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BYU and Iowa State players fight for position during a corner kick in a Big 12 men's soccer match at South Field on Monday, Sept 30, 2024.

Courtesy BYU Photo

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BYU's Allie Fryer celebrates scoring a goal against Iowa State in a Big 12 women's soccer match at South Field on Monday, Sept. 30, 2024.

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BYU's MacKenzee Vance (44) celebrates scoring a goal against Iowa State in a Big 12 women's soccer match at South Field on Monday, Sept. 30, 2024.

Courtesy BYU Photo

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BYU freshman Lucy Kesler dribbles the ball against Iowa State in a Big 12 women's soccer match at South Field on Monday, Sept. 30, 2024.

Courtesy BYU Photo

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BYU's Presley Freeman (left) controls the ball during a Big 12 women's soccer match against Iowa State at South Field on Monday, Sept. 30, 2024.

Courtesy BYU Photo

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In Big 12 women’s soccer, you’ve got to fight through the physicality.

Whoever handles it best usually ends up on top.

Monday night’s BYU-Iowa State matchup was rough and tumble from the start. The two teams combined for 33 fouls (17 on the Cougars, a season high) and six yellow cards (three on each team) on a night not for the faint of heart.

BYU broke a 1-1 tie with a brilliant goal by Avery Frischknecht in the 69th minute and the Cougars made it stand for the 3-1 victory at South Field.

“It’s always rewarding when we play against teams like this, who are just very physical,” BYU junior forward MacKenzie Vance said. “They (Iowa State) are top five in the nation for most fouls. So it just feels good matching their aggressiveness, matching the level of intensity and just getting the result. One of the things we’ve been working on, from the first game to now, is coming out, being aggressive and not getting knocked off the ball first but knocking them off the ball first. It’s showing them we came to play and that we want to win this game.”

BYU opened the scoring in the 21st minute, with Mika Krommenhoek finding Allie Fryer free for her team leading sixth goal of the season and a 1-0 Cougar lead. In the 42nd minute, the BYU defense allowed Iowa State’s Lauren St. McConnell to penetrate into the scoring area without resistance and St. McConnell blasted a shot to the top corner over the head of goalkeeper Lynette Hernaez for the 1-1 tie at the half.

BYU outshot the Cyclones 7-2 in the first half and had four shots on goal to the visitor’s one. The Cougars also had six corner kicks to ISU’s two.

Krommenhoek put a scare into the Cyclones 66th minute, racing the length of the field and getting off a great shot that just glanced off the crossbar of the ISU goal.

But more was forthcoming.

A yellow card on Iowa State for a hard foul on Sierra Pennock set up the Cougars about 30 yards from the goal in the 69th minute. Ella Rustand’s service into the box found the head of Frischknecht and her shot was true to give BYU a 2-1 lead.

The Cougars took a 3-1 lead in the 75th minute on a wonderful bit of passing between Krommenhoek and Vance. The two players traded the ball back and forth until Krommenhoek laid it on a platter for Vance in front of the goal, and the UCLA transfer blasted a shot past the ISU goalkeeper for a 3-1 advantage.

“These Big 12 games are physical and some games are more physical than others,” BYU coach Jennifer Rockwood said. “There’s a lot riding on every game. I think we let it get to us and we were frustrated. There were some inconsistencies out there. But I think for the most part, we came out really strong. I’m really proud of the girls because they battled through. It wasn’t easy and it was very physical, but we came up with two really nice goals in the second half.”

BYU dominated the run of play with 16 shots to ISU’s seven, had six shots on goal to the visitor’s two and nine corners to the Cyclones four.

This was just the second meeting between BYU and Iowa State. Last year, the Cougars won 7-0 in Ames.

BYU (4-4-3, 2-1-1 Big 12) will made its second road trip of the league schedule next Friday at Arizona.

In a three-game home stand, BYU was 2-0-1 with victories against Utah and Iowa State and a tie with Oklahoma State.

“Now that we’ve had these three home games, we know what we’re capable of,” Rockwood said. “We know what it looks like and feels like. Hopefully, we can that that with us and we’ll have to when we go to Arizona. They’ve had a great season so far and there’s a lot riding on this game as far as positioning in the conference. And Arizona has a top 50 RPI right now.”