Photo courtesy UVU Athletics
SACRAMENTO, Calif.– With conference play approaching, the Utah Valley University men’s soccer team now has some work to do to right the ship after falling Thursday to Sacramento State (4-3), 3-2. The loss drops UVU to 6-2 on the season. The Wolverines dug themselves a hole early, allowing the Hornets to score two goals in the first seven minutes of the match.
Sacramento’s Nate Nugen was assessed a yellow card just 18 seconds into the game. Two minutes later the first goal of the game was scored when Brad Bumgarner collected a blocked shot inside the box and sent it across to Ivan Ramirez who hit pay dirt for his second goal of the season. Just four minutes later Sacramento’s Alex Bettencourt doubled the deficit with his fourth goal of the year.
The Wolverines wasted no time mounting a comeback. In the 21st minute Gui Leme netted his first goal of the year with an assist attributed to Karson Payton. Payton wasn’t done, as he scored the equalizer goal just five minutes later with an assist from Aaron Meyer.
The tie didn’t hold up long. Ramirez put the Hornets back up in the 40th minute, dribbling into the box, chipping around goalkeeper Elliott Rubio, and into the net past the defense.
To start the second half, UVU switched things up, replacing Rubio with Mitch Jensen at goalkeeper. Jensen didn’t face a single shot during his time on the field as the Wolverine defense tightened up.
UVU had a prime opportunity to send the game to overtime when Nugen was sent off with his second yellow card in the 69th minute. The Hornets would finish the game with 10 men on the field, but UVU was unable to take advantage despite getting off 10 shots in the second half, falling by the final score of 3-2.
UVU fell despite outshooting their opponent 16-7, although Sacramento did have the edge with five shots on goal to the Wolverines’ four.
The Wolverines will try to get back on track as they travel to take on UC Davis Saturday in their non-conference finale. Kickoff is scheduled for 4 p.m. MT.
