Walbruch provides hat trick in much-needed BYU women’s soccer win
Courtesy BYU Photo
BYU players celebrate a goal scored by Ellie Walbruch (second from left) in a Big 12 women's soccer match against Arizona at South Field on Thursday, Oct. 16, 2025.In danger of fading out of contention in the Big 12 Conference, the BYU women’s soccer team got a huge performance from junior Ellie Walbruch on Thursday.
Walbruch scored two first-half goals, then provided the game-winner in the second half of a 3-2 victory against Arizona in front of 3,150 fans at South Field. Walbruch’s hat trick was the first by a Cougar since Mikayla Colohan did it in 2021.
“I think my teammates put me in great positions, “Walbruch said. “I have the confidence and I’ve been playing pretty well the past few games but haven’t gotten the result so I was just happy to put the goals in the back of the net and help this team get the three points tonight.”
The Wildcats rallied to tie the score at 2-2 in the second half but Walbruch’s goal in the 76th minute was clutch and keeps the Cougars in position to make a run in the Big 12.
In the 17th minute Walbruch dribbled through the defense off a give-and-go from Mika Krommenhoek and Camryn Jorgenson, scoring on BYU’s first official shot of the night for a 1-0 lead.
Walbruch second goal came off a pass from Mackenzee Vance right in front of the goal in the 22nd minute to earn her second goal of the night.
Arizona cut the BYU lead to 2-1 in the 51st minute on a goal from Jessica Bedolla. It was the first goal the Wildcats had scored on the road since Aug. 31. In the 60th minute, Lily Boydstun made a nice run to the goal and scored to tie the match at 2-2 and flipping momentum.
In the 76th minute, Afton Perry sent a ball up the left side of the pitch to Presley Freeman, who found Walbruch in the box on a cross and the junior forward netted her third goal of the night to take the 3-2 advantage.
“We don’t like to give up those two goals, especially because we didn’t think we gave them a lot of chances so a 2-2 tie, we don’t like it and don’t want to do that again,” Walbruch said. “On the third goal, Pressley went down the line, got into the zone and made a great cross, her second assist to me in the last three games. She put it on a platter for me to put it away.”
The Cougars (8-3-2 overall, 3-3-1 Big 12) are back on South Field facing Colorado on Monday at 6 p.m. MT. The match will be streamed live on ESPN+.
“This is the most important three points for us this year,” Walbruch said. “We haven’t had, in the Big 12, the start or outcomes we wanted but we’re just excited for those three points. That gives us a confidence boost going into Colorado.”
