OREM, Utah – Utah Valley University earned its second straight win in Western Athletic Conference action with a 3-0 shutout of Incarnate Word on Saturday night. The Wolverines improved to 5-5-0 overall and 2-1-0 in WAC play, doing so in front of 3,204 fans in the annual homecoming match.
 
Luis Garza, Zahir Vazquez and Austin Buxton scored goals for the Wolverines, which all came in a span of 13 minutes of game time late in the first half and early in the second.
 
"Tonight was fantastic, another great result in conference play, and our homecoming crowd and atmosphere was simply electric," UVU head coach Greg Maas said. "Our performance from start to finish was excellent, we were efficient when we needed to be, and our defensive effort to limit zero shots on goal was impressive. Importantly, the locker room discussion has already moved forward to two important matches on the road next week in California."
 
The Wolverines broke through with two goals in the final four minutes of the first half. The game-winner came when Leo Fuchs, Carter Johnson and Garza combined on a goal in the 42nd minute. Just moments after Garza nearly got UVU on the board with a shot off the crossbar, Fuchs touched a pass to Johnson, who spun and found Garza right at the top of the 18. Garza split two defenders with a rocket, scoring past the goalkeeper's right and into the left corner.
 
The second goal came with 31 seconds left in the half, when Mark Brown played a deep ball forward that found a streaking Vazquez, who scored his first career goal on a ball into the lower left corner from 18 yards out.
 
Following halftime, the Buxton scored his goal in the 55th minute on a header that bounced by the UIW keeper. Zach Maas played a corner kick short to Johnson, who floated one into the box for Buxton.
 
The Wolverines had an overwhelming 25-4 edge in total shots including 11 shots on goal to none for the Cardinals (0-8-1, 0-3-0). Johnson assisted on two of the goals for UVU while Joseph Wheelwright picked up his, and the team's, third clean sheet of the season. 
 
Incarnate Word played a man down over the final 47:21 after a red card was issued to Amtonio Savi. The Cardinals finished with just nine players after a second yellow – resulting in a red – was shown to goalkeeper Carlos Mercado in the 74th minute. Nine cards were issued in the match, with six coming against UIW.
 
Utah Valley hits the road next week with games at California Baptist and CSU Bakersfield in WAC play.