Game #17
Who | Utah Tech (7-5-4, 3-2-2 WAC) at California Baptist (8-7-1, 4-2-0 WAC)
When | Thursday, Oct. 23 - 8 p.m. (MT) 
Where | Riverside, California (CBU Soccer Stadium)
Social Media | Instagram + Twitter (X) + #UtahTechBlazers

FREY AND OLSEN EARN WAC WEEKLY HONORS
Senior goalkeeper Brianna Frey and freshman defender Abby Olsen were named the Jersey Mike's A Sub Above WAC Goalkeeper and Defensive Player of the Week, respectively, the conference announced on Tuesday. It's Olsen's second career selection and UT's third and fourth WAC player of the week honors this season. 

Frey posted back-to-back shutouts against Tarleton State, 1-0, and Abilene Christian, 2-0, last week. Frey logged five saves against the Texans, silencing the second-highest scoring team in the WAC. Against ACU, she faced six shots but none on goal. Frey now ties for second in the WAC with three shutouts this season and is only one of three goalkeepers to record multiple shutouts in conference play. With eight career clean sheets, Frey ranks fourth all-time in Utah Tech history. 

Olsen helped the Trailblazers to two shutouts and scored an insurance goal against ACU last week. Olsen and UT limited the Texans to 14 shots with just five on goal. Against the Wildcats, Olsen and the Trailblazers held a 22-6 lead in shots with a 10-0 margin in shots on goal. It was the first time Utah Tech held an opponent to zero shots on goal in UT's Division-I era, and the first time since September 2019 when the Trailblazers blanked Black Hills State. Olsen netted her goal in the 30th minute. Running a give-and-go with redshirt sophomore forward Lataya Brost, Olsen returned the ball to Brost, who dribbled inside the box and centered it. Olsen flicked a left-footer past the ACU GK and into the bottom right corner of the goal. It was her second career goal. Olsen also posted a career-high two shots on goal in the win.

OLSEN RECOGNIZED BY TDS
Freshman defender Abby Olsen was named to the TopDrawerSoccer Midseason Women's Freshmen Top 100, as announced on Oct. 10. At No. 79, Olsen is the first Trailblazer in program history to make the prestigious list, recognizing the top 100 freshmen in the country. Olsen has played in all 16 games this season, starting in 15 matches and totaling five points and 1,038 minutes. Olsen was named the WAC Defensive Player of the Week on Sept. 23 and Oct. 21.

ASSIST ADEPT
Senior midfielder Kyah Le leads the Trailblazers with eight assists this season, tying for the WAC lead and 15th nationally. Her eight assists this season are a UT Division I-era record and tie for third all-time. Le's 0.50 assists per game are second in the conference and 26th in the country. With four goals, Le's 16 points lead UT and tie for fifth in the WAC. 

Senior forward Lacy Fox has logged five assists, the most in a single season in her career, to tie for fourth in the WAC and 113th nationally. 

FRESHMAN FIREPOWER
Utah Tech's nine freshman goals lead the conference and account for four more than all five other teams' first-year goal totals combined. Southern Utah (3) and Tarleton State (2) are the only other WAC schools that have had at least one goal scored by a freshman this season. Forwards Jocelyn Wright (5) and Brooke Hendricks (2) and defender Abby Olsen (2) have each made tallies in the goal column. Wright leads the Trailblazers and is tied for sixth in the WAC in total goals.

BOOTS AT THE READY
Utah Tech is outshooting its opponents 232-194 this season, including a 105-74 edge in shots on goal. UT's 14.5 shots per game are second in the WAC and 83rd nationally. Redshirt sophomore forward Lataya Brost is leading the charge, totaling 43 shots to lead the Trailblazers and tie for second in the WAC.

The Trailblazers have outshot or tied their opponents' shot total in 11 of their 16 games this season. Defensively, UT has limited its opponents to 10 or fewer shots eight times this season.

LAST TIME OUT
Two freshmen goals propelled Utah Tech women's soccer past Abilene Christian, 2-0, on Sunday afternