The Utah Valley women’s soccer team fell scoreless to the Utah Utes in a 2-0 decision on Saturday, April 2. The Wolverines fought hard but were unable to answer the constant aggression from the Utes’ strikers. The Wolverines now have their first loss of the spring season, moving their record to 4-1.
The Wolverines started the match aggressive at the beginning of the first half, getting a great look at Utes’ goalie Kasey Wardle in the second minute. However, a pass that was too strong and went out of bounds would end the drive. The Wolverines had another great look in the sixth minute, taking a shot at the goal, but Wardle would make a diving save to stop the attack.
After much back-and-forth movement on the field, the Utes applied the pressure on former-Ute and new Wolverines’ goalie Chelsea Peterson. Peterson was able to make a save in the 11th minute and another one in the 13th after aggressive shots by the Utes. The Utes attempted another shot at the beginning of the 14th minute, but the shot was wide.
After a failed corner kick attempt by the Utes, UVU came up the field for another attempt in the 23rd minute, but the shot was right. Peterson made another save in the 24th minute, but the Utes would score on their former teammate in the 27th minute by stinging the right corner of the goalpost to take a 1-0 lead.
Thirty seconds later, the Wolverines came charging up the field again in an effort to answer but were thwarted by the Utes’ defense. For the remainder of the first half, the Utes took charge and kept pressing on the heels of the Wolverines, but Peterson held her ground with the last three Utes shots to end the half, and even clocked another save in the 31st minute.
The Wolverines were aggressively outshot 3-2 on shots on goal and 8-2 in total shots by the Utes in the first half. UVU also had zero corner kicks compared to the solo corner the Utes had earlier in the half.
The Wolverines came furiously into the second half, dominating the possession for the beginning of the half and taking a shot in the 49th minute. However, the shot was just left.
The Utes were then able to get adjusted and after taking a high shot in the 52nd minute, they scored their second and final goal of the game in the 54th minute with a bulleting grounder into the left side of the goal, going up 2-0. The Utes maintained their momentum and almost scored once again with a volley kick in the 59th minute, but the ball ricocheted off the crossbar.
Possessions would then go back and forth between both teams in the following minutes, but the Utes were the only team to take shots for twenty minutes, taking one in the 65th minute and another in the 77th. The Wolverines had a great shot in the 79th minute but Wardle would make an athletic save to prevent the goal. The Utes took the last shot of the game in the 82nd minute which went off-target and managed to keep the ball moving in order to prevent the Wolverines from scoring for the remaining minutes, ending the game with a final of 2-0.
The Utes’ offense dominated by outshooting the Wolverines 14-4 in total shots. The Utes also had two corner kicks while the Wolverines never had an attempt. This is the first time the Wolverines have been shut out this spring season.
The Wolverines will now travel to Haws Field in Provo, Utah to take on the Brigham Young Cougars on Saturday, April 9, in their second to last game of the spring season. The match will kick off at 2 p.m. MT.
