It was a case of double delight for the University of Utah Women’s Club team as they recorded their second win of the day at the Dobbie Lambert Intramural Fields in Bozeman, Montana.

 

Utah had eked out a 1-0 victory over Boise State University earlier, but they were hoping to put in a more polished performance in the overcast, yet still very hot, weather that had enveloped the venue.

 

Hosts Montana State University had overcome BSU 3-0 that morning, so the Bobcats were coming in with their tails up. However, it was the Utes that started the brighter, with the midfield trio of Kathryn Jones, Emma Nielsen, and Sophia McQueen laying the platform for the considerable improvement in the quality of Utah’s play.

 

Montana’s forwards had caused Boise State many problems in the opening game of the day, but Utah’s rearguard coped admirably with the challenge. Isabel Gallegos attacked every ball with gusto, while her central defensive partner Claire West provided excellent cover.

 

But, in truth, the Utah defense had a pretty comfortable first half. In a stretched and open affair, Utah worked the ball well through midfield and regularly found wingers Rachyll Faeth and Hannah Powell in advanced and dangerous positions.

 

As with the BSU game, though, Utah struggled to make its dominance count on the scoreboard. That all changed on the stroke of half time. After a period of prolonged and intense pressure, the Montana defense finally buckled.

 

Kennidy Howard delivered an excellent corner kick from the right side which was met and helped on by Ashla Pace. Some clever movement from Jones saw her in the perfect place at the perfect time to volley home from close range.

 

It was no more than the Utes deserved for an excellent first half, and they headed into the interval buzzing.

 

Head Coach Seamus Leonard made a number of personnel changes at half time, but it had little or no effect on the Utah performance levels. If anything, the fresh legs only increased the visitors’ control of proceedings.

 

Odette Rodriguez came in at center back to make her Utah debut, and she immediately formed an effective partnership with West. Emma Burke and Gabrielle Nicholson filled in the full-back positions and ensured that goalkeeper Sarah Taylor was rarely troubled by Montana State shots.

 

That said, Taylor handled everything that did come her way with ease. And she showed tremendous sweeper keeping ability to come out of her box a few times to deal with potentially dangerous through and long balls behind the Utah back four.

 

Cognizant of how difficult Boise State had been to kill off, Utah did everything they could to snatch a second goal and give MSU a mountain to climb.

 

The crucial second goal came in the 63rd minute, and it was worth waiting for. Tenacious high pressing by Powell saw the ball break loose to Isabel Burke. Almost without a thought, the Layton native picked out Faeth on the left side of the penalty area with an incisive pass. Faeth took a perfect first touch inside to set her up for a rapierlike right-footed finish to the corner of the MSU net.

 

The relief in the Utah camp was palpable, and it gave the players license to attack with increased abandon. With confidence coursing through the Utes’ veins, a third goal arrived with just over 20 minutes remaining.

 

While Utah was playing some aesthetically pleasing soccer, the third goal owed as much to perspiration as it did to inspiration. After a neat build-up Pace found herself in possession right in front of the Montana State goal. Some brilliant last-ditch defending saw her initial shot blocked by a combination of goalkeeper and defenders, but as bodies flailed everywhere, Pace was quickest to bounce up off the ground and was rewarded when her toe-poked effort trickled into the empty net.

 

Montana State fought bravely to nick a consolation goal, but Utah wanted a third consecutive clean sheet, following on from the shutouts against Boise State and College of Southern Nevada, and managed to keep the Bobcats’ attackers at bay.

 

Indeed, the Utes could have added to their advantage on a couple of occasions, but Tori Murphy was denied by some brave MSU blocks. It was an achievement for Murphy to even be back on the field, with the Coloradan playing her first game of the year after missing the entire Spring season with a serious knee injury.

 

There would be no more goals to report, but two wins and two clean sheets ensured the long drive home to Salt Lake City would be a sweet one.

 

University of Utah: Sarah Taylor; Ashley Tedesco, Isabel Gallegos, Claire West, Addison Martin; Rachyll Faeth, Kathryn Jones, Emma Nielsen, Sophia McQueen, Hannah Powell; Isabel Burke; Gabrielle Nicholson, Emma Burke, Odette Rodriguez, Syd Bowling, Tori Murphy, Camryn Ernst, Anna Papadopoulos, Ashla Pace, Kennidy Howard.

 

09/09/2017