(Las Vegas, Nev. – Nov. 5, 2023) Trailblazer men's soccer played Sunday night, defeating the San Jose State Spartans 1-0 in the first round of the 2023 WAC Men's Soccer Tournament. The result is Utah Tech's first postseason victory since starting its Division-I transition after the team was picked to finish dead last in the 2023 Preseason Coaches' poll.
 
"We haven't been here before so I'm just enjoying it. What a great way to start the game. The whole buildup to the goal is stuff we've talked about all year and the guys are starting to see it play out," Head Coach Jonny Broadhead said. "I feel ecstatic because I know these guys are excited, makes it all worth it.
 
"We've got our hands full with a talented team on Wednesday but we're going to enjoy this right now."
 
Anthony Godinez made his return to the starting eleven as the sixth-seeded Spartans came out with early pressure, controlling possession and recording the game's first shot in the 14^th minute. After weathering that storm, it would be Utah Tech who struck the game's opening blow.
 
After Jimi Villasenor and Abigay Gomez both had opportunities nearly find the back of the net, it would be a long ball over the top that found the feet of Villasenor which opened things up. Villasenor, playing in his hometown of Las Vegas, carried the ball into the near-side corner and cut a ball back for Austin Wallace, who finished at the far post to put Utah Tech ahead in the 26^th minute.
 
Utah Tech appeared close to adding more in the second half, drawing several fouls near the edge of the box and drawing free kicks. Ethan Bell would later find himself one-on-one with the SJSU 'keeper in the 79^th minute but his shot pulled just left.
 
Just before Bell's shot, Stockton Short made a game-defining save, stopping an SJSU header to maintain the clean sheet.
 
"Stockton was just being Stockton but you don't win games the way we do without a top-class goalkeeper and he is that. He's still got so much more and the guys know it too," Coach Broadhead said. "When you've got a goalkeeper like that and you get an early goal you're going to win games."
 
When the final whistle blew, it was Utah Tech 1, San Jose State 0.
 
"It feels really good man. I've been waiting five years for this moment and I honestly have no words," Villasenor said after the game. "We've got to keep it going – the tournament isn't over yet and this is just one game. We've got CBU on Wednesday and they're a really good team but we'll try to keep it going."
 
The Trailblazers finished this one with a 10-9 advantage in shots (4-3 shots on goal), taking six corner kicks and drawing 14 Spartan fouls. Bell and Gomez both led the Trailblazers with two shots apiece as Short finished with three saves in total; Short, Julian Herrera and Angel Saldana all played the full 90 minutes in Utah Tech's fourth clean sheet of the season.
 
Utah Tech returns to action on Wednesday, facing California Baptist. Kickoff agains the Lancers is scheduled for 8 p.m. MT.