Game #17
Who | Utah Tech (3-9-4, 2-4-2 WAC) vs. UNLV (5-6-5, 2-1-5 WAC)
When | Sunday, Nov. 3 - 1:30 p.m.
Where | Greater Zion Stadium - St. George, Utah
Social Media | Instagram + Twitter (X) + #UtahTechBlazers

SENIOR SEND-OFF
Sunday's match will be six Trailblazers' final game at Greater Zion Stadium. Utah Tech will honor defender Gavin Coe, forward Bryce Backlund, midfielder Damian Arguello, forward Ethan Bell, midfielder/defender Angel Saldana and defender Erwin Martinez before the contest. Together, these six seniors have been responsible for 28 points, eight goals, 12 assists and two academic all-WAC honors in their combined time at Utah Tech. 

DOWN TO THE WIRE
With one matchday remaining, only San Diego State, Seattle U and California Baptist have guaranteed themselves a spot in the WAC Tournament. Utah Tech sits on the outside looking in with eight points and three berths remaining. The Trailblazers need a win and other conference results to go their way for a spot in this year's tourney. 

LAST TIME OUT
Utah Tech men's soccer came up short against Utah Valley 2-1 in a chippy, physical match at Clyde Field on Monday night. The Wolverines stole all three points on a goal scored with 19 seconds left in the match. Sophomore Austin Wallace struck first for the Trailblazers. On a long ball from junior Tyson Nguyen, Wallace dribbled down the far side of the field and deftly beat UVU goalkeeper Ben Williams at his near post. The Wolverines punched back with a goal of their own in the 28th minute. UVU senior Nate Kovalcik headed the ball into the bottom left corner of the goal off a Utah Valley corner kick. Utah Tech goalkeeper Stockton Short stopped back-to-back shots in the 56th minute, getting in the way of a volley and then scrambling to the near post to stop a rebound effort and keep the match tied at 1-1. In the 73rd minute, sophomore Samir Cuevas juked out a UVU defender and fired a shot that was saved by the far post. Junior Daichi Saito collected the rebound but got under his shot and missed high on the second effort. Cuevas had a shot saved at the near post after he ripped one from a through ball by sophomore Miguel Regino in the 86th minute. The Wolverines scored on a chaotic sequence in the 90th minute. The ball took an awkward bounce on a Utah Valley cross into the box and UVU redshirt junior Zach Lifferth got a touch to flick the winning goal into the bottom left corner of the goal. Utah Valley outshot UT 9-7, but the Trailblazers held a 6-4 lead in shots on goal. The Wolverines nearly tripled the fouls of Utah Tech, committing 23 to just nine by the visitors. UVU finished with five saves and UT totaled two. 

SCOUTING UNLV
The Rebels visit St. George after beating Air Force 3-0 on the road last Sunday. UNLV is 2-1-5 in WAC play with its other win coming over UTRGV (2-0). The Rebels have drawn with California Baptist, Seattle U, San José State, Grand Canyon and Utah Valley while suffering their only loss to San Diego State in conference play. 

For the first time since 1985, the Rebels have recorded an unbeaten streak of at least seven matches with five consecutive clean sheets. With a current shutout streak of five games, UNLV has now gone over 466 consecutive minutes on the pitch without conceding a goal The Rebels have posted eight clean sheets on the season, going unbeaten at 5-0-3 when they don't allow an opponent to score.

Offensively, UNLV is led by senior Nico Lopez whose seven goals tie him for third-most in the WAC this season. Lopez posted his second brace of the season against UVU last week. Goalkeeper Hugo Lemos leads the WAC and is tied for sixth in the nation with his seven shutouts. Nationally, Lemos ranks 29th in total saves (59), 41st in saves per game (3.93) and 51st in save percentage (.756).

As a team, UNLV ranks tied for ninth in shutout percentage (.500), tied for 26th in red cards (2), 41st in fouls per game (10.13), 50th in saves per game (4.00) and 53rd in save percentage (.753) in the nation. 

SERIES HISTORY
Sunday's match will be the fifth all-time meeting between UT and UNLV. The series is even at 2-2-0. The Rebels won last year's contest 1-0 in Las Vegas, Nevada. In St. George, the series is even at 1-1-0, with the Trailblazers winning the 2022 matchup 1-0.

UT BY THE NUMBERS
Nationally, Utah Tech ranks second in saves per game (6.25), sixth in yellow cards (45), tied for 12th in red cards (3), 23rd in save percentage (.787), 59th in shot accuracy (.443) and 80th in fouls per game (10.88). Utah Tech leads the WAC in saves per game (6.25) and yellow cards (45) and is second in the conference in shot accuracy (.443) and red cards (3). 

THEY CALL HIM 'STOP'-TON
Junior goalkeeper Stockton Short leads the nation in total saves (96) and comes in at second in saves per game (6.00). Short is also tied for seventh in goalie minutes played (1,440) and 28th in save percentage (.780).

Short was named WAC Men's Soccer Goalkeeper of the Week on Oct. 14 after combining for 16 saves, a shutout and allowing just one goal off a penalty kick in games at San José State and Seattle U.

Short earned his first career assist on a goal kick, helping set up the game-winning goal against Grand Canyon.

BALANCED OFFENSE
Utah Tech has 11 different goal-scorers, 16 point-earners and have had 18 Trailblazers put at least one shot on goal this season. Eight Trailblazers have at least four shots on goal this season with redshirt junior Ethan Bell leading the way with 10.

STAY CAUTIOUS
Utah Tech is sixth in the nation in yellow cards (45), leading the WAC. Redshirt sophomore Harrison Shaw leads the Trailblazers with six yellows, tied for 11th-most in the nation, while senior Damian Arguello and sophomore Manu Monserrat tie for 40th in the nation with five cautions apiece. 

CHASING HISTORY
Among Utah Tech's career records, junior Stockton Short is third in saves (177), third in minutes played (3,465), fourth in wins (12), fourth in shutouts (6) and fifth in goals against average (1.51). On the single-season lists, Short is second in saves (96), seventh in minutes played (1,440) and tied for 10th in shutouts (2).

WHAT'S NEXT
The WAC Tournament begins with quarterfinals on Sunday, Nov. 10 at GCU Stadium in Phoenix, Arizona.