Houston forward Adelhia Ghonda (19) attempts to move the ball past BYU midfielder Kate Denney (11) in the first half of an NCAA soccer match, Thursday, Oct. 3, 2025, in Houston, Texas. | Matthew Guzman/The Cougar
In a Big 12 matchup to determine which team is the superior cougar, Houston and BYU fought in a high-intensity duel that ended in a 1-1 draw.
Despite the draw, UH can learn a lot about itself in these types of matches.
“Draws like this are very hard because you work your butt off for 90 minutes, but it motivates us to play better,” sophomore midfielder Casey Maddox said.
The first half was evenly matched between the two teams, featuring fast-paced action throughout the pitch.
Houston struck first in the 37th minute when junior midfielder Kyrsten Kizer gave out a pass to Maddox on the right-hand side of BYU’s penalty area. After some hesitation, Casey curled a left-footed shot to give the red cougars the lead.
The blue cougars would equalize in the 45th minute, when a BYU corner kick bobbled in the air near UH’s goal before finding the net, thanks to junior defender Avery Frischknecht.
The second half was a different story, as the blue cougars dominated on offense, while Houston struggled to find a consistent rhythm offensively. However, the defense held firm, making numerous saves and goal-line clearances.
“It’s that winning mentality for every tackle, and I think that’s something the staff is ingraining in us every single day. It’s our desire to compete, and no one is gonna be better than our defense,” graduate defender Alex Whitcraft said.
UH now sits at 6-1-4, with a 1-1-2 record in conference play. It will conclude its two-game homestand on Sunday, Oct. 5, when it takes on the Utah Utes.
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