LA JOLLA, Calif.—Utah Valley continues Big West play on the road Saturday night as the Wolverines travel to face UC San Diego at Triton Soccer Stadium. Kickoff is set for 8 p.m. MT, with the match broadcast live on ESPN+.
Utah Valley enters the match with a 5-4-1 overall record and a 1-0-0 mark in Big West play after opening conference action with a 7-1 victory over Cal State Bakersfield on Wednesday night at UCCU Stadium. The seven goals were a season high for the Wolverines, who had five different players score in the win.
Sadie Beardall and Brynlee Austin each recorded a brace against the Roadrunners, while Nixan Jackson added a goal and Josie Clawson and Tess Livingston also found the back of the net. Utah Valley scored five times in the second half after taking a 2-1 lead into halftime.
The Wolverines dominated the statistical sheet against Bakersfield, outshooting the Roadrunners 31-3 with a 16-3 advantage in shots on goal. UVU also held a 7-0 edge in corner kicks.
Utah Valley has now scored 20 goals through 10 matches and enters Saturday averaging 2.00 goals per game. The Wolverines lead The Big West in scoring offense, assists per game, total goals, total assists and total points. UVU has recorded 24 assists on its 20 goals and is averaging 2.40 assists per match.
Jackson leads Utah Valley with 11 points on two goals and seven assists. Her seven assists lead The Big West and rank third nationally, while Clawson and Beardall are tied for second on the team with eight points apiece. Clawson has a team-high four goals, while Beardall has scored three times and added two assists.
Freshman Sam Curtis has added five assists this season, while Austin now has five points on two goals and one assist despite appearing in just four matches.
Madeleine Boucher has started nine matches in goal for Utah Valley and owns a 5-2-1 record with a 0.84 goals-against average and an .811 save percentage. She has made 30 saves and recorded three shutouts.
UC San Diego enters Saturday with a 5-2-2 overall record and a 1-0-0 mark in Big West play after earning a 1-0 road win over CSUN on Wednesday night. Kennadi Borg scored the game-winning goal in the 80th minute off an assist from Natalie Oca, while goalkeeper Charlotte Wilfert made four saves to record the shutout.
The Tritons have scored 11 goals while allowing just seven through nine matches. UC San Diego is averaging 15.6 shots per game, the best mark in The Big West, and has generated 47 corner kicks while allowing 24.
Lana Gilligan and Olivia Shih lead UC San Diego with five points apiece. Gilligan has two goals and one assist, while Shih has also scored twice with one assist. Alexis Nguyen and Ava Tibor have each scored two goals, while Nguyen leads the Tritons with 26 shots and 13 shots on goal.
Wilfert has been one of the top goalkeepers in The Big West this season. She owns a 5-2-2 record with a 0.67 goals-against average and an .850 save percentage in nine starts. Wilfert has made 34 saves and recorded four shutouts.
UC San Diego is led by eighth-year head coach Kristin Jones, a 2004 UC San Diego graduate. Jones owns a 61-53-30 career record with the Tritons.
Saturday's match will mark the first-ever meeting between Utah Valley and UC San Diego.
WHAT'S NEXT
Utah Valley will continue Big West play on the road at UC Irvine on Wednesday, Sept. 30 at 7 p.m. MT before returning to UCCU Stadium to host Cal State Fullerton on Saturday, Oct. 3 at 6 p.m.
