The Utah Valley University women’s soccer team (10-3-3, 6-1-1 conference) defeated the Abilene Christian University Wildcats (4-7-4, 0-5-3) 4-1 on Friday at Elmer Gray Stadium in Abilene, Texas.
Having won their third-straight game, the Wolverines are currently in third place in the Western Athletic Conference standings, currently tied with first-place Utah Tech University (10-3-1, 6-1-1) and second-place Seattle University (9-5-1, 6-1-1).
The Wolverines scored two goals in each half to jump past the Wildcats for the win. Heather Stainbrook scored both second-half goals while Faith Webber and Hannah Lee accounted for the first-half goals. Nicole Olanda assisted on two of the Wolverines’ goals.
Stainbrook also led the team in shots with seven (three shots on goal) through 82 minutes. Webber followed behind with five (two shots on goal) and Lee and Pyper Vance had three shots apiece. Despite conceding one goal, keeper Leah Wolf racked up four saves for the Wolverines in 82 minutes of play.
The Wolverines outshot the Wildcats 21-12 (nine to five in shots on goal) and 11-3 in corner kicks. UVU also only picked up five fouls.
After a missed ACU shot to start the match, Lee tested Wildcats’ goalkeeper Lily Foster early with a bullet up the middle but Foster made the save. However, Webber, assisted by Lee, was able to drill in the first goal of the game in the ninth minute to give UVU an early 1-0 lead.
The Wildcats tried to answer with two attempts almost immediately after the goal but were unable to get any shots to go through after a missed shot and a save by Wolf.
Stainbrook tried to score in the 14th minute with a shot toward the bottom left of the post but Foster made the save.
After an attempt by Webber that was saved by Foster in the 23rd minute; Lee, assisted by Olanda, followed through by scoring the second goal of the game to give the Wolverines a 2-0 edge early.
The Wildcats never had an answer as the Wolverines went on to outshoot ACU 5-2 for the rest of the half.
The second half started quickly with ACU midfielder Natalie Jones testing Wolf with a shot towards the bottom left corner of the post but Wolf made the save. Wolverine forward Julianna Carter responded with a dart toward the center of the post but Foster made another save.
Wildcats’ forward Caylen Wright quickly answered Carter’s attempt by putting ACU on the board in the 47th minute to cut the deficit down to 2-1.
Following a pair of ACU yellow cards called, Stainbrook scored her first goal of the game in the 51st minute to give the Wolverines a 3-1 advantage.
After further exchanges of shots from both sides, Stainbrook, assisted by Olanda, punched in her second goal of the game to put UVU up 4-1 in the 66th minute.
Vance almost scored a fifth goal for the Wolverines in the 72nd minute with a great shot up the middle but Foster made the save.
The Wolverines would then stay in control for the rest of the half, outshooting the Wildcats 3-1 to close out the final 18 minutes of the game and sealing a 4-1 victory for UVU.
UVU will next play against the Tarleton State University Texans (4-8-3, 0-6-2) on Sunday at 12 p.m. at the Tarleton Soccer Complex in Stephenville, Texas. The match can be streamed through ESPN+. This will be the final road game of the regular season for the Wolverines before they come home for a two-game homestand to close out the season.
