Wolverines dominate Cardinals in 4-1 win at Clyde Field
Brad Curnow | Sports Writer | @jojocornrow
OREM, Utah – On a cold, wet night at Clyde Field, the Utah Valley University men’s soccer team took early control of the match against University of the Incarnate Word with an early Skyler Milne goal and never looked back. The Wolverine defense put together a complete performance leading to a 4-1 final.
UVU improved to 13-4-1 overall and 6-2-1 in Western Athletic Conference play and kept pace with Seattle University for a shot at the WAC regular season title.
“The conditions today were difficult with a wet rain and a very slick field,” UVU head coach Greg Maas said. “I thought we adapted to the field conditions very quickly and that was something we talked about in the locker room. The first team to adapt to that was going to be able to take control of the game.”
UVU did adapt and take control after Skyler Milne put the Wolverines on the board in the 11th minute by heading in his eighth goal of the season. Paul Hoffmeister tallied another goal in the 28th minute after intercepting a pass and shooting from the top of the box into the corner of the goal.
Incarnate Word made an attempt at cutting into the Wolverines’ lead in the 33rd minute when O’Neal Moore of UIW had possession on the left side of the box, but goalkeeper Colin Partee dove on the ball before Moore could manage a shot.
Donnett Sackie added a third goal to UVU’s total before the half after chasing a ball from Aaron Meyer into the box and beating UIW goalkeeper Therrien by lobbing the ball to the back of the net.
The Cardinals got on the board in the second half on a controversial goal by Dylan Kelly when UVU defensemen were petitioning an offside that went uncalled. The Wolverines responded in the 62nd minute to put the match away as Austin Buxton received the ball off an Aaron Meyer steal at midfield and pushed up field to the UIW box where he evaded two defenders and put the ball into the back, left corner of the goal.
Aaron Meyer had three assists in the match to give a WAC-leading 11 on the season and he also tied for second in the nation in assists.
“The performance tonight was fantastic,” Coach Maas said of the play of his team.
UVU wraps up regular season play Saturday, November 7 at 7 pm MT against league-leading Seattle University at Clyde Field.
