Weber State University’s men’s soccer club stayed undefeated but could not get the win when they hosted Brigham Young University at a packed Spence-Eccles Community Sports Complex, drawing 1–1 on Sept. 12.
The Cougars began the game with extended sequences of possession, but could not capitalize on their early opportunities and faced Wildcat counterattacks as a result. As Weber directly shifted the ball from defense to attack each time they recovered it, they carved out their share of first-half opportunities.
The deadlock was broken just before halftime when Wildcat midfielder Tomás Paraizo stepped up to a free kick nearly 30 yards away from goal and thumped the ball past BYU goalkeeper Joe Barlow with his right foot for 1–0.
BYU got their equalizer midway through the second half courtesy of Brayden Gonder. In a set-piece routine from the training ground, Alex Fankhauser and Gonder stood over a free kick 20 yards from goal and wide to the right.
Fankhauser shaped up to shoot with his right foot, but ultimately left it for Gonder to hit with his left. The ball was whipped in low and bounced through a crowd of bodies in the penalty area before finding its way into the net and bringing the score to 1–1, where it would remain.
Wildcat coach Renan Mougenot, who played for the club in the mid-2010s, applauded the team’s efforts and the Weber State fans who showed out to help “synchronize” the squad.
“Honestly, our defense was amazing, our midfield was amazing,” Mougenot said. “Our forwards, even though they lacked a bit of creativity, we played as a team. We played well and we’ll keep it going.”
As neither team scored from open play and both goals came from free kicks, many of the match’s battles were fought away from the spotlight. Despite staying undefeated, Mougenot acknowledged how Weber can improve on the details that make all the difference.
“We play for each other,” Mougenot said. “It’s just communication, believing in the play, and maybe some runs in behind. We need to keep the ball, ping it around, and when we have the space, attack it.”
This result brought the Wildcats’ overall record to 2–0–1 ahead of their trip to Boise State University on Sept. 20.
