OREM – The UVU Women’s Soccer team started the season facing adversity. They went into the match on the 27th with two losses and a tie but ended the night with a win as they battled the 17th placed Jayhawks 2-1, scoring both goals within two minutes of each other.
For the Jayhawks, the loss could be a greater indication of work needed–they ended the night with 16 shots, 5 being on goal, compared to UVU’s 7 shots and 4 on goal.
As seen by the stats, the Jayhawks kept the offense up, which led to a corner and subsequent goal by Jillian Gregorski in the 15th minute. Kansas would continue with the aggression taking 6 more shots, either missed or saved by Wolverine goalie Madeleine Boucher.
Following this save, UVU retaliated with a double whammy, scoring back-to-back in the 36th and 38th minutes by Malia Jessop and Sadie Beardall, respectively.
“I feel like we’ve been waiting for it,” said Beardall. “I am going to score. That was the only sentence that was in my head.”
This Wolverine soccer team has had some rough games; they opened the season with a 1-1 against Michigan but was followed by two losses to the University of Utah (2-0) and Utah State University (1-0).
“I feel like when we were going through adversity, [at the] beginning of this preseason, we just always had that courage and the mentality,” continued Beardall. “And as soon as we had that faith and scored two goals, it just carried us.”
The Jayhawks would take nine shots in the second half, to no avail as UVU was able to hold them to one goal allowed; Boucher would rack up four saves by the end of the match.
“I’m just so happy for the team,” said Head Coach Chris Lemay. “I felt like we ‘ve already dealt with a bit of adversity. …I mean we felt like we were a better team than the results that shown. …getting an opportunity to play a top 25 group and then getting and earning the result. I’m super proud of them…”
This soccer team might end the night with a 1-2-1 record, but it sounds like it’s a great one to lead off.
