The road tilts against the Wildcats, the Rams in action for the Utah Soccer team – University of Utah Athletics

SALT LAKE CITY – The University of Utah women’s soccer team’s final two non-conference games on the 2023 schedule are fast approaching, and both will take Nakada Hideki’s club away from home as the Utes try to maintain their winning record heading into Pac-12 competition.

The first game of the week takes the Utes to Ogden, Utah on Thursday to face the Weber State Wildcats at Wildcat Soccer Field at 7 p.m., followed by a Sunday game against Colorado State at CSU Soccer Field at 1 p.m. Rams. in Fort Collins, Colorado.

THURSDAY MATCH Date | Time: Thursday, September 14 | 19:00 Utah (3-2-2) vs. Weber State (0-6-0) Location: Ogden, Utah | Wildcat soccer field Live stats: click here Live stream: click here Twitter updates: @UtahWSoccer

SUNDAY MATCH Date | Time: Sunday, September 17 | 1:00 p.m Utah (3-2-2) vs. Colorado State (5-0-1) Location: Fort Collins, Colorado | CSU football field Live stats: click here Live stream: click here Twitter updates: @UtahWSoccer

Weber State Scouting

In six games in 2023, the Wildcats have so far failed to achieve their first victory, and they will play at home on Thursday for only the second time. In 2022, half of WSU’s six wins came on their home field, including back-to-back triumphs to close out the regular season. The Wildcats tied Utah Valley 1-1 during their home game on Aug. 12, but suffered a 2-0 loss in their home opener against UNLV.

Sayler Schlosser has been Weber State’s leading offensive producer so far in 2023, leading the team in goals and points and remaining the leader in shots. Sophomore Sayler Schlosser scored twice against Gonzaga on Aug. 24, scoring the first two goals of her collegiate career. Among the players still looking for first-team scoring in 2023 are Morgan Furmaniak and Yira Yoggerst named to the All-Big Sky first team in 2022. Three different Wildcats scored goals in six games, and each made two starts.

Against Weber State all the time

The Utah-Weber State series included 16 games, with the first game taking place in 1996 and ending with a 3-1 victory for the Utes. The Wildcats won both consecutive contests, but Utah won 11 of the next 12 contests, including the last matchup in Ogden, which was in 2018 and ended with a score of 2-0. The Utes enter Thursday’s game on the back of six straight wins in Ogden.

The last time was against Weber State

The last game between these programs in the spring of 2021 was played in Herriman, Utah, and ended in a 1-1 draw. The goal was scored in the 57th minute Haley Farrar eliminated the Utes’ early deficit, and defense from SJ Edwards and Chelsea Peterson helped keep the score steady for the remainder of regulation and both overtimes.

Colorado State Scouting

A year after posting a 4-7-8 record, head coach Keeley Hagen has led the Rams to a 5-0-1 mark, and the team will look to maintain that undefeated record in Thursday’s game against Utah Tech before facing the Utes on Sunday. Each of CSU’s last four wins have been by one goal, and its five-game winning streak has set a program record.

The Rams’ stout defense has been the most obvious reason for their early season success, as evidenced by a .333 goals against average that ranks CSU 14th in the country. Hagen recently saw her team keep four straight clean sheets, with her team scoring just two goals all year while earning four straight wins by one goal. The Rams also outscored all six of their opponents in shots on goal.

Offensively, Olivia Fout’s four goals and eight points put her in the top five in the Mountain West Conference. The Virginia sophomore started the year by scoring a goal in each of her team’s first three games and twice scored the lone goal in CSU’s 1-0 victory.

The last time was against Colorado State

Sunday’s clash will be only the second time the Utes have faced the Rams, with the first being in Salt Lake City in 2022. Utah was the beneficiary of the goals: Madeline Vergura, Courtney Brown AND Blaylock from Brooklyn following a 3-0 victory in which the Utes defense limited the visitors to just one shot on goal.

Achieving results on the road

The Utes were undefeated in their first four road games, recording two wins and two ties. This is the first time since 2014 that the team has managed to do this. Utah football has never gone undefeated in its first five road contests.

