Unbeaten Utah Valley (5-0-2) faces arguably its toughest test of the season on Thursday, hosting the No. 22 UC Santa Barbara Gauchos (4-1-1) at Clyde Field. Kickoff is slated for 5 p.m. MDT, and the match will be streamed on ESPN+.

Utah Valley is coming off of a 1-0-1 week, drawing 1-1 with Cal Poly on Friday before trouncing Lindenwood 3-1 on Monday. The team is unbeaten through seven games for the first time in program history. 

Leading the way for the Wolverines is redshirt senior forward and captain Omar Yehya, who has a team-best seven goals so far this season. As of Sept. 17, Yehya ranks tied for third in the nation in both goals scored and total points (16). Yehya has a goal contribution in seven straight games, tying the program record set by Blake Frischknecht in 2019. Yehya's seven goals also already ranks tied for sixth most in a single season in program history. 

Freshman Isaac Emojong has burst onto the scene with four goals in his first seven collegiate games. As of Sept. 16, Emojong is one of just five freshmen in the nation with four or more goals at this point in the season. 

Junior defender Alex Fritcher was named this week's WAC Defensive Player of the Week for his role in keeping the Wolverines undefeated. He is  the third straight Wolverine to win the award after Tom Dobek-Pietrowski won each of the last two weeks. It is the first time the team has won any WAC weekly award in three consecutive weeks.

SERIES HISTORY VS UCSB

The Gauchos hold a 2-0 advantage in the all-time series. Utah Valley and UCSB have played in Santa Barbara each of the last two seasons, with the Gauchos coming away with the win in both. The two sides were also slated to meet in Orem back in 2018, but the game was canceled due to air quality concerns.

CLYDE FIELD FORTRESS

Since the start of 2022, Utah Valley is 10-0-5 in games at Clyde Field and have allowed just nine goals in those 15 games, good for the longest unbeaten streak in program history. In 2022, Utah Valley went a perfect 5-0 at home, and allowed just one goal in 450 minutes played at Clyde Field. The Wolverines went unbeaten in 7 games at Clyde Field in 2023, picking up three wins and four draws. 

NOW IT GETS REAL

In the next three games, Utah Valley will host three tough opponents at Clyde Field. In addition to the No. 22 Gauchos, the team will host 2023 College Cup semifinalist Oregon State to wrap up non-conference play. UVU will then host defending WAC regular season champion Seattle U to open conference play on Oct. 3.

AND THEN THERE WAS ONE

Through the first four weeks of the season, Utah Valley is the last unbeaten team in the WAC at 5-0-2. The Wolverines outlasted Seattle U, who lost 2-1 on the road at Washington on Sept. 9. As of Sept. 17, Utah Valley is one of 10 teams in the nation to remain unbeaten and also have five or more wins.

UP NEXT

Utah Valley will close out non-conference play with a home tilt against the Oregon State Beavers. Kickoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. MDT and the game will be streamed live on ESPN+. Tickets are available at GoUVU.com/MSOCtix.