EDINBURG, Texas – Junior forward Sydney Fitzpatrick nailed a 98th-minute golden goal to thrust Utah Valley University women's soccer to a 1-0 overtime victory over UT-Rio Grande Valley Friday evening at the UTRGV Soccer and Track & Field Complex.
 
The Wolverines pick up their first win of the season in WAC play and end a three-game skid entering the match, as they improve to 7-6-1 overall and 1-2-0 in the WAC. UTRGV falls to 9-4-1, 1-1-1 in the WAC.

"A great result on the road against a very good UTRGV team," said head coach Brent Anderson. "Syd's goal from Bre McCarter was a combination of some of our training elements from this past week. It was exciting to see them get rewarded for their positive play."
 
With the game in a deadlock at 0-0 in the overtime period, Fitzpatrick ended the game after she received a pass in stride from Breanna McCarter and slipped past a pair of Vaquero defenders before scoring the game-winner. McCarter found a Fitzpatrick in stride who made a run to the top left corner of the box and hit a low-rolling shot into the right of the net.
 
UVU controlled the tempo, and ball, for most of the match to finish the night with a 19-7 shot advantage over UTRGV. Seven of the Wolverines' 18 shots were on frame compared to three for the Vaqueros.

"I was impressed with our team's discipline and patience on defense and our attacking shape through the midfield was much improved over last week's match, which allowed us to keep the ball longer and create some really dangerous opportunities," Anderson said.

Utah Valley's Taylor Kirk and Libby Weber tied for the team lead in shots, as each tallied three on the night. Fitzpatrick, Breanna DeWaal and Tori Smith followed behind with two apiece.
 
Freshman keeper Brooklyn Nielsen picked up her sixth shutout on the season for the Wolverines, as she blanked the Vaqueros with three saves on seven shots faced in 98 minutes.
 
Utah Valley will now head to Las Cruces, N.M., to take on WAC foe New Mexico State for the final game of its current two-game road trip Sunday, Oct. 16. Kickoff at the NMSU Soccer Complex is slated for 11 a.m. MT.