(St. George, Utah – Aug. 27, 2023) Utah Tech women's soccer was in action Sunday afternoon, defeating the Nevada Wolfpack 2-1 at Greater Zion Stadium. The result moves UT to 2-1-1 on the season with a trip to Spokane, Wash., scheduled for next weekend.
 
"It was a crazy match in that we really looked like two completely different teams in the first and second half." head coach Lexi Brown said after the game. "I don't always like a comeback win but I love it in the sense that we now know we can do this again if we have to."
 
The centerback pairing of Michelle Rodriguez and Gracie Knutzen would make its fourth appearance in the starting eleven this season as Nevada came out and controlled the game's early moments. After three shots in the first eight minutes, UNR found a breakthrough in the 16^th minute after a scramble in the box to take a lead.
 
Utah Tech looked close to scoring when Kalea Woodyatt put a shot on target in the 25^th minute, but the Wolfpack goalkeeper stretched out to make a save and keep it level. Neither team would score the rest of the period and the game was level at half.
 
"Nevada was really good early on. They put us under pressure, were good going forward, and we looked like we didn't have an answer," Brown said. "Credit to our captains – Ella Carmody, Gracie Knutzen and Brynlee Rider – they sorted things out and we came out a completely different team for that second half."
 
It didn't take long for a revitalized Trailblazer side to strike back, as Emily Garbett stepped up with an early candidate for goal of the season.  Off a set piece from over 30 yards out, the Lindon, Utah native unleashed a rocket that found the far corner, leveling the game at one apiece in the 51^st minute and giving the Trailblazers some much-needed momentum.
 
After out-shooting Nevada 9-3 over the next 30 minutes, Utah Tech finally found a breakthrough in the 80^th minute. After a long throw in from McKinley Barney, Brynlee Rider got around her defender and played a ball across the face of goal, finding the foot of Lacy Fox who tapped it in for her first goal of the season.
 
"What a beautiful goal from (Emily Garbett)… she's a free kick specialist and gave us exactly what we needed," Brown said. "Brynlee Rider on that second goal did so much work to get to the end line and then did what she does best.
 
"Obviously (Lacy Fox) scored the game-winning goal, but she also kept the ball for us, connected and established a rhythm going forward… it was huge."

Both teams created chances down the stretch but Utah Tech managed the final 10 minutes to secure the 2-1 victory.
 
In total, Utah Tech out-shot Nevada 14-11 (9-3 on target) while taking five corners and drawing 10 Wolfpack fouls. Fox led all players with five shots on goal while Kearney Hoggan added two. Brianna Frey made two saves in net on 11 shots faced.
 
"Our midfield in a lot of ways are the unsung heroes – the three of them played almost 90 minutes each," Brown said. "(Mauri Ashman) did the full 90 and then (Tessa Thornton) and (Emily Garbett) played a ton of minutes and just did so much work to make sure we won that game on both sides of the ball."
 
Utah Tech heads to the Pacific Northwest for a pair of games next weekend, facing Montana and Gonzaga in a multi-team event hosted by the Zags.