BYU Over Arizona in Intense Encounter

02.12.2023College Men

BYU won a very competitive clash with Arizona 38-18 in the second match of their tour into the desert.

Arizona led early from a snipey try through scrumhalf George O'Brien and then a penalty goal from fullback Matteo Berenger. An offsides penalty against Arizona led to BYU's chance to answer. They took the lineout and prop Billy Tenney popped off the back of the maul to score.

It remained 8-7 for some time. BYU was held up at one point and a nice break down the left side was stymied. The Wildcats took it to BYU as halftime closed in and finally got a penalty that Berenger was able to put over. BYU had very little time to answer before the break, and once again were held up by a tenacious Arizona D. The intensity ramped up, and on a grubber from BYU center Cole Semu Berenger slid in to field it. BYU wing Tielu Sagal (we think) came in hard and high and the challenge was deemed dangerous enough for a red card.

However, Arizona players had taken exception to the contact, so O'Brien was yellow-carded as well, and the penalty reversed in favor of BYU. The Cougars took the lineout and bashed against the line before a nice, flat pass to captain Tayson Hammer put him over. Hammer converted his try also and BYU led for the first time at halftime 14-11.

Early in the second half the BYU backs finally burst through with some nifty offloads and wing Brook Vaitohi was in. Moments later Tenney peeled off the back of the maul for another try and it was 26-11. The Cougars started to feel their confidence after that. Good ball movement put lock Ben Austin through a big gap.

Arizona answered with a slice through from center Mattox King, who then fed fellow midfield EJ Freeman to go in near the posts. Connor McCormick's conversion made it 33-18.

But any chance of a major comeback fell by the wayside when O'Brien was yellow-carded for a very indisciplined tackle and that meant a red card because it was his second yellow. Ultimately it mattered little as there wasn't much time left. BYU scored one more, albeit in somewhat controversial fashion as they did it on a maul that Arizona tried not to contest. The call appeared to be that the BYU forwards didn't shield the ballcarrier enough.

Regardless, the try stood and the game ended 38-18.

BYU Over Arizona in Intense Encounter

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