(St. George, Utah – Aug. 10, 2023) Trailblazer women's soccer opened the Lexi Brown era Thursday evening, defeating the Eastern Arizona Gila Monsters 8-0 at Greater Zion Stadium. Thursday's contest was the lone exhibition of the 2023 season as Utah Tech faces South Dakota and Omaha in road contests next weekend to begin regular season play.

"Overall it was just a great opportunity to get our players on the field and match up against a new opponent. We've been playing against ourselves so much that I just wanted to see how the team would do against someone else," Coach Brown said. "It was a great opportunity for us to see some players in some different positions while getting a result, scoring some goals and keeping a clean sheet - everything you want in an exhibition."
 
Boasting a starting 11 that featured key returners and freshmen alike, the Trailblazers wasted no time in this one as Brynlee Rider slammed home a shot in just the 10^th minute to open the game's scoring after a set piece and scramble in the box. After settling into the game, Utah Tech scored two in quick succession late in the first half, as Madison Monson and Savannah Hansen scored goals just 12 seconds apart in the 43rd and 44th minutes to break the game open, fueling a 3-0 lead at the halftime break.
 
With goals by McKinley Barney (62^nd minute), Emily Garbett (63^rd minute), Tara McDonald (74^th minute), Mylee Carver (77^th minute) and Tori Brown (86^th minute), Utah Tech worked its way to a victory in the team's first action of the 2023 season.
 
The Trailblazers would finish with 38 shots (17 on goal) while taking 15 corner kicks and committing 10 fouls. Both Barney and McDonald added assists as Brianna Frey would record the lone save of the game for Utah Tech.
 
After the game, Coach Brown acknowledged how there were several players who made key contributions in the game's outcome.
 
"She didn't get on the stat sheet but Kearney Hoggan was really impressive just in terms of her energy – tonight she brought a lot to the table. I also want to shout out our center backs who helped keep the clean sheet," Brown said. "Gracie Knutzen and Michelle Rodriguez started but Hanna Carlisle, Nicole Choren and Amy Tipper all came off the bench and did really well to make sure we kept the clean sheet.
 
"You see the speed of players like Brynlee Rider, she's a player who can get in behind for us a lot, Lacy Fox, lots of players got on the scoresheet," Brown added. "I'm proud of them for that but also really proud of the other players on the field who might not get the accolades from getting on the scoresheet but really contributed to the win."
 
Thursday's game was the only preseason contest of the 2023 season for Utah Tech, as the team hits the road for its season opener next week against South Dakota. Kickoff against the 'Yotes is slated for 5 p.m. MT on Thursday, Aug. 17.