Utah Valley University needed a hero late Saturday night, and sophomore forward Julianna Carter answered the call. Carter scored the go-ahead goal in the 88th minute to lift the Wolverines to a 2-1 win over University of Texas-El Paso.
“We loved the ending and we feel like we deserved it. I felt like our possession was great all night, created a lot of chances and we stayed persistent,” said UVU head coach Chris Lemay. “Juli Carter was in the right place and she was able to tuck it away, that is what she was there to do.”
This was the seventh meeting all-time between the Wolverines and the Miners dating all the way back to 2003. UVU was 2-4 in the previous six meetings with UTEP going into this one.
The Wolverines got on the board early in the form of an own goal by the Miners. The ball was deflected off of a Miner defender and into the goal in the 15th minute. This was UVU’s first goal in nearly two weeks since the last home game on Labor Day.
However, the Miners would regain composure quickly and add a first half goal of their own. In the 29th minute UTEP’s freshman midfielder Jackie Miller’s first goal of the season tied it at 1-1.
The second half is where the aggression and frustration set in for both teams. As a result, both sides committed more fouls than in the first, as well as combing for three yellow cards.
Junior midfielder Amber Tripp decided to take charge late with the score still knotted. Tripp struck a cross into the box intended for freshman defender Jenna Shepherd. However, the header attempt by Shepherd went a little wide but found the foot of Carter who tapped it in.
“I don’t think it was just me, I can’t take all the credit,” said Carter. “It was a diving header for Jenna (Shepherd) and it was just an easy tap in for me just in the right place at the right time.”
The Wolverines will continue the week-long home stand with two more games. First, against cross town rival Brigham Young University on Monday, Sept. 16 at 7:30 p.m. MST. Followed by a matchup with San Diego University on Friday, Sept. 20 at 11 a.m. MST.
Photo by Natasha Colburn
