With the Weber State University’s women’s soccer team not competing in the Big Sky Conference until September, WSU will continue their nine-game slate of non-conference play as they clash with Utah Valley University on Aug. 26 at the Wildcat Soccer Field.
After a tough 5–0 loss to Brigham Young University in an exhibition match on Aug. 14 and rebounding with a 2–0 victory over Kansas State University on Aug. 19, the Wildcats will host UVU, who won their first three games of the 2021 season.
In the Wildcats’ game against K-State, junior defender/midfielder Lauren McConnell scored the first goal of the fall campaign as she received a through-ball pass from freshman midfielder Brynlee Meyerhoffer and chipped the ball over K-State goalkeeper Alaina Werremeyer to give WSU a 1–0 lead at 30:47 in the first half.
Weber State added to their lead at 61:05 in the second half as sophomore midfielder Yira Yoggerst took a set-piece corner as she crossed the ball into the box and, after multiple deflections, the ball wound up in the back of the net as freshman forward Morgan Furmaniak headed it down towards Kansas State’s goal and slowly trickled past Werremeyer to cap off the 2–0 victory for WSU in Manhattan, Kansas.
As for the Utah Valley University Wolverines, their season went off with a perfect start.
The Wolverines went to Cedar City and beat Southern Utah University 2–1 in an exhibition match on Aug. 14. On Aug. 20 they played at home and comfortably handled University of Arizona 2–0, and on Aug. 23, they equalized late in the second half and eventually won the game 2–1 in overtime against Northern Arizona University.
UVU is led by sophomore midfielder Heather Stainbrook and red shirt junior forward Sadie Brockbank, who have been the two most dangerous players the Wolverines have that the Wildcats should be cautious about. In the three games the Wolverines have played this season, Stainbrook has two goals and one assist while Brockbank has assisted twice.
In previous encounters between the two in-state college rivals, Weber State has an overall record of 8–2 against the Wolverines with their most recent season game finishing with a 1–0 win in Orem on Sept. 24, 2018. The Wildcats have a four-game winning streak against Utah Valley dating back to 2011.
WSU and UVU did play an exhibition game before last season started on Jan. 16, and the Wolverines were victorious with the score finishing 1–0.
The first home game of the fall 2021 season for Weber State was on Aug. 26 at the Wildcat Soccer Stadium where they went head-to-head with Utah Valley. The game was also available to watch on ESPN Plus.
