PROVO, Utah---The No. 17 BYU Cougars scored three times in the first half and added another after the break to defeat the Portland Pilots 4-0 in a West Coast Conference women's soccer match at South Stadium on Saturday.
 
The Pilots (3-4-3, 2-4-3 WCC) still managed to create some solid chances offensively, but the 17th-ranked Cougars (11-3-1, 7-1-1 WCC) got on the board early in the 15th minute after a scrambled play in the Pilots' box dropped to the foot of BYU's Bella Folino. The home side added another goal shortly after in the 17th minute, with an impressive individual finish from Rachel McCarthy.
 
Moments later, Portland's Taryn Ries made a nice drive into the BYU box and was taken down just inside the area by goalkeeper Cassidy Smith, awarding the Pilots a penalty kick in the early seconds of the 18th minute. Ries' attempt was blocked, and the visiting side was unable to capitalize on the opportunity.
 
Pilots freshman Camille Ashe produced a shot on frame just after, but Smith found the ball in her hands to come up with the save.
 
BYU's third goal came in the 33rd minute, scored by Brecken Mozingo off a cross sent in from the right flank.
 
Perhaps the Pilots best scoring chance of the game came just before the end of the first half, when freshman forward Nedya Sawan found some space up the field, cutting it back to her left foot and sending a low drive that deflected just off the post.
 
The game's fourth goal, provided by Ashton Brockbank Johnson, was scored in the 54th minute from a shot drilled near the top of the Portland 18-yard box.
 
The Pilots created three more scoring chances in the match with the time remaining, yet none would find the back of the net before the final whistle.
 
Portland goalkeeper Madison Zamora collected six saves on the day, while Ries and Sawan both finished with two shots apiece.
 
The result marks the end of the 2021 regular season for the Pilots, and the third year under the guidance of head coach Michelle French. Portland was dominant on the defensive side of play all year long, with two-time WCC Defensive Player of the Week Zamora and the rest of the Portland back line going 520 consecutive minutes without allowing a single goal throughout the month of March, shutting out their opponents for five games straight for the first time since 2010. Ries caps off the year with five goals for the Pilots, and twice earned WCC Offensive Player of the Week accolades earlier in the season.