Keep an eye on Courtney
Courtney Brown she has already scored seven points in the Utes’ first six games, which is the first Ute to do so since Paola van der Veen also had seven points in Utah’s first six games in 2018. Brown’s stats include three assists, giving her 14 in her Utah career. Two more will give her fifth place in the program’s history.

Looking at the Pac-12 leaderboard

One look at the Pac-12 statistical leaderboard reveals several top-five Utes in various categories. Courtney Brown AND Kennedy Schoennauer they are third in the league in assists, with three assists each Katie O’Kane 21 shots is also enough for ninth place.

Bullock’s early breakthrough
Kelly Bullock He put the Utes on the board in the third minute of an Aug. 30 game that ended with Utah Valley winning 5-0. Bullock’s 2:21 tally marks the program’s earliest goal since Natalie Vukic scored 40 seconds into a game against Utah State in 2017.

First half of fireworks

Utah’s offense was also responsible for three first-half goals in defeating the Wolverines. Those three first-half scores marked their highest point total in the first 45 minutes since they scored four first-half goals against North Dakota State on August 27, 2017.

Shine of the back line

The Utes have scored just two goals in three games, the fewest they have allowed since they also held their first three opponents to just two points in 2014. This season was the last time the Utes recorded three clean sheets in their first five games.

Call Bella
Bella Woods scored Utah’s first goal of the season during the team’s August 17 game against NC State. This made her the first Utah State freshman to record a season opener since Erin Dalley in 2007. Woods also recorded an assist in the Utes’ victory over College of Charleston.

NCAA tournament history

The Utes’ goal is to advance to the NCAA Tournament for the ninth time in school history and for the first time since 2019. Utah State’s best postseason performance came in 2016, when they worked their way to the Sweet 16.

By the numbers

The player list is complete again Hideki NakadaThe club includes almost all of the statistical leaders of the 2022 team. Taliana Kaufusiwho scored a team-high six goals, returns for the senior campaign as assistant leader Ryann Culla returned after bringing together four midfielders a season ago. Kaufusi also led the team in shots in 2022 with 41, and was followed by other returnees Katie O’Kanewho scored 28, i Courtney Brownwho published 26.

All four Utah goalkeepers in goal, Ewelina Witalij, Kasia Wardle, Megan Quiggle AND Taylor Prigge, are back for another season. No one on the squad made more saves than Vitali’s 48 in 2022, and Wardle averaged 0.70 goals. Utah’s goalkeepers have recorded a total of seven shutouts on the season.

Older six

Utah’s six-member senior class includes: Courtney Brown, Brooke Hale, Katie O’Kane, Taliana Kaufusi, Megan Quiggle AND Ragan Vanschalkwyk. This group combined to appear on the field in over 200 games for the Utes, and Brown is the only player remaining on the 2019 roster to reach the NCAA Tournament.

New Uty

Utah’s 2023 squad includes seven new faces, and the newcomers’ list includes freshmen Kennedy Schoennauer, Liliah Blum, Bella Woods, Rylan Park, Mia Becarevic AND Izzy Smith and transfer to the second year Alex Schoenstadt.

Woods, Becarevic and Smith were members of the Alta High School team that made the 2022 state playoffs, Schoennauer helped her team win the CCA Division II championship, Blum was named conference player of the year and Park was an all-league selection.

Schoenstadt played her first season with Ole Miss and helped the Rebels to a winning record as well as nine clean sheets.

Pac-12 preseason coaches poll

The Pac-12 released its preseason coaching poll on August 14, and the UCLA Bruins earned nine first-place votes and finished first in the poll. The Utes finished 10th.

Tickets for the 2023 season

Season tickets for the 2023 season are now available. Fans can purchase season tickets for $35 by calling the Utah State Ticket Office at 801-581-UTIX or visiting www.utahtickets.com. Utah football team scarves available as an accessory for $10.00.

Next time

After facing the Cougars, the Utes will make a short trip to Ogden, Utah on September 14 to battle Weber State at 7 p.m.

SUBMIT TO THE UTES!

Fans can follow the story on social media (Twitter: @UtahWSoccer | Instagram: @UtahWSoccer | Facebook: Facebook.com/Utahwsoccer).

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