Photo courtesy UVU Athletics
OREM, Utah—Two days after holding the 21st-ranked Gonzaga Bulldogs to zero shots on goal, the No. 17 Utah Valley University men’s soccer team limited the Cal State Northridge Matadors to two shots on target in a 1-0 win Saturday. Conversely, the Wolverines put pressure on the Matador goal with six shots on goal, including a header by Skyler Milne that broke the plane for the only goal of the match.
Both teams tightly contested the ball up and down the field during the first half. In the 33rd minute, Nic Harguindeguy drove down the left sideline with the ball, but an oncoming Matador dispossessed Harquindeguy with a hard challenge at his shins. Harguindeguy tumbled to the turf as CSUN took possession of the ball.
Matt Gay used his body and gained an advantage inside the box in the 40th minute, then fired a shot at the goal near the penalty spot. However, Gay’s shot skipped across the grass directly to goalkeeper Kevin Marquez.
Both sides came out of the half time break looking to establish a physical presence on the pitch. Within the first 15 minutes of the second half, multiple players hit the turf as a result of the growing physicality in the match. In one dustup, Karson Payton was dragged to the ground Juan Samayoa. Payton then challenged Samayoa on the ball with a brutal retaliatory tackle. Neither player was cited for the fouls.
As the match pressed to the 60th minute, UVU began to put a barrage of shots on the CSUN goal. In the 73rd minute, Gui Leme took a shot from distance, but Marquez knocked down the short-hop in front of the goal. But after Marquez made a play on the ball, it slipped under his gloves toward the goal line. Milne charged the ball, but Marquez dove on it before Milne could make a play.
The Wolverines finally broke through in the 77th minute as Joe Barakat served a ball into the box from distance, and Milne redirected it toward the left post. Marquez got his finger tips on the ball, but not enough as it bounced into the net for a 1-0 lead.
“We’ve been focusing on getting a little early service throughout training this week,” said Milne. We wanted to try and isolate me 1 v 1 with the defender, and Joe saw the opportunity to get the good cross and I rose up and I got to the ball first.”
The Matadors pressed the Wolverine defense in the final 10 minutes, but UVU stood pat and allowed CSUN just one shot in the closing minutes. Patrick Hickman managed to put a shot on target in the 89th minute, but goalkeeper Elliott Rubio kept the ball in play to preserve the clean sheet.
After coming off an emotional win over Gonzaga Thursday, the Wolverines still managed their physical, defensive brand of soccer through the entire 90 minutes without letting up Saturday night.
“I wasn’t worried about a letdown mentally; I was a little bit worried physically,” said UVU head coach Greg Maas. “The match on Thursday against Gonzaga had a lot of physical and psychological emotion to it and those wear on our players, but this is a very resilient group and a focused group and we had a great Homecoming crowd tonight that really helped us carry ourselves to victory.”
UVU will head back on the road to wrap the out-of-conference schedule in California. The Wolverines will face the Sacramento State Hornets Friday, Sept. 22. Kickoff is scheduled for 5 p.m. MT.
