Utah Valley travels to Las Vegas on Thursday to face off with the UNLV Rebels at Peter Johann Memorial Field as both squads look to keep pace in the jam-packed WAC title race.

Kickoff is scheduled for 8 p.m. MDT, and the game will be streamed for free on WAC International. Live stats will be available at GoUVU.com/stats.

Entering the week, UVU and UNLV are level on six points, one point behind a four-way tie between California Baptist, GCU, San Diego State, and Utah Tech. 

LAST TIME OUT
Utah Valley dropped its first home game of the 2025 season, falling 4-1 to the California Baptist Lancers on Saturday. It was the team's most goals allowed in over a year since falling by the same scoreline to No. 22 UC Santa Barbara.

Dating back to the Sept. 4 game against Sac State, at least one of Utah Valley's two Spaniards — Nil Grau and Jose Luis Martin Montealegre — have registered a point in each of the Wolverines' last seven matches. In that span, Grau has three goals and one assist, while Martin Montealegre has two goals and three assists.

Keegan Oyler registered his WAC-leading 8th assist on the opener vs SJSU on Oct. 11. Entering this week, Oyler ranks 6th in the nation in assists and 4th in assists per game (0.73). 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).

Emojong is among the nation's most accurate and efficient shooters, ranking 16th 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 2nd in the WAC in SOG/game at 1.36.

In each of the team's first 10 games, Utah Valley out-shot its opposition, and in nine of the 10 recorded more shots on goal. The Wolverines were out-shot in both categories for the first time all season against CBU on Saturday. Entering the week, UVU ranks 12th in the nation in total shots/game (16.09) and 27th in SOG/game (6.36), both the best in the WAC.

HISTORY VS UNLV
Utah Valley has faced UNLV more than any other opponent in its 12-year history, with this being the 15th meeting. The series is tied 6-6-2. No team has ever had longer than a two-game win streak all-time. The teams played to a 0-0 stalemate last year in Orem, combining for 14 shots and 4 SOG. UNLV has not won in regulation against the Wolverines since 2016, with the last three Rebel victories coming in overtime (2023 WAC Tourney, 2020, & 2018).

SCOUTING THE REBELS
The last unbeaten team in WAC play, UNLV is on pace to lead the league in ties for the second-straight season and third time in BJ Craig's tenure. The Rebels are a disciplined defensive team, with a league-best two goals allowed during WAC play, but have also only scored four goals in that span. The Rebels are led by Bryce Allred and Tyler Ware, who each have two goals and one assist, as well as stellar GK Hugo Lemos, who is 2nd in the WAC in saves (44) and was just named the WAC co-Goalkeeper of the Week.

UP NEXT
Utah Valley will wrap up the home season on Monday with a first-ever visit from the San Diego State Aztecs, who are the defending WAC regular season champions. Kickoff is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. MDT, and the game will be part of a doubleheader with women's soccer. Tickets can be purchased at GoUVU.com/MSOCtix, and will be honored for both games.