SANDY, Utah — Head coach Kyle Beckerman returns to his old stomping grounds at America First Field in Sandy when the Utah Valley men's soccer team plays host to the Western Michigan Broncos on Sunday.
Kickoff is scheduled for 1 p.m. MDT, and gates will open at 12 p.m. MDT. Fans should park on the west side of the stadium and enter up the Spanish Steps in the northwest corner. Concessions will be available.
Sunday's game will be broadcast live on ESPN+ with Brandon Crow and Wolverine soccer alum Ben Perkins on the call. Live stats will also be available at UVUStats.com.
LAST TIME OUT
Utah Valley opened the season with a resounding 4-0 win over the Kansas City Roos on Thursday at Clyde Field. Four different goalscorers aided in the effort, including two Wolverines who scored their first UVU goals. Redshirt junior Omar Yehya burst onto the scene with a goal and a well-deserved assist. Yehya opened the scoring in the 10th minute off a feed from Trevor Walk.
Owen Knecht doubled the lead in the 37th minute after a poor clearance by the Roos fell straight to his feet.
Tom Dobek-Pietrowski also scored his first collegiate goal early in the second half. Elijah Gozo's screaming header was parried off the line by the KC keeper, but Dobek-Pietrowski was able to tap in the rebound.
Yehya showed off his speed for the final goal of the night. Yehya rushed to keep Ben Ortiz's cross in play in front of the Utah Valley bench before beating his man to the endline. Yehya then cut it back for a waiting Ura Miura, who tapped it in.
Thursday's win was a team effort, as 24 different Wolverines saw game action. Only goalkeeper Landon Carter played the full 90, followed by Floris van Nijnanten and Alejandro Silva who each played over 70 minutes.
The shutout was also Utah Valley's eighth clean sheet since the start of last season, including five at Clyde Field. In 2022, the Wolverines ranked first in the WAC and 23rd in the nation in shutouts with 7.
ABOUT THE OPPOSITION
Western Michigan is coming off of one of its most successful seasons in program history. The Broncos won the MAC Tournament and advanced to the Sweet 16 for the second time, before falling to the Portland Pilots. In the first United Soccer Coaches poll, WMU is among the others receiving votes. In College Soccer News' opening poll, the Broncos come in at No. 23.
Western Michigan opened the season with a 2-0 road defeat at the hands of the No. 12 Vermont Catamounts. The Broncos return their top two goal contributors from a season ago in Charlie Sharp (11 G, 8 A) and Dylan Sing (6 G, 7 A). The duo accounted for five of WMU's nine shots against Vermont, but the Broncos were only able to put one of those on frame. Sharp was recently named to the 2023 MAC Hermann Trophy Watch List, given annually to the National Player of the Year.
UVU EXTENDS SEASON OPENER, HOME OPENER STREAK
In its 10-season program history, Utah Valley is a perfect 10-0 in home openers following its 4-0 win over Kansas City on August 24. Utah Valley is also unbeaten in season openers, with a 9-0-1 record. The Wolverines' lone draw came in Beckerman's first game as a head coach in 2021 at Canisius.
12th WOLVERINES PROPEL UTAH VALLEY TO VICTORY
At Thursday's game vs Kansas City, a crowd of 2,435 supporters helped cheer the Wolverines on to victory. The crowd was the largest for a UVU men's soccer game since the 2019 season opener, a 1-0 win over Cal Poly.
UP NEXT
Utah Valley heads to Oregon for the first two games of a four-game road swing. The Wolverines will face the Oregon State Beavers on Friday, Sept. 1 before facing the No. 13 Portland Pilots the following Monday, Sept. 4. Friday's game will be streamed live on the PAC-12 Networks, while Monday's game will be on ESPN+.
