UTAH VALLEY SET TO TAKE ON IN-STATE FOES UTAH AND BYU THIS WEEK
Utah Valley heads into its rivalry series week as the team travels to play Utah on Wednesday night in Salt Lake City before returning to Orem to host No. 7 BYU on Saturday night at Clyde Field. Wednesday night's game at Utah will kickoff at 6 p.m., while Saturday's match against BYU will begin at 7 p.m.
The Wolverines went 1-1-0 last week with a 2-0 setback to No 19 Clemson and a 6-0 shutout win on the road at Idaho State. After a 0-0 tie at the half, Clemson got on the scoreboard just three minutes into the second period. UVU had a one-on-one scoring opportunity against the Clemson keeper in the 78th minute but couldn't tie the match up. Clemson then scored with just three minutes remaining to secure the 2-0 win. UVU then rebounded with a 6-0 shutout win on the road at Idaho State in the Bengals' home opener. Webber recorded a brace which included the game winner in the win over ISU. Idalia Serrano and Leah Wolf teamed up for the combined shutout in the box for UVU.
Webber leads the Wolverines in scoring through four matches, scoring five goals. Sydney Bushman has two goals, while Jenna Shepherd Gremillion, Sadie Beardall, Hannah Lee, Haley Richardson, and Quincy Bonds each have one goal this season. Webber also leads the team with 11 points, followed by Bushman and Shepherd Gremillion with four. Nicole Olanda leads the team with three assists. Serrano leads the team in the box with seven saves and a 1.20 goals against average. She holds a .700 save percentage and has one combined shutout.
BROADCAST INFO
Utah Valley's match at Utah on Wednesday night will be broadcast live on the Pac-12 Network. Bill Riley and Krista Blunk will be on the call. UVU's match against BYU on Saturday night will be streamed live on ESPN+. Brandon Crow will be on the air for his eighth season calling the ESPN+ action for the women's soccer team. Crow will be joined by former Wolverine Breanna DeWaal Davis on the broadcast.
ABOUT UTAH
Utah heads into Wednesday night's match with a 2-1-1 overall record. The team has won two straight before falling to No. 19 Clemson on Sunday in Utah's home opener. Clemson found the back of the net in the 51st minute to secure the win. The Utes went 2-0-1 to open the season on the road with a tie at NC State and wins at Charleston and Utah State. Utah has scored four goals through its four matches with graduate midfielder Courtney Brown, freshman midfielder Bella Woods, senior forward Katie O'Kane, and senior forward Taliana Kaufusi each finding the back of the net. The Utes have limited opponents to just two goals this season with NC State and Clemson each finding a goal. Junior keeper Kasey Wardle has led Utah in the box, playing 315 minutes with 12 saves and an impressive 0.57 goals against average. Wardle has one solo shutout and one combined shutout this season.
SERIES HISTORY VS. UTAH
Utah Valley and Utah will meet on the pitch for the first time since the 2016 season on Wednesday night. Utah holds an all-time 6-0-1 record against the Wolverines, including a perfect 5-0 record against UVU at home in the SLC. The two teams played to a 0-0 double overtime tie the last time on the pitch in 2016 in Orem. Utah took a 4-0 win in the last meeting in SLC on Sept. 21, 2014.
ABOUT BYU
No. 7 BYU enters the week with a perfect 4-0 record with wins at home over No. 21 Saint Louis, Cal State Fullerton, and Long Beach State. The Cougars also picked up a 4-1 road win at Boise State on Saturday night. BYU is expected to move into the top-10 with its two wins last week. BYU will host No. 1 UCLA on Thursday before traveling up University Parkway on Saturday to play the Wolverines. Olivia Katoa leads BYU in scoring with four goals through four matches. Senior forward/midfielder Bella Folina has three goals followed by senior forward/midfielder Brecken Mozingo and sophomore forward Erin Bailey with two goals apiece. Sophomore forward Allie Fryer and sophomore forward Ellie Walbruch also have a goal on the season. Katoa also leads the team with nine points. Junior keeper Savanna Mason leads the team in goal with 14 saves and a 1.0 goals against average. She has played all 360 minutes in the box for the Cougars.
SERIES HISTORY VS. BYU
Utah Valley and BYU will meet on the pitch for the ninth time on Saturday night. BYU holds an all-time 7-1 series advantage. Eight of the nine games in the series have been played on South Field in Provo. Utah Valley picked up its first win over BYU last season on Sept. 10, taking a 4-2 come-from-behind win in Provo on Sept. 10, 2022. The two teams last met in the first round of the 2022 NCAA Tournament with BYU taking a 3-0 win in Provo.
CLYDE FIELD MAGIC
Utah Valley holds an impressive 100-42-14 (.685) all time record at Clyde Field. The team has lost just four matches over the past five seasons on the home pitch. UVU went 6-1-1 in 2022, 8-1-1 in 2021, 4-1-2 in 2020, 8-1-1 in 2019, 3-4-1 at home in 2018, 5-1-0 in 2017, 5-2-1 during the 2016 season and were unbeaten at home during the 2015 season with a 9-0-1 mark. UVU ranked 17th in the nation in average attendance in 2022 as the Wolverines drew an impressive 1,172 fans per game.
UTAH VALLEY MOVES UP A SPOT TO NO. 8 IN UNITED SOCCER COACHES PACIFIC REGION TOP 10 POLL
Utah Valley moved up one spot to No. 8 in the United Soccer Coaches Pacific Region Top 10 poll of the season that was released on Tuesday. The Wolverines have been a fixture in the poll over the last six seasons under head coach Chris Lemay. The team will have room to rise in the poll as UVU plays Utah, which is ranked No. 7 in the poll and nationally-ranked BYU this week.
