An early goal from striker Sarah Taylor proved just about enough to see University of Utah past the tough test Boise State University provided in Bozeman, MT, on Saturday afternoon.
Despite overnighting in Idaho Falls, and then enduring an over-three-hour drive up that morning, the U of U made light of any travel fatigue to get off to a blistering start at the Dobbie Lambert Intramural Fields on the grounds of Montana State University.
Utah dominated possession in the early stages and was able to isolate Taylor against defenders almost straight from kick-off.
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It took less than six minutes for the Utes to make the breakthrough. Sophia McQueen had the time, space, and vision to pick out the perfectly timed run of Taylor who was able to hold off the pressure of a Boise center-back and fire home a near-post finish.
The goal was the result of a devastating counter-attack, and Utah was able to get in behind the Broncos’ defense numerous times in the opening 20 minutes.
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The Utes failed to take advantage of the golden opportunities, however, and Boise slowly but surely grew into the game.
The second half of the opening period was a much more even affair, with neither side able to carve out any clear-cut scoring chances. Utah went into the interval with that 1-0 lead, but it was a far from comfortable advantage.
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The second half followed a similar pattern, with Utah having the better of things but again failing to add a second goal to give themselves a cushion. The more nervous the Utes became, the more confidence Boise gained, and the Gem State outfit was able to exert some sustained pressure and enjoy more time in Utah’s territory.
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Stand-in goalkeeper Gabrielle Nicholson was heroic between the Utah sticks, but minutes from the end she was adjudged to have handled the ball outside the penalty area. The resulting free-kick offered BSU its best chance to level matters, but the shot sailed over the crossbar, much to Nicholson and her teammates’ relief.
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The final whistle couldn’t come soon enough for the Utes, but they saw out the closing minutes in relative comfort to secure a crucial win in their quest to qualify for Regionals in October.
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Although it was a nervy and, at times, disjointed display from Utah, there were some notable performances. Freshman McQueen excelled on her debut in the number 10 role, while Claire West was assured and commanding at center back. Emma Nielsen’s versatility proved vital, with the former Highland HS player slotting in at both center mid and left-back when required. And it was a superb effort by Nicholson to keep a crucial clean sheet.
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University of Utah: Gabrielle Nicholson; Ashley Tedesco, Isabel Gallegos, Claire West, Addison Martin; Kennidy Howard, Anna Papadopoulos, Emma Nielsen, Sophia McQueen, Ashla Pace; Sarah Taylor; Emma Burke, Kathryn Jones, Syd Bowling, Isabel Burke, Rachyll Faeth, Hannah Powell, Tori Murphy, Camryn Ernst, Odette Rodriguez.
09/09/2017
