KICK OFF
• Utah Tech will return to Ceder City October 14th at 3pm to resume play against Southern Utah from their October 2nd matchup which was called at half time with the Trailblazers leading 1-0 due to lighting. They will then host WAC foe Grand Canyon October 21st at 7:30PM
• The second half of the Southern Utah game will be streamed on ESPN+
• Live Stats for both matches can be found at UtahTechTrailblazers.com

UTAH TECH 2022 SEASON QUICK STATS:
• Utah Tech has 18 goals on the season from 128 shots with 65 shots on frame.
• Utah Tech averages 10.7 shots per game and has a total of 17 assists.
• The Trailblazers have 49 saves on the season and have allowed just six goals
• Utah Tech has a 9-2-1 overall record and a 5-0-1 record in WAC action and is at No. 1 in the WAC standings

PREVIOUSLY ON
The first half of the match was played on Oct. 2. Due to a lightning delay the match was rescheduled for Oct. 14.

Back on Oct. 2 in the first half Utah Tech didn't waste any time setting the pace of the game with a shot on goal in the first minute by Lauren Buxton. Brynlee Roberts fired off a shot in the fifth minute that went wide.

Kayla Thompson notched a stellar save in the 12th minute to keep the Thunderbirds at bay.

In the 20th minute, Southern Utah went on a strong attack with three shots in less than a minute with one on goal but never executed.

In the 23rd minute, Lacy Fox had the ball at the attacking mid and crossed it forward to a breaking Karli Nyland, SUU tried to intercept but Roberts was there to keep the momentum. Roberts touched it to Nyland who sent the ball into the lower right corner for a Trailblazer goal.

The first half finished out with UT having a 1-0 lead. However due to a lightning delay the game was postponed.


NINE WINS, EIGHT SHUTOUTS, TEN UNBEATEN:
Utah Tech recorded seven consecutive shutouts this season including six wins and one tie. After falling to North Dakota State on August 29, the Traiblazers haven't lost a game. First, UT picked up a 1-0 win over St. Thomas before defeating South Dakota with a big 5-0 win. Then, UT defeated Idaho State 1-0 and in-state rival Weber State 1-0. The Trailblazers started WAC play with two victories, first over Stephen F. Austin with a 2-0 score and then UTRGV 1-0. Against Tarleton State, UT came away with a 0-0 tie before downing Abilene Christian 2-0 to finish off an un defeated month of September. They started off October with a 1-0 win over Sam Houston and a 3-1 win over New Mexico State.

Kayla Thompson was in the net for each of the seven straight shutouts earning seven clean sheets.

In total Utah Tech had 718 minutes without allowing a goal. And are now in a stright of 937 minute having only allowed two goals.

NYLAND WAC OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK:
Karli Nyland earned WAC Player of the Week honors for her performance against Stephen F. Austin and and UTRGV.  She scored two goals placing her first one in the net in the 13th minute off a set piece. Just two minutes later, Utah Tech drew another corner where Nyland executed another shot for UT's second goal. In total over the weekend, Nyland ended with two goals, three shots with all three shots on frame.
She currently leads the Trailblazers in most goals scored with four on the season and total shots with 19 and shots on goal with 11.

THOMPSON'S LOCKDOWN:
Goalkeeper, Kayla Thompson was named the WAC Defensive Player of the Week after notching 10 saves and a 2-0 record last week. She has broke into the top 10 in several career categories at Utah Tech. She sits at No. 6 in total minutes with 2,370. She is at No. 1 in total saves with 150. Thompson claimed the top spot against Abilene Christian where she posted, three saves. She also took over the top spot in shutouts with her 10 and counting.

Thompson currently leads the WAC with eight shutouts and is No. 6 in the WAC in total saves with her 49 so far on the season.

Thompson currently has the school record for seven consecutive shutouts and the most consecutive shutout minutes in school history with 718.

POSTSEASON TOURNAMENT ELIGIBILITY: As of Summer 2022 the WAC Board of Directors voted as of the 2022-23 season to allow newcomers to the WAC, Tarleton State and Utah Tech, to compete for all conference tournaments. Utah Tech University is in it's third year of a four year transitionary period into Division I and the Western Athletic Conference.

FIRST GOAL: Utah Tech senior Lauren Buxton notched the team's first goal of the year in the season opener against Colorado State on August 18. Buxtons goal was her third of her career.

MOST RECENT GOAL:  Against New Mexico State, was scored by Emily Garbett in the 51st minue. Garbett's third goal of the season came off a free kick shot from 38 yards out and landed directly in goal giving the Trailblazers a 3-0 lead in a game they would go on to win 3-1.

ONE . .  TWO. . . THREE . . . FOUR. . . FIVE! :  Against South Dakota, Utah Tech notched five goals in one game. This was the first time since 2019 that the Trailblazers scored five or more goals in a single game. It's also the most goals scored in a game this season.

2022 ROSTER BREAKDOWN: The Trailblazers return 15 players from the 2021 team this season, welcome in 14 freshmen and six transfers. Among the returners are the teams 2021 leader in saves, senior goalkeeper Kayla Thompson, captain Lauren Buxton and 2021 team leading goalscorer Kalea Woodyatt. Also returning are McKinley Barney, Shaylynn Uyeshiro and Emily Garbett who eached logged over 1,000 minutes of play last season.

KNOW YOUR FOE SOUTHERN UTAH
The Thunderbirds are 9-2-1 on the season and 4-1-1 in WAC play. SUU is coming off a 2-0 win over Sam Houston. Southern Utah has 30 total goals on the season and has recorded 176 shots with 88 on frame. The Thunderbirds have 25 assists and 61 saves on the season so far

Southern Utah is lead by Sammie Sofonia who has seven goals on the season from 24 shots with 13 on goal. Kate Schirmer leads the Thunderbirds with 32 shots. Megan Short leads the Thunderbirds with 59 saves on the season. She's made 12 starts and 12 appearances with 1'017 minutes. She's allowed seven goals on the season. Naomi Kehl has also spent some time in the net for SUU with 63 minutes in the net and two saves.

THUNDERBIRDS vs. TRAILBLAZERS :
This is the third meeting between the two teams.

Both of the previous matches were played last season with the two teams playing to a 1-0-1 draw at home at Greater Zion stadium and the Trailblazers coming away with a 2-1 Victory in the second meeting played in Ceder City

KNOW YOUR FOE GRAND CANYON:
The Lopes are 5-5-2 overall on the season and 1-3-1 in WAC play. GCU is coming off a 1-0 win over Stephen F. Austin. GCU has 15 total goals on the season and has recorded 205 shots with 72 on frame. GCU has 55 assists and 28 saves on the season so far.

Gianna Gourley leads the Lopes, and the WAC, in goals with eight from 51 shots and 21 on frame. Shantell Hutton leads GCU in the net with 17 saves in 347 minutes with 5 games played, all of which she started. Hutton has split time in goal with Jordan Ferguson who has 11 saves in 720 minuets appearing in 9 games 7 of which she started

LOPES vs. TRAILBLAZERS:
The two teams have faced off 12 times in the past in which Utah Tech holds a 6-4-2 record.

The squads faced off twice last season with the Lopes winning both contests. In the most recent matchup the Trailblazers fell 2-1 at Grand Canyon.

The Trailblazers are 3-3-1 when taking on GCU at Greater Zion Stadium.

UT has a 0-2 record vs. GCU under head coach Molly Rouse.