Utah Valley vs Incarnate WordThursday, Oct. 29, 2015 | 7 p.m. MT
Clyde Field | Orem, Utah
Live Video | StatBroadcast | UVU Match Notes
WOLVERINES RETURN TO CLYDE FIELD FOR FINAL HOMESTANDUtah Valley University returns to Clyde Field this Thursday at 7 p.m. MT to host Incarnate Word in a must-win game should the Wolverines long to stay in the hunt for the WAC regular season title. Thursday's match comes after a stretch of five of six -- including three in a row -- on the road.
UVU (12-4-1, 5-2-1) has 16 points in WAC play, five behind league-leading Seattle U, three in front of UNLV, and four more than Incarnate Word. Seattle U hosts Incarnate Word on Sunday and would clinch the WAC title outright with a win and at least a share with a tie. Regardless, the Wolverines are in a battle for a top two seed and a first-round bye in next month's WAC Tournament. Both UVU and SU have clinched berths in the conference tournament which runs Nov. 12-15 in Kansas City.
"UIW are an organized, quality side, and we'll need a complete performance to solidify our position in the WAC standings," said UVU head coach
Greg Maas. "It has been an incredibly long stretch on the road and it's nice to finally be home in front of our 12th Wolverines."
Prior to Thursday's match, UVU Athletics and several UVU clubs are hosting a Trunk-or-Treat in the lot north of Clyde Field from 6-7 p.m. Fans who wear a Halloween costume can also get into the game for free.
ABOUT THE OPPOSITIONIncarnate Word is not eligible for the WAC Tournament due to its transition from Division II to Division I, but can still finish as high as second in the league standings. The Cardinals (8-6-0, 4-4-0) have won two straight, closing out their home schedule last weekend with wins of 3-1 over Houston Baptist and 1-0 against UTRGV.
Utah Valley and UIW played to a 1-1 draw last season in Orem. After an 83rd-minute goal put Incarnate Word in front,
Paul Hoffmeister tied the game in the 87th minute to force overtime, with the match ending without a winner. Noah Keats has scored nine goals on the season and with four assists is second among all WAC players with 22 points.
LAST TIME OUTLast weekend Utah Valley earned a split on its final road trip of the regular season, topping Grand Canyon 3-2 before an overtime, 2-1, loss at UNLV. Against GCU, the Wolverines trailed 2-0 early before scoring three first-half goals to take the lead and eventually go on to win.
Connor Salmon and
Skyler Milne scored the first two on
Aaron Meyer corner kicks, both coming on headers. Meyer leads the WAC and is tied for seventh nationally with eight assists on the year.
Paul Hoffmeister scored the third, and game-winning, goal at Grand Canyon for his fifth goal of the season.
Austin Buxton, who assisted on Hoffmeister's goal, scored the Wolverine goal in the game at UNLV.
UP NEXTThursday's match is UVU's only contest this week. The Wolverines close out the regular season on Saturday, Nov. 7 against No. 15 and league-leading Seattle U.
