played very well,” she said. The reason Utah scored five goals in a half in which they didn’t play very well? They finished well. The Utes found the back of the net. “We’ll take the trade off,” Winslow said.
Shauna Gurr-Bingham scored the first goal less than five minutes into the game on an unusual situation. The long pass came from Lynnsey Asay, the goalkeeper. Gurr Bingham took the pass off one hop, beat the Cowgirl defense down the field, and put the ball in the net. Thus, the assist was given to Asay, a goalkeeper.
Heather Wilhelm scored her first goal of the year on an assist from Amy Kofoed 10 minutes later.
Then Kofoed scored three goals in a row. The first came from Heather Wilhelm and Megan Maxwell. The second was unassisted. And the third came from Bobbie Benegas.
Mari Gomes scored an unassisted goal to put Wyoming on the board against Utah at home, something that only Arizona has previously managed to do this year. Utah led at the half, 5-1.
The second half was much more pleasing to Winslow. Only errors worried Winslow.
After Kofoed scored her fourth goal of the game, again from Benegas, Meghan Racette of Wyoming blocked Courtney Hills’ goal kick back into the Utah net.
“They had three shots and two goals. We can’t have that,” Winslow said.
Julie Herdic scored Utah’s last two goals, the first on an assist from Lauren Field and the second unassisted. Herdic just missed getting her first hat trick of the year on two separate occasions.
In disappointing news, Amber Brower suffered a high ankle sprain in the first half and could be out for three to four weeks.
Up next for Utah, a tough match-up with Air Force, which is tied for first place with BYU, going into Provo for a game last night. As of the print deadline, the final score was unknown.
“Air Force is a tough team, and they don’t give up,” remarked Winslow.
Falcon freshman forward Jennifer Rowland has been named player of the week two times. However, Winslow is confident with her defenders.
Not only are the Utes playing a very tough team, they also posses the highest respect for the cadets who serve our nation at the Air Force Academy.
“I”m proud of them as individuals for what they do and what they stand for,” said Ute assistant Jim Winslow. “They’re the kind of kids you want protecting your country.”
“We just want a win to get us in the winning situation,” Kofoed said.