OREM—
Julianna Carter recorded a hat trick to lead the Utah Valley women's soccer team to a 6-1 win over UT Rio Grande Valley on Thursday night at Clyde Field.
Utah Valley improves to 8-3-3 overall and 4-1-1 in WAC play. UTRGV falls to 2-9-3 overall and 0-4-3 in league play. The Wolverines up their record to an impressive 5-1-1 at home this season.
"Our reaction after last week was what we expected," said Utah Valley head coach
Chris Lemay. "We were really excited to be home and playing in front of our fans. We created a lot of good goal scoring opportunities and scored a couple of beautiful goals. Now it's about recovery and trying to get another three points on Saturday."
Carter becomes the eighth player in UVU history to record a hat trick. The hat trick is the second straight hat trick at Clyde Field for the Wolverines as
Faith Webber also scored three goals in UVU's 4-3 win over California Baptist on Sept. 30. It is the first time in UVU history that the team has recorded two hat tricks in a single season.
The Wolverines got on the scoreboard in the sixth minute after
Heather Stainbrook made a move around a UTRGV defender to the left side of the box and sent a cross inside the box.
Julianna Carter fired a shot into the back of the net to give UVU an early 1-0 lead.
Utah Valley made it 2-0 less than two minutes later in the eighth minute after Stainbrook sent a shot from 15 yards out past the UTRGV keeper on the left side.
Nicole Olanda was credited with the assist on the score.
UTRGV scored in the 34th minute after Alaina Granger sent a corner kick into the box. Elizabeth Beilfuss then headed it into the net to cut the UVU lead to a 2-1 advantage.
UVU answered back with a goal right before the half in the 44th minute as
Megan Astle sent a shot into the goal from the top of the box, giving the Wolverines a 3-1 lead at the break.
Madeline Moore dribbled it up the left side of the field and sent a lead pass to
Jocelyn Bybee into the corner. Bybee then lofted a cross into the box where Carter headed it into the back of the net to secure her brace and give the Wolverines a 4-1 lead in the 58th minute.
Carter scored again just 10 minutes later in the 68th minute as
Haley Richardson sent a short pass to
Sydney Bushman in the box. Bushman then sent it to the right side to Carter who then fired a shot into the net to secure her hat trick.
Tessa Thornton kicked a shot in the 78th minute that was punched out by the UTRGV keeper back to Thornton who rebounded the shot and sent it across the line to extend Utah Valley's lead to a 6-1 advantage.
Utah Valley outshot UTRGV 32-3 on the night, including a 12-1 advantage on goal.
Hannah Lee led UVU with five shots, followed by Webber with four. Stainbrook, Carter, and Bushman each had three shots. UVU had 13 corner kicks to UTRGV's three.
Utah Valley continues play at home on Saturday night against Stephen F. Austin. Kickoff is set for 6 p.m. The game will be broadcast live on ESPN+.
