Wolverines score five unanswered to pick up third straight win
Christian Ledek | Sports Writer | @sea_led
Photos credit: Gabi Campbell | Art Director | @gabicampbellphotos
OREM, Utah – The Utah Valley University Women’s Soccer team came back on two different occasions to hand the Montana Grizzlies their first loss of the season by the score of 6-2 at Clyde Field on Sunday afternoon.
It marks the third straight win for the Wolverines and the first loss of the season for Montana. The Wolverines are now 3-0-0 at home this season and 3-1-0 overall on the year. The loss drops Montana’s record to 2-1-1.
It was a wild game that saw the Wolverines concede the first goal of the game. They were down 2-1 as well, but then the Grizzlies defense got picked apart the rest of the game, surrendering five unanswered goals. Five different players, something Coach Brent Anderson noted, scored a goal for UVU.
“We have a well-rounded attack. We have a lot of dangerous players that can put the ball in the back of the net,” he said. “I think we created some good opportunities today and we had some players step in, take their chance, and get the goal.”
UVU gave up the first goal by allowing Montana defender Mary Gintz too much space at the top right part of the goal box. She took a near perfect left-footed shot that went in the top right corner of the goal.
UVU answered back to tie the game two minutes later when defender Jamie Brown beat her defender by cutting the ball back to her left foot and burying a shot 20 yards out in the bottom right corner.
The Wolverines gave the second goal away in the 17th minute when Grizzlies midfielder Jenna Castillo put a perfect through ball beyond the defense and in stride of midfielder Mackenzie Akins. Akins finished the shot by placing it beyond the reach of Wolverines keeper Jessica Duffin in the top left part of the goal.
UVU responded once again with goals from Sheridan Fox in the 22nd minute and Sara Callister in the 34th minute to take a 3-2 lead going into halftime.
The second half was all UVU. They created chance after chance and looked dangerous throughout the half. The best of the goals came ten minutes into the second half when UVU was awarded a free kick from 19 yards out. Captain Kasandra Anderson saw the goalie anticipating a pass and caught the goalie out when she hit the shot burying it in the top left corner.
“Sydney [Fitzpatrick] made a great run across the frame of the goal,” Anderson said. “I saw the keeper get distracted by her and I just popped it.”
The wild eight goal contest also saw the Wolverines having to finish the match with ten players when freshman defender Linley Brown picked up her second yellow card, resulting in a red card, and was sent off with fifteen minutes left in the game.
“I love the attitude [Linley has],” Coach Anderson said. “She’s feisty but she’ll learn when and where to apply that type of energy. I like the way our team responded, though, it didn’t throw them off and they were able to organize quickly.”
The Wolverines won’t play another game at home until Thursday, September 10 where they’ll take on Idaho State. The next game for the Wolverines will be on the road against UNLV on September 4.
