UVU came back to Clyde Field looking to snap a 3-match losing streak. Their opponent, UC Davis, made that no easy task, as they came to Orem and beat the Wolverines 1-0 in heartbreaking fashion. UC Davis entered the match ranked #17 in the nation, and one of just 15 teams in NCAA soccer to have not lost a match. The Wolverines were primed for an upset, as they ran toe to toe with the Aggies for 90 full minutes, but UVU could not pull even.
The drama unfolded for the Wolverines in the 87th minute. UC Davis had scored just three minutes into the second half, and UVU was pressing to tie it up. With just moments left in the game, UVU defender Ahmed Longmire fired a pass toward the goal from midfield. The ball soared into the box and right off the head of forward Luis Garza. Garza set up the ball perfectly for Alec Felix, who snuck the ball past the keeper. It would have been the equalizing goal, but the side referee extended his flag upward signaling for offsides. The Wolverines had a couple chances following that, but none as good as the disallowed goal.
“To be quite honest, I thought the boys played fantastic,”said head coach Greg Maas after the game. “I couldn’t be more pleased with our performance from the start and our fight all the way through until the very end. “We had a great week of training. We prepared very well for a very good team and I thought our approach tactically in the game was very good.”
The loss to the Aggies was the final non-conference game for the Wolverines. They will travel to Houston Baptist and host University of Texas Rio Grande Valley to open WAC conference play, where the Wolverines are looking to ride the momentum from a solid first half of the season.
