Utah Valley closes out a three-game homestand against another tough WAC opponent, hosting the California Baptist Lancers on Saturday night at UCCU Stadium.
Kickoff is scheduled for 6 p.m. MDT, and tickets can be purchased at GoUVU.com/MSOCtix. The game will be streamed live on ESPN+ with Brice Larson and Amber Tripp on the call, and live stats will be available at GoUVU.com/stats.
Saturday's game is the Wolverines' last against a team that currently has a winning overall record. This week, the Lancers (6-2-3, 1-1-1 WAC) are among the others receiving votes in the United Soccer Coaches Top 25 poll after taking a 1-0 win over then-league leading GCU, who is also still receiving votes.
This game will also be a top-50 matchup in the RPI, with the Lancers checking in at a WAC-best 43rd, followed closely by the Wolverines at 47th. This will be the first top 50 matchup among two WAC teams so far this season. CBU is the highest-ranked team Utah Valley has faced to date.
LAST TIME OUT
The Wolverines battled to a pair of 2-1 wins last week, including a gritty fight through miserable weather conditions against San Jose State on Saturday. The Wolverines are off to their best three-game start to WAC play since the team won four in a row to start the 2019 league phase. UVU has never started better than 2-2 through four games under Kyle Beckerman.
Jose Luis Martin Montealegre contributed on all three open-play goals for UVU last week, assisting on Isaac Emojong's opener vs Air Force, scoring a header against SJSU, and assisting Elijah Gozo's game-winner vs the Spartans.
Gozo's goal was the first of his collegiate career, making him the 12th different player to score for UVU this season. That mark is the second-most in program history, behind only the 2021 squad that had 13.
Freshman GK Sebastian Løvendal was thrust into action last-minute against SJSU after Kolby Sessions was scratched following warmups. Løvendal made one save on two SOG and fit in seamlessly in the Wolverines' buildup out of the back in the emergency start.
Keegan Oyler registered his WAC-leading 8th assist on the opener vs SJSU on Saturday. Entering the week, Oyler ranks 3rd in the nation in assists and 2nd in assists per game (0.80). Oyler was named to TopDrawer Soccer's Midseason Top 100 players list, the 5th Wolverine to earn the honor and 3rd in the last two seasons (Omar Yehya & Isaac Emojong).
With the team's two goals against SJSU, UVU matched its goal total from all of last season at 25 in eight fewer games. The team's 2.5 goals per game mark is on pace to set the program record by over half a goal (current record: 1.94, 2021).
SCOUTING THE LANCERS
The ever-dangerous Lancers are off to another strong start to the season at 6-2-3 and 1-1-1 in WAC play. CBU has been on the fringe of the Top 25 most of the year, most recently after a 3-1 win at Tulsa followed up by a 2-0 win over then-No. 20 UC Irvine, and are coming off a 1-0 win over GCU at home on Sunday. Sophomore F Blake D'Agostino is having another strong campaign, leading the team with 7 goals thus far.
SERIES HISTORY VS CBU
Utah Valley and CBU meet for the 9th meeting all-time. UVU leads the series 5-2-1. The Wolverines won the regular season finale last season at CBU, 1-0 on a 1st-minute goal from Omar Yehya that clinched the team's spot in the WAC Tourney. Traditionally a low-scoring fixture, only two of the previous eight meetings have been decided by more than one goal, both CBU wins (2022 WAC Tourney, Spring 2021). UVU has been held to one goal in 6 of the 8 meetings (3-2-1 in those games).
STACKING DUBS
Entering the week, Utah Valley ranks sixth in the nation in win percentage at .850. The Wolverines are one of 24 teams to have one or fewer losses this season, and one of three west of the Rockies (Stanford & Portland).
EMOJONG HITTING THE MARK
So. MF Isaac Emojong is among the nation's most accurate and efficient shooters, ranking 18th in the nation and leading the WAC in shot accuracy at 0.577 — meaning 57.7% of his shots are on goal — as well as ranking 22nd in the nation in SOG/game at 1.50.
A RECIPE FOR SUCCESS
Entering the week, Utah Valley ranks 13th in the nation in team goals-against average (0.6) and 6th in the nation in scoring offense (2.5 goals/game). Both statistics are on pace to be program records. UVU is one of six teams to rank in the top 13 in both categories. The Wolverines' +19 goal differential is the 7th-best in the country, and is on pace to break the program record of +17 set during the 2016 WAC Championship season.
SHOOTERS SHOOT
In all 10 games, Utah Valley has out-shot its opposition, and in nine of the 10 recorded more shots on goal. In total, the Wolverines have nearly double the total shots (164/87) and shots on goal (66/34). Utah Valley ranks 10th in the country in shots per game (16.4) and 20th in shots on goal (6.6).
UP NEXT
The Wolverines will head to Las Vegas to face off with the UNLV Rebels on Thursday, Oct. 23. Kickoff is scheduled for 8 p.m. MDT, and the game will be streamed live on WAC International.
