After beating two well known teams — Air Force and Wyoming — The Northern Colorado Bears (2-3) rolled into town all fired up to beat UVU, but that didn’t stop Jennie Clough who finished off the Bears in an exciting overtime win.
Coach Anderson needed only word to describe Jennie Clough’s remarkable play: “clutch.” Considering that Clough was conference MVP last year and could be again this year, Coach Anderson said, “She is our Michael Jordan. She is a player that the team counts on and she puts a lot of pressure on herself, but she comes through for us.”
On a two-game winning streak, Northern Colorado found out how good UVU is when Clough scored off a cross from Andi Bagdan. Utah Valley scored against the Bears in the first 10 minutes of the game. “We played them last year and we lost 1-0. We knew they were a better team this year,” said Jennie Clough.
The Bears struck back after a handball, giving them a direct kick just outside the box passing UVU’s wall of defense into the upper right corner of the goal, sending it to half tied 1-1.
“At halftime we talked and I told them I felt very confident in them,” Anderson said. “If you look at our team’s history over the past few games we have been able to make very good adjustments at half time.”
Making those adjustments as a team and individually early in the second half, Jaime Lyons, a freshman from Provo, scored her first goal for Utah Valley with the assistance of Jennifer Lohner in the 47th minute to give UVU a 2-1 advantage.
Then, 10 minutes later, Northern Colorado bounced right back with Marcie Johnson, who weaved through the UVU defense to score making it 2-2.
With the score being tied 2-2 the game was sent into overtime. In the extra period the first shot on goal was by none other than Clough, receiving a pass from Lohner. Clough placed the game winning shot perfectly in the corner of the goal. The Wolverines won in intense overtime fashion 3-2.
“It was awesome” Clough said. “You’re obviously happy that you can do it, of course you would like anyone on the team to do it, but I was lucky enough to get the opportunity and finish it off.”
As a team, this UVU squad is impressive. Anderson believes his team will not give up when being down. “UV teams in the past maybe would have. … This team is different, they’re stronger mentally, they’re disciplined, and they’re a strong team.”
Mallory Schott saved four shots in the game that brought yet another win to UVU’s record. Schott, getting noticed not only for her saves, was given the Great West Conference Defensive Player of the Week award.
