Every once in a while things go just the way we hope. A class gets cancelled on the day our unfinished assignment is due. The traffic lights on the way to school seem to escort us to a front row parking space in the L.A. parking lot, or the gates in the Institute parking lot are raised when you’re already late for class.

As the regular season came to a close for Real Salt Lake last week, everything that needed to happen for the team from Salt Lake City to make the playoffs—happened.  The Claret-and-Cobalt needed a win over Rocky Mountain Cup rival Colorado in order to keep its bleak playoff hopes alive on the final night of the regular season. Without a win, the other scenarios that had to pan out would not make a difference.

Real’s energetic forward Robbie Findley gave his team an early lead with a goal in the fifteenth minute of the game. Findley’s goal came on a header inside the right post on an assist from Fabian Espindola. Up 1-0 early, rather than drop defenders and try to hold off the Rapids, RSL notched another goal in the thirty-third minute. Again it was Findley as he converted a long pass from Andy Williams by floating the ball over the goalkeeper and hitting his target in the right corner of the goal.

Real finished off the night with a 3-0 victory over the Rapids to claim the Rocky Mountain Cup and keep the playoff picture open. Luckily for RSL, FC Dallas, who Salt Lake needed to lose, dropped a match to the Seattle Sounders 2-1 while New York handed Toronto a 5-0 drumming to clear the way for Salt Lake.

Everything played out perfectly this time as Real qualified for the MLS Cup Playoffs. They will play the defending champion Columbus Crew in the first round, and whatever the outcome Salt Lake has turned a potentially disappointing season into something that can be built on.

---

[Translate]

Looking for some offense and an elusive win, the UVU women’s soccer team took its travels north to take on the Idaho State Bengals. The good news: After nearly three games, the Wolverines finally scored a goal. The bad news: They still lost.

The Bengals (4-4-0) struck early and scored late to hold off the Wolverines (1-8-0) by a score of 2-1 in Pocatello, Idaho.

Annamarie Hofstetter got the Bengals off to a good start in the second minute with a score to make it 1-0 for Idaho State.

But the Wolverines came back in the 39th minute when Adrienne Schneider found the back of the net off an assist from Kelly Vide to tie the score at 1-1. The goal ended a 294-minute scoring drought for UVU.

The Bengals looked to retake the lead when they were awarded a penalty kick just before halftime. However, UVU goalkeeper Tasha Bell recorded one of her eight saves leaving the game tied going into the break.

With the match nearing the end of regulation, Idaho State’s Rachel Strawn scored a goal to break the tie and give the Bengals the hard-fought victory.

---

[Translate]

Real Salt Lake has struggled recently to stay in the playoff hunt and after a 3-0 loss to FC Dallas Sept. 26, the fight to play in the postseason is all but lost.

“I was kind of hoping to see that fight, something that would break our way that would lead some confidence and some momentum and some emotion from our players and there were some chances there” said coach Jason Kries, “When we were in their box with clear chances to score and we don’t take them and if one of those things happens maybe the emotions and momentum shift our way and we have a good reaction but we need to show a little more fight to get to that point.”

With the loss, RSL is 9-11-7 on the season and has 34 points, placing them eleventh in the overall standings with only three matches remaining.

Only the top eight teams are invited to participate in the postseason, which means RSL has a lot of work to do. However, since the New England Revolution loss on Sept. 30, RSL is only three points behind the eighth and final playoff spot.

Following the match against FC Dallas, RSL has an 18-day layoff from its MLS schedule with two exhibition matches against the BYU Cougars Oct. 2 and Chivas de Guadalajara on Oct. 7.

The remaining three games on the season schedule seem to lean in favor of RSL. Their first game is at home against the leagues worst team, the New York Red Bulls. Next they go on the road to take on Toronto FC who holds a one point lead over them in the standings. The finale of RSL’s season will be at Rio Tinto Stadium in Sandy against third place, western conference foe, the Colorado Rapids.

---

[Translate]

Trent Bates/UVU Review

It seems that there are two inevitabilities when Real Salt Lake plays at Rio Tinto Stadium. The south end of the stadium relentlessly bangs drums, screams, and makes it difficult for the opponent and RSL can not capitalize on the opportunities that they have.

Just when things seemed to look better than ever, RSL once again is on the outside looking in and after a two-week layoff, RSL came out with a 1-1 tie against the Chicago Fire at Rio Tinto Stadium, Sept. 12.

“I think in the end was a fair result,” said head coach Jason Kries. “Before the game we were very focused and wanting the three points, and I still feel the same way. I’m disappointed with one point because I know at home we should win, and the opportunities were there.”

Chicago would strike first late in the first half when Marco Pappa softly centered the ball, Chris Rolfe then trapped the ball with his chest and before it hit the ground Rolfe chipped the ball just out of reach of RSL’s keeper Nick Rimando.

RSL would then knot it up in the 72nd minute when midfielder Andy Williams kicked the ball from the half line up to defender Jamison Olave. Olave then escaped from three Fire defenders. Once he had the ball there was no denying him and he got it just inside the right post.

With the tie, RSL is 9-9-7 and have 34 points which puts them ninth in the overall standings and outside of the playoff picture.

“We need three more wins, and I think we’ll get that in our last five games,” said forward Yura Movsisyan. “We’ve got to get a win away and take care of our business at home. We don’t have any easy games left, but nobody has any easy games left at this time in the year.”

Real Salt Lake will look to keep their playoff hopes alive when they head to Texas to take on FC Dallas.

---

[Translate]

UVU goalkeeper Hailey Brown sends the ball into orbit after making a save against Wyoming. Photo credit: Dave Iba

In the 86th minute of Friday’s home opener for the Lady Wolverine soccer team, Wyoming’s Emily Layton came free of a scramble in front of the Wolverine goal and knocked the ball past goalie Hailey Brown. With the score tied at one at the time, the goal was the go-ahead score and just four minutes later became the game-winning goal.

The game was an uphill battle from the beginning for Utah Valley. Just two minutes into the game, a direct kick by Emma Wilson soared just over the outstretched arm of Brown for the first goal of the game.

The game stayed 1-0 until UVU’s Athena Maher capitalized on a great centering pass from Camille Broderick in the 69th minute. With the game tied at one, the momentum, which had clearly been with the Cowgirls the whole game, seemed to shift dramatically to the lady Wolverines. With the shift of momentum, the ball spent a lot of time down deep in Wyoming’s end, until the Cowgirls were able to clear the ball downfield late and score the game-winning goal.

“Wyoming did a good job of taking advantage of our mistakes,” said coach Brent Anderson, “we worked very hard to win the ball, but then carelessly gave it right back.”

The loss at Clyde Field dropped UVU to 0-4-0 on the young season. coach Anderson points to the defense as a sore spot for the team right now, having allowed 13 goals in just four games.

“We need to get back to a strong defensive mentality,” said Anderson, “last year, we had seven shutouts and it seems like we have forgotten how it feels to play like that.”

Despite being outscored, UVU outshot Wyoming, 18-14.

The Lady Wolverines did bounce back from the devastating last-minute loss to Wyoming with a 1-0 victory in El Paso, Texas on Sunday against UTEP. Utah Valley”s first win of the season was only the eighth loss for UTEP at home in the last seven years. Nicole Archibald scored the only goal of the game in the second minute.

“It was nice to be able to score the goal in the second minute and not have to play uphill all day,” said Anderson of Archibald’s goal at UTEP.

---

[Translate]