GAME #13
Who | Utah Tech (1-8-3, 0-3-1 WAC) vs. Grand Canyon (5-5-2, 2-1-0 WAC)
When | Thursday, Oct. 17 - 7:00 p.m. (MT)
Where | Greater Zion Stadium - St. George, Utah
Social Media | Instagram + Twitter (X) + #UtahTechBlazers

LAST TIME OUT
Utah Tech men's soccer was dispatched by Seattle U 1-0 on Sunday afternoon at Championship Field. The Redhawks struck early, scoring on a penalty kick in the third minute. Graduate Taketo Onodera converted the PK into the bottom-left corner of the net. Sophomore Manu Monserrat was called for the foul in the box and cautioned with a yellow card. Utah Tech goalkeeper Stockton Short totaled 11 saves in the match, the most by a UT keeper in the DI era, the second-most saves in a single game in Utah Tech history and the most since Tyler Walters logged 12 at Hawai'i Pacific in 2011. Seattle U outshot the Trailblazers 23-11, including a 12-4 advantage in shots on goal. The Redhawks also committed more fouls, 16-7, and were caught offsides three times compared to twice by UT. Utah Tech won the save battle 11-4. 

SCOUTING GRAND CANYON
The Antelopes visit Greater Zion Stadium fresh off a 1-0 win against Utah Valley on Sunday where goalkeeper Leon Schmidt set Grand Canyon's DI record in saves with seven, all of which came in the second half. Schmidt leads the WAC in goals-against average (.917), save percentage (.825) and shutouts (4).  GCU is 2-1 in WAC play with its other victory coming over UTRGV (2-0). Grand Canyon secured wins against Western Illinois, Duke and Omaha during its non-conference slate.

Offensively, Grand Canyon is led by junior Bright Nutornutsi, the WAC's second-best scorer who has totaled seven goals. Nutornutsi has the third most points (15) and has scored the most game-winning goals (2) in the WAC this season.

GCU is eighth in the country in save percentage (.825), 36th in team goals-against average (.917), 64th in shutout percentage (.333) and 68th in total assists (18), leading the WAC in each category. 

SERIES HISTORY
Thursday's match will be the 15th all-time meeting between UT and GCU. The Antelopes hold a 10-4-0 lead, but the Trailblazers have won the last two matchups with a 1-0 victory in Phoenix last season and a 2-1 win in St. George in 2022. Grand Canyon holds a 4-2-0 advantage in games played in St. George.

UT BY THE NUMBERS
Utah Tech leads the WAC in saves per game (6.83), fouls per game (10.75), penalty kicks (1.000) and yellow cards (38). Nationally, Utah Tech comes in at second in saves per game (6.83), fifth in yellow cards (38), seventh in red cards (53), 76th in fouls per game (10.75) and 95th in shot accuracy (.430).

THEY CALL HIM 'STOP'-TON
Junior goalkeeper Stockton Short leads the nation in total saves (80) and comes in at second in saves per game (6.67) behind Jamie Barry of Niagra (7.18). Short is also tied for 29th in goalie minutes played (1,080) and 36th in save percentage (.784).

Short is the reigning WAC Men's Soccer Goalkeeper of the Week after combining for 16 saves, a shutout and allowing one goal off a penalty kick in games at San José State and Seattle U last week.

ASSIST ADEPT
Redshirt junior Bryce Backlund is tied for fourth in the WAC and 71st in the nation in total assists (4). Backlund also leads UT in points with six from one goal scored against UC Riverside and assists dished out against CSU Fullerton, then-No. 18 Portland, UC Irvine and California Baptist.

BALANCED OFFENSE
Utah Tech has eight different goal-scorers, with 11 total Trailblazers earning at least one point this season and 17 Trailblazers putting at least one shot on goal. Sophomore Jason Buezo, senior Damian Arguello, sophomore Austin Wallace and redshirt junior Bryce Backlund have all notched at least 11 shots and four shots on goal this season. The Trailblazers are also a perfect 100% on penalty kick opportunities, which is tied for first in the nation, as sophomore Samir Cuevas and junior Oliver Stone scored from the penalty mark against UC Riverside and UC Irvine, respectively.

STAY CAUTIOUS
Utah Tech is fifth in the nation in yellow cards (38) leading the WAC. Senior Damian Arguello sophomore Manu Monserrat and redshirt sophomore Harrison Shaw tie for 11th in the nation with five cautions apiece. 

CHASING HISTORY
Among Utah Tech's career records, junior Stockton Short is third in saves (161), third in minutes played (3,105), fourth in wins (10), tied for fourth in shutouts (5) and fifth in goals against average (1.54). Short is also fourth on the single-season saves list with his 80 stops this year.

WHAT'S NEXT
Utah Tech will host UTRGV on Sunday, Oct. 20, at 1:30 p.m. in Greater Zion Stadium. The match will be streamed on WAC International.