After recording their first win of the season versus Portland State University, the Southern Utah University women’s soccer team will host rival Utah Tech University at the Thunderbird Soccer Field on Sunday, Sept. 28 at 1 p.m.
This game will also be streamed on ESPN+.
Southern Utah
SUU is 1-5-2 on the season and 1-3-0 in their last four games. They’ve scored eight goals on the year but have allowed 18, giving up an average of 2.25 goals per game.
The Thunderbirds have struggled to keep games close, losing by two or more goals in all but one of their losses. Despite being second in the WAC in saves and save percentage, keeper Jazmyn Brass has allowed more goals than any other goalie in the conference.
Offensively, Whitney Gardner is the top offensive player for SUU. The redshirt senior forward from Grantsville, Utah was just named WAC Offensive Player of the Week, after having three on-target shots, a goal and an assist in SUU’s win over Portland State.
During that game, Gardner broke the SUU women’s soccer points record previously held by SUU Hall of Famer Stacey Brinkman. She’s also top-10 in the conference in shots and points per game.
The other top point-getter for SUU is fellow senior forward Sarah Assumma. She and Gardner are the team leaders in goals, shots and shots on goal.
Utah Tech
The Trailblazers are 4-3-2 to start the year and are 3-1-1 in their last five games. Their most recent game was also against Portland State, who they defeated 2-1.
Utah Tech’s similarities to SUU don’t stop there. They also have a newly-crowned WAC Player of the Week in freshman defender Abby Olsen. She played all 90 minutes in Utah Tech’s last game and helped the Trailblazers limit Portland State to just one shot on goal.
Redshirt sophomore forward Lataya Brost is the most prevalent offensive player for Utah Tech. Brost is second in the WAC in shots, with 11 more than any of her teammates, but has just seven shots on target and one goal.
Utah Tech’s best point-getter so far is midfielder Kyah Le. The senior from Spokane, Washington is one of three players in the conference to record five assists and is fourth in points in the WAC even with just five shots on goal.
Senior goalie Brianna Frey is the only WAC player with a lower save percentage than Brass, with 17 less saves and 5 less goals allowed in nine games. She didn’t allow a goal on Aug. 17 versus the winless University of California, Riverside, leaving Brass and Mikayla Kendall of Tarleton State University as the only WAC keepers to not have a solo shutout yet.
SUU is 2-3-2 against Utah Tech all-time. Their last game was a 4-0 loss, and their last win came in 2016.