Women's Soccer | 9/18/2024 10:30:00 AM

Who | Utah Tech (3-2-3) at Portland State (1-5)
When | Friday, Sept. 20 – 2 p.m. MT
Where | Hillsboro Stadium - Hillsboro, Ore.
Social Media | Instagram + Twitter (X) + #UtahTechBlazers

Look back at last weekend in Idaho
The Trailblazers enters this week's action with a 3-2-3 overall record and is coming off a 0-1-1 week in Idaho last week.

Utah Tech fell 2-0 to Boise State on Thursday and wrapped up the weekend tying Idaho, 2-2 on Sunday.

The two sides played to a scoreless stalemate through the first 55-plus minutes, before Boise State forward Avery McBride finished a Carly Cross pass with her left boot to put her side up 1-0. 

The Broncos then added an insurance goal nearly seven minutes later when Sophie Drown headed in a Jayla Land corner kick blast just inside the far post at the 62:26 mark of the match. 

Junior goalkeeper Brianna Frey tied a career high with 12 saves, eight of which came after halftime.

The Trailblazers' contest on Sunday against Idaho saw all the scoring in the match came in the final 40 minutes of regulation play, with Utah Tech drawing first blood with Lataya Brost's second goal of the year at the 50:07 mark.

After a Trailblazer corner kick was initially cleared out by the Vandal defense, Brooke Taylor settled the loose ball and fired it back into the Idaho 18.

Brost was able to get behind the Idaho back line and high-pointed the Taylor feed with a brilliant header past Vandal keeper inside the near post to put her side up 1-0.

The goal was Brost's second collegiate tally, and the second in the freshman's last four matches overall. 

Idaho (5-3-1) managed to net the equalizer midway through the 80^th-minute when Kahvayli Miller headed in an Alyssa Peters cross from 6-yards out.

Utah Tech caught a major break with 2:56 remaining when the Vandals were called for a hand-ball deep inside their penalty area.

Lacy Fox lined up the ensuing penalty kick chance and drilled it into the back of the net for her team-leading fifth goal of the season to put Utah Tech back on top at 2-1.

Unfortunately, the lead would be short-lived as Idaho again pulled even just 18 seconds later when Rebekah Reyes rocketed a ball from 45-yards out to Jadyn Hanks, who flicked in a header of her own to tie the score at 2-2 with 1:38 to play.

Hanks then had a chance to win the match in the closing seconds as she was able get off a left-footed shot that was deflected into outer left side of the net as the final horn sounded.

WAC Rankings
As a team, the Trailblazers lead the WAC in saves per game (5.50) and rank fifth in goals (10), scoring offense (1.25) & assists per game (1.00).

Fox enters the week tied for second in the WAC in goals (5) and points (11).

Freshman defender Adele Faller is tied for 10th in assists (2) while Frey checks in first in saves per game (5.50), second in saves (42), seventh in save percentage (.808) and eighth in goals against average (1.25).

Trailblazers in the RPI
The first NCAA RPI rankings of the season were released on Monday with the Trailblazers being the fourth-highest WAC member at No. 149.

Seattle is the highest-ranking team from the WAC in the RPI at No. 72 followed by Utah Valley and Grand Canyon.

The final four WAC teams are rounded out by California Baptist, Abilene Christian, Tarleton State and Southern Utah.

Coach Brown vs. Big Sky
Head coach Lexi Brown, who is 11-9-8 overall in her two years at Utah Tech, is 3-3-2 overall against the Big Sky.

Posting a 1-0-2 record this season, the Blazers defeated Northern Arizona, 2-1 on Sept. 5 and also have ties against Idaho (2-2) and Weber State (1-1) this season.

The Blazers posted home wins against Portland State (1-0) and Idaho State (4-3) in 2023.

RANKED!
The Trailblazers have appeared in the United Soccer Coaches Pacific Region poll twice this season.

This is the first season the Blazers have made an appearance in the poll in the Division I era.

Aug. 27: No. 9
Sept. 3: NR
Sept. 10: No. 9
Sept. 17: NR

Historic Start in NCAA era
The Trailblazers got off to a historic start to the season starting 3-0-2.

Utah Tech suffered their first loss of 2024 in their sixth match at Arizona State on Sept. 8 falling to the Sun Devils, 2-1.

It was the longest into a season the Trailblazers have gone before suffering their first loss.

It took until the fifth match of the season in both 2006 (start of NCAA era) and 2018 to suffer their first loss.

Glance at Portland State
Portland State enters the week with a 1-5 start to the season.

The Vikings' lone win of the season came at South Dakota on Sept. 8 with a 3-2 victory. PSU also has faced Boise State, Oregon, Kansas State, Omaha and Hawai'i this season.

Portland State is coming off an 8-8-2 overall season in 2023 finishing third in the Big Sky with a 4-2-2 mark. The Vikings defeated Idaho State in the quarterfinals of the Big Sky Tournament before falling to Idaho in the semifinals.

The Vikings rank fourth in the Big Sky in shots per game (11.67) & shots on goal per game (4.83) and are fifth in scoring offense (0.83).

Individually, both junior forward Elle Frazier and senior midfielder Abi Hoffman have a team-best two goals apiece while Hoffman has a team-leading 16 shots and eight shots on goal.

Junior goalkeeper Natalie Cunningham and senior Eden Millan have each started three matches apiece with Cunningham making 20 saves and Millan has added eight.

Series vs. Portland State
This will be the Trailblazers and Vikings second meeting in program history.

The Blazers defeated Portland State at home in 2023 topping the Vikings, 1-0 on Sept. 10 with a goal from Fox in the 66th minute.

New and Familiar Faces
Along with adding 14 new players to the roster during the offseason, the Trailblazer squad will also see 23 returning players from last season. The new class in St. George includes Gonzaga transfer Kyah Le, Colorado Northwestern Community College transfer Cadie Young, Utah State transfer Heidi Wilstead, Abilene Christian transfer Lox Neves, and 10 true freshmen.

The class includes six forwards (Wilstead, Neves along with Emily Blanchard, Ella Cotter, Lataya Brost and Lexi Nelson), four midfielders (Le and Young along with Bre Koscielski and Jenna McDonnell), three defenders (Ali Warner, Adele Faller, Allison Flies), and one goalkeeper (Emma McIff).

Exhibition Play
Utah Tech went undefeated in their two exhibition matches against USU-Eastern and Snow College at home prior to the start of the regular season. The Trailblazers notched a 6-0 victory over the Eagles on Aug. 8 and a 2-0 win over the Badgers on Aug. 10.

Up Next
Utah Tech opens WAC play next week at the defending WAC Tournament champion Grand Canyon (6-2-1) on Sept. 28.