Who | Utah Tech (3-3-4, 0-1-0 WAC) vs. Utah Valley (7-4-1, 1-0-0 WAC)
When | Thursday, Oct. 3 - 5 p.m. (MT)
Where | Greater Zion Stadium - St. George, Utah
Social Media | Instagram + Twitter (X) + #UtahTechBlazers

SCOUTING UTAH VALLEY
UVU heads to St. George with a 7-4-1 record, including a 1-0-0 WAC mark, and on a four-game winning streak. The Wolverines defeated Tarleton State 5-2 in their WAC opener last Saturday. Utah Valley has also earned wins over Michigan, Detroit Mercy, Utah, Gonzaga, Weber State and San Diego State. UVU has scored 28 goals and allowed 21. Faith Webber leads the nation in shots per game and is tied with three student-athletes for fifth in the country with 10 total goals. Behind Webber, Utah Valley has emerged as one of the best offensive teams in the country, ranking in the top 31 of six offensive categories. 

Nationally, the Wolverines rank fifth in total assists (35), 15th in total points (91), 22nd in total goals (28) and 31st in scoring offense (2.33), while ranking eighth in assists per game (2.92) and 18th in points per game (7.58). 

UVU leads the conference in points per game (7.58), scoring offense (2.33), assists per game (2.92), shots per game (17.42), shots on goal per game (8.08), total assists (35), total goals (28) and total points (91). Utah Valley is second in the WAC in yellow cards (9), won-lost-tied percentage (.625) and corner kicks per game (5.25). 

SERIES HISTORY
Saturday's match will be the ninth all-time meeting between UT and UVU, with the Wolverines holding a 6-1-1 advantage. In St. George, UVU holds a 2-1-0 lead. Last year's match in Orem, resulted in a 7-0 victory for Utah Valley.

HOME SWEET HOME
Utah Tech hosts all three of its home WAC games in the first two weeks of October, starting with Thursday's match against Utah Valley, followed by Sunday's contest with Seattle U and concluding on Saturday, Oct. 12, when California Baptist visits St. George. Following the three-game homestand, the Trailblazers will finish the regular season with three road conference games.

LAST TIME OUT
Utah Tech opened WAC play, falling at Grand Canyon 2-1 last Saturday. The Trailblazers took an early 1-0 lead when junior Kyah Le found sophomore Ella Rusick near the top of the 18-yard box. Rusick battled through contact and beat Antelope goalkeeper DeAira Jackson with a diagonal strike to the left side of the net in the fourth minute. In the 32nd minute, GCU tied the match as senior Destinee Duran-Wise hit a right-footed strike to the top right of the goal off an assist by sophomore Madison Hamm. After the break, the Trailblazers resisted attack after attack with the stalwart defense of junior goalkeeper Brianna Frey who collected nine saves on the night, including four in the second half. In the closing minutes of the contest, GCU senior Aleisha Ganief missed a shot on a breakaway one-on-one opportunity with Frey. On the follow-through, Ganief collided with Frey and was awarded a penalty kick. Junior AJ Loera buried the PK on the right side to take a 2-1 lead in the 87th minute, providing the game-winning goal for the Antelopes.

TRY TO GET PAST FREY
Junior Brianna Frey is leading the WAC in saves per game (5.60), which ranks 27th in the nation. Frey is also second in the conference in total saves (56), which ranks 35th in the country. With a save percentage of .812, Frey is fourth in the WAC and 83rd in the nation. Frey has also posted two shutouts this season and has four in her career, which ties her for ninth all-time in career shutouts at Utah Tech.

'FOX,' NO PRINTER
Junior Lacy Fox is tied for the best penalty-kick percentage in the nation, converting PKs against UNLV and at Idaho for a perfect 100% rate this season. Fox is third in the WAC in total goals (5), which ranks 112th in the nation. Fox is also tied for third in total points (11) in the conference.

CHASING HISTORY
Among Utah Tech's career records, junior Brianna Frey ranks fifth in saves (125), eighth in goalkeeper minutes (2,205), tied for ninth in shutouts (4) and 10th in goals-against average (1.53). Junior Lacy Fox is tied for sixth all-time in game-winning goals with five. 

NEW AND FAMILIAR FACES
Along with adding 14 new players to the roster during the offseason, the Trailblazers have 23 returning players from last season. The new signing class in St. George includes Gonzaga transfer Kyah Le, Colorado Northwestern Community College transfer Cadie Young, Utah State transfer Heidi Wilstead, and nine true freshmen. The class includes four midfielders (Le and Young along with Bre Koscielski and Jenna McDonnell), three forwards (Wilstead along with Emily Blanchard and Ella Cotter), four defenders (Ali Warner, Lexi Nelson, Adele Faller, Allison Flies), and one goalkeeper (Emma McIff).  

WHAT'S NEXT
Utah Tech continues its homestand by welcoming Seattle U to Greater Zion Stadium on Sunday, Oct. 6 at 11 a.m.