Home opener on Thursday

PROVO, Utah - The BYU women's soccer team hosts No. 11 Long Beach State on Thursday, Aug. 30, at 6 p.m. MT in their 2012 home opener and Colorado College on Saturday, Sept. 1, at 7 p.m. MT.

The Cougars are now 2-1 on the season after splitting last weekend on the road with a win over Arizona and loss at Utah. BYU has recorded double-digit shots in two of its last three games. 

Sophomore Jaiden Thornock leads the squad with seven shots and two goals on the year. Seniors Carlee Payne Holmoe and Lindsi Lisonbee Cutshall follow closesly with five shots apiece and 12 other BYU players have recorded at least one shot this year.

Junior goalkeeper Erica Owens has already logged 278 minutes in front of the net and made 13 saves.

Opponents
Long Beach State comes to Provo with a 3-0 record this season. The 49ers's 2010 season included winning 14 games, the Big West tournament title, and a trip to the NCAA tournament. In 2011  the team posted another successful season, highlighted by winning five-straight games for its second-straight Big West crown and an impressive run to the NCAA tournament Elite Eight. 

Senior Nadia Link returns as Long Beach State's leading scorer from last year with 16 goals and 78 shots in the 2011 season. Link is on the 2012 MAC Hermann Trophy Watch List and currently leads her team with five shots.

The 49ers are ranked No. 22 in this week’s Soccer TImes poll, No. 14 in College Sports Madness and No. 11 in the NSCAA/Continental Tire NCAA poll. 

BYU leads the overall series against the 49ers with a 3-1 record.

Colorado College (CC) will play at Utah before coming to Provo on Saturday, Sept. 1. The Tigers currently hold a 1-0-2 record after tying their last two outings. CC returns four of its five top goal scorers in Kaeli Vandersluis, Brittney Lyman, Jessie Ayers and Madison Whitehead. 

Lyman is a 2011 Second Team All-C-USA selection and Ayers is the reigning C-USA Midfielder and Freshman of the Year. The Tigers' last NCAA tournament appearance was in 2006 when the team went 15-6-1. In 2010 and 2011 the team finished second in their league.

Colorado College and BYU have met just once before, in 1995, when the Tigers came away with the victory. 

How to Follow
Live stats are available for Thursday's game against Long Beach State through the BYU women's soccer schedule page. 

BYUtv will broadcast its first, of six, women's soccer game of the 2012 season on Saturday against Colorado College. Fans can watch the game live on TV or online for free at byutvsports.com/gameday. Live stats are also available through the BYU women's soccer schedule page. 

Both games can also be followed on the BYU women's soccer Twitter page. 

Order your tickets for this week's games and the rest of the season online now.