In their second-to-last home game of the regular season, the Southern Utah University soccer team will take on the University of Northern Colorado on Sunday, Oct. 18. The match will begin at 1 p.m. at the Thunderbird Soccer Field in Cedar City, Utah.
This match will be streamed live on ESPN+. It will mark the 14th time the teams have faced each other. The T-Birds haven’t beaten the Bears in soccer since 2015, with their lone other win coming in 2008. Both wins came in Cedar City.
Southern Utah
SUU holds a 4-7-3 record on the season, surpassing their win total from last year and tying their tie total. They’ve gone 1-2-2 in Big Sky play so far, with each conference match ending in either a tie or a 1-0 result.
Despite their struggles, the Thunderbirds have made improvements from last season and have been solid at home. They hold a 2-2-2 home record and have only allowed two goals in three conference games in Cedar City.
Much of that glory belongs to goalie Tatum Trout. The freshman from Huntington Beach, Calif., has started every game for the T-Birds and has been in the net for over 89% of SUU’s minutes this year. She averages 4.4 saves per game with a 79.2% save percentage, and she led all Big Sky goalies in conference play saves through Oct. 12.
The youth revolution extends to the offense, where forward Gracen Blieschke is leading the way in nearly every category. The freshman from Strathalbyn, Australia, leads the team with four assists, 12 points and 34 shots while tying forward Ashlyn O’Malley with a team-leading four goals.
O’Malley, also a freshman and hailing from Rogers, Minn., has scored both of the Thunderbirds’ goals in conference play this season. With this many promising young players and a first-year head coach in Steven Lindquist, the SUU soccer team has completely reset its timeline and set itself up for success in the new Big Sky.
Northern Colorado
The Bears hold a 4-5-4 record this season and are undefeated in conference play so far, with one win and two ties. They haven’t allowed a goal since Sept. 25, but that was after a two-game stretch where they were outscored 8-0.
Northern Colorado has its own freshman star in Maddie Mori. The forward from New Westminster, British Columbia, Canada, leads the team with three goals and seven points. Two of those three goals won the game for the Bears.
On the other side of the pitch from Trout will be experienced goalkeeper Thordis Melsted. The senior from Hafnarfjörður, Iceland, has a nearly identical save percentage to Trout with a few more total saves and five shutouts to her name this year. She hasn’t allowed a goal in 270 minutes of conference play in 2026.
SUU and Northern Colorado tied 1-1 when they met last in 2025, and this will be just their second meeting since 2021.
Match details
SUU will host Northern Colorado on Sunday, Oct. 18, at the Thunderbird Soccer Field in Cedar City, Utah. Kickoff is scheduled for 1 p.m., and the match will be streamed live on ESPN+.
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Author: Payson Davis
Photo by SUU Athletics
Editor: Charlee Steed
sports@suunews.net
