1 / 9

BYU's Anna Neff (left) passes the ball in a Big 12 women's soccer match against TCU at South Field on Monday, Sept. 28, 2026.

Harold Mitchell, Special to the Herald

2 / 9

BYU's Emma Hamberlin competes for the ball in a Big 12 women's soccer match against TCU at South Field on Monday, Sept. 28, 2026.

Harold Mitchell, Special to the Herald

3 / 9

BYU's Sophie Sivulich (in white) dribbles the ball in a Big 12 women's soccer match against TCU at South Field on Monday, Sept. 28, 2026.

Harold Mitchell, Special to the Herald

4 / 9

BYU's Sophie Sivulich (in white) dribbles the ball in a Big 12 women's soccer match against TCU at South Field on Monday, Sept. 28, 2026.

Harold Mitchell, Special to the Herald

5 / 9

BYU's Mia Goettsche (21) dribbles the ball in a Big 12 women's soccer match at South Field on Monday, Sept. 28, 2026.

Harold Mitchell, Special to the Herald

6 / 9

BYU's Brynnli Tolbert (19) takes a shot in a Big 12 women's soccer match against TCU at South Field on Monday, Sept. 28, 2026.

Harold Mitchell, Special to the Herald

7 / 9

BYU's Avery Frischknecht (4) wins a header in a Big 12 women's soccer match against TCU at South Field on Monday, Sept. 28, 2026.

Harold Mitchell, Special to the Herald

8 / 9

BYU's Mia Goettsche (21) and Anna Neff compete for a header in a Big 12 women's soccer match against TCU at South Field on Monday, Sept. 28, 2026.

Harold Mitchell, Special to the Herald

9 / 9

TCU keeper Olivia Geller (in red) catches a shot in a Big 12 women's soccer match against BYU at South Field on Monday, Sept. 28, 2026.

Harold Mitchell, Special to the Herald

❮ ❯

Venerable BYU women’s soccer coach Jennifer Rockwood doesn’t recruit freshmen to stand on the sidelines.

If you earn it, she’ll play you.

Freshman midfielder Anna Neff has earned her minutes, and on Monday played a critical role in both second half BYU goals, resulting in a 2-0 shutout of TCU at South Field in Big 12 play.

“Anna has been fantastic,” BYU head coach Jennifer Rockwood said. “She allows us to move Mika (Krommenhoek) out wide and she’s really hard to contain out wide. Anna came in and did a great job. She had a perfectly slotted assist and Emma (Hamberlin) was able to put it away. Anna is also one of our best head ball winners. She proven that in games. She’s got good timing and good hops.”

Neff played 28 minutes on Monday and made the most of her time.

With the game still scoreless in the 66th minute, Neff earned her first career assist. She took a pass from Afton Perry and slotted a slick pass into the box. Hamberlin found the pass, took a quick touch, fought off a TCU defender and fired a shot past keeper Olivia Geller for a 1-0 lead.

“Press (Pressley Freeman) won it for us, and Aft (Afton Perry) had the awareness to look up and see the field,” Neff said. “I just tried to get on the back shoulder. My defender was able to face up, and then Emma made a perfect channel that was easy, and then she had a great finish and put it away.”

In the 82nd minute, the 5-foot-2 Neff won a header that spilled from midfield toward the TCU goal. Sophie Sivulich was first to the ball and blasted a 30-yard missile that sailed over the outstretched hands of Geller for the 2-0 advantage.

“I guess it (winning headers) is kind of just being in the right place at the right time and then winning your matchup,” Neff said.

Neff was among a group of freshmen who enrolled at BYU in January to get a head start on training for the season.

“I still feel a little young, but definitely coming in early has helped a ton,” she said. “I think I was just getting to know the system and the girls around me, getting more comfortable and a little more experienced. So I think it’s been huge.”

Anna Neff is also getting a chance to play with her sister, senior defender Emma Neff.

“That’s definitely fun,” Anna Neff said. “We never got to play together (in high school) so this is our first time.”

Monday was BYU’s first win against TCU since 2010. The Cougars actually defeated the Horned Frogs in a penalty shootout at the Big 12 Tournament last season but that game officially goes into the record books as a tie (because soccer is weird that way).

BYU dominated the run of play in the first half but had a number of good opportunities just miss. Mia Goettsche twice had shots bounce off the crossbar, Geller made a diving stop on a solid attempt from Hamberlin and Bella Woods had a free kick from just outside the 18 sail high.

TCU’s Emma Yolinsky got out ahead of the BYU defense in the 34th minute and scored but BYU challenged the play and Yolinsky was ruled offside after a video review.

The Cougars outshot the Horned Frogs 6-1 in the first half and continually frustrated the visitors offensive attack with great defensive footwork.

“I was just really pleased with our effort and our energy, the way we started the game,” Rockwood said. “I just thought we came out with a lot of defensive energy, and and we were able to win a lot of balls and make TCU a bit uncomfortable. They’re such a good possession team. We knew that we really wanted to disrupt them in their ability to move the ball because they do it so well. When we stay really patient and keep defending, great things happen.”

BYU finished with a 15-5 advantage in shots on goal. Cougar keeper Chelsea Peterson earned the shutout and was credited with three saves, including a gorgeous effort to stop a TCU shot in the 85th minute.

“I think as a team, we’re committed to our process,” Anna Neff said. “We know the talent and the depth that this team has. So it’s really about trusting our coaches, trusting the girls around us. We’re just going day by day and working to get better so we can reach our goals and our dreams for this season.”

BYU (6-2-2 overall, 2-0-1 Big 12) finishes out a three-match home stand on Friday by hosting Kansas State.

TCU (4-4-1, 1-2-0), which was coming off a 1-0 win at Utah, returns home to Fort Worth and faces Cincinnati on Friday.