Women's Soccer | 9/3/2024 2:30:00 PM

Who | Utah Tech (2-0-2) at Northern Arizona (0-1-2)
When | Thursday, Sept. 5 – 8 p.m. MT
Where | Lumberjack Stadium - Flagstaff, Ariz.
Social Media | Instagram + Twitter (X) + #UtahTechBlazers

Who | Utah Tech (2-0-2) at Arizona State (4-0-2)
When | Sunday, Sept. 8 – 12 p.m. MT
Where | Sun Devil Soccer/Lacrosse Stadium - Tempe, Ariz.
Social Media | Instagram + Twitter (X) + #UtahTechBlazers

Getting Ready for Kickoff: Utah Tech enters this weekend's action with a 2-0-2 overall record and is coming off a 1-0 victory at home over Westminster University on Aug. 30.

The Trailblazers, who posted their second-straight shutout against the Griffins, finally cracked the scoreboard 11-plus minutes in the second frame with the match's lone goal, which came on a header from Kalea Woodyatt.

Lacy Fox sent the ball into the near corner to Emily Garbett, who lofted a pass deep inside the Griffins' 18-yard box.

Woodyatt managed to high-point the ball in the middle of the scrum and redirected it into the back of the net. The goal was the senior midfielder's first of the season, and the first since the season finale of her freshman year in 2021 (at New Mexico State).

Utah Tech's defense managed to limit Westminster to only 11 shots on the night, five of which were on target. 

Junior netminder Brianna Frey stopped all five shots on goal en route to her second-straight clean sheet in goal. Utah Tech finished with 14 shots, nine on goal, with Garbett leading the way with four attempts (3 SOG).

Fox and Frey Earn WAC Weekly Honors: Fox earned WAC Offensive Player of the Week honors on Aug. 27 after she recorded a second-half hat trick in Utah Tech's 3-2 come-from-behind victory over UNLV on Aug. 22.

Fox scored all three goals of the Trailblazers goals in a span of 12:55 in the stanza, which was the second-fastest hat trick in the program's NCAA era.

The Highland, Utah native also became just the eighth different player in the program's four-year era to record a hat trick, and is the second Trailblazer to do it since Utah Tech moved to Division I status. She is also the sixth player in program history with a hat trick to score all three goals in one half. 
 
Frey was also tabbed the WAC Goalkeeper of the Week. The Salt Lake City native had herself a pretty good start to the Blazers' homestand as she went 1-0-1 in two starts in goal last week and surrendered only two goals in 180 minutes.

She made three saves and allowed two goals in the win over UNLV, then followed that up with four saves in 90 minutes in the Sunday scoreless draw with Omaha.

WAC Leaders: Fox enters the week tied for third in the WAC in goals (3) and fourth in points (7).

Freshman defender Adele Faller is tied for fourth in assists (2) while Frey ranks fourth in saves (18) and sixth in save percentage (.857).

Look at Northern Arizona: NAU is out to a 0-1-2 start to the season with ties against Arizona State (1-1) and Penn (1-1). The Lumberjacks also fell to Arizona, 5-0 on the road on Aug. 22.

The Lumberjacks posted an 11-6-3 overall record in 2023 and went 4-3-1 in the Big Sky finishing fourth in the conference. NAU advanced to the Big Sky Tournament final falling to Idaho, 2-1.

Selected second in the Big Sky preseason poll, the Lumberjacks' goals have come from McKenzie Coleman and Deniah Wells with one apiece.

Series vs. Northern Arizona: Utah Tech and Northern Arizona have met twice in program history with the Lumberjacks winning both meetings coming in St. George.

NAU won the first meeting in 2021, 2-0 and topped the Trailblazers, 1-0 last season.

Look at Arizona State: The Sun Devils are off to a hot start to the season posting a 4-0-2 record. ASU is on a three-match winning streak with wins over Penn (3-0), Grambling State (2-0) and LSU (5-2) and they also have a win over Wagner (6-0).

The Sun Devils went 10-7-4 overall in 2023 with a 5-5-1 mark in the Pac-12 to finish sixth. ASU advanced to the NCAA Tournament where they fell to Santa Clara, 3-0.

With three preseason All-Big 12 selections, the Sun Devils were picked to finish fifth in the expanded 16-team Big 12.

Freshman forward Kierra Blundell is leading ASU in scoring with 13 points tallying five goals and three assists.

Junior goalkeeper Pauline Nelles has started all six matches making 21 saves, has only allowed three goals and has posted four shutouts.

Series vs. Arizona State: This will be the first-ever meeting between the Trailblazers and Sun Devils and fourth against an active member of the Big 12. UT has faced Utah twice and BYU once.

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 travels to Idaho next week taking on Boise State (3-0) on Sept. 12 and Idaho (3-2) on Sept. 15.