ST. GEORGE, Utah — In the fifth playing of the Old Hammer Rivalry, Utah Valley (8-3-3, 2-3-2 WAC) and Utah Tech (4-6-6, 3-1-3 WAC) played to a 2-2 draw in a result that did neither side any favors as the regular season came to a close on Friday night.

The Wolverines had a 2-0 lead after 30 minutes, but a penalty in the 35th minute and an equalizer in the 56th got the Trailblazers on level terms. 

Both sides came into Friday's game needing a win — the Wolverines needing it to ensure their spot in the WAC Tournament and the Trailblazers needing it to secure a share of the regular season conference crown — but the two-all draw left both sides dissatisfied. 

Utah Valley will now need some help to qualify for the WAC Tournament. The Wolverines will need GCU to beat UNLV on Saturday, or for SJSU to lose to Air Force on Sunday.

HOW IT HAPPENED
Utah Valley got on the board in the third minute with the team's fastest goal of the year. After a corner by Gilles Aurelien, Noah Pogue headed a shot on frame that looked to be cleared, but the assistant referee signaled that the ball crossed the line, giving the Wolverines the early edge.

UVU kept the pressure on, holding Tech without a shot for the first 35 minutes. After three more corners, the Wolverines finally added a second in the 30th minute on a stellar link-up from Lewis Knecht and Isaac Emojong. 

Knecht cut in from the left flank and fired a low cross through the 18 that somehow evaded a herd of Trailblazer legs and found Emojong near the penalty spot. Emojong settled the ball and fired a left-footed strike into the back of the net.

Utah Tech cut the deficit in half late in the 35th minute after a tough-luck handball was called on Emojong near the edge of the 18. Taylor Rogers converted the spot kick.

After maintaining sustained pressure to open the second half, the Trailblazers finally got their equalizer in the 56th minute. Dunes Nielsen — who had a shot saved by Kolby Sessions in the dying moments of the first half — chipped the keeper with a shot that took a bad deflection off Keegan Oyler.

Utah Valley pepped the frame in the second half with five shots on goal, but freshman keeper Luca Campoli stood tall. Mason Abdella and Jose Luis Martin Montealegre had the best chances in the 64th and 70th minutes respectively, but their shots were turned aside.

The Wolverines got a lifeline in the 80th minute when Miguel Regino was shown a second yellow for a bad challenge on Knecht, but couldn't take advantage. Toke Amtrup narrowly missed on a header in the 88th minute for the final scoring opportunity.

If Utah Valley gets the help it needs around the league this weekend, the team will open WAC Tournament play on Sunday, Nov. 9. More information will be announced when the bracket is finalized.