USAF ACADEMY, Colo. — Utah Valley University made it a perfect seven-for-seven in season openers with a 3-1 win at Air Force on Saturday afternoon. The win also keeps the Wolverines (1-0-0) unbeaten all-time against the Falcons at 5-0-2.
Jojea Kwizera assisted on the game's opening goal and also scored late on an impressive strike with his left foot from distance to put the game away.
Zach Maas scored on Kwizera's assist and
Cameron Weston also scored on a penalty kick for the Wolverines.
"Today was something special to behold for our entire program. It's been 16 long months since we've last competed, and I thought our team was purposeful in our play from start to finish," UVU head coach
Greg Maas said. "There's no question they'll enjoy the moment, and will likely remember the game for years given the incredible circumstances, but our focus has quickly turned to preparing for UTRGV next Friday at Clyde Field in front of our 12th Wolverines."
Saturday's contest was the third game on the schedule for Utah Valley in the altered spring season after the regular fall season was postponed. UVU's first game at Grand Canyon was lost due to COVID-19 and the second, against Incarnate Word, fell victim to Mother Nature during the storms last week in Texas. Air Force (1-1-1) suffered its first defeat on Saturday after a win at Dixie State and a draw at UNLV. It was UVU's first game since the WAC Tournament Championship on Nov. 17, 2019.
The Wolverines' opening goal came in the game's eighth minute, when Kwizera raced up the left side of the pitch and into the box, where Maas redirected his pass into the back of the net.
Defensively, Utah Valley limited Air Force to just seven shots overall with only one on goal. That one shot on goal came less than one minute of game time after UVU's first goal, with Lathan Spadafora scoring on an assist from Michael Neacsu.
Weston's goal came after
Zahir Vazquez was fouled in the box while creating a scoring opportunity and went as the game-winner in the 25th minute. Kwizera's goal came in the 86th minute to ice it for UVU. The Wolverines finished with 18 shots, nine of which were on goal.
Utah Valley begins a stretch of three home games in nine days next Friday afternoon at 2 p.m. MT against UT Rio Grande Valley at Clyde Field in Orem.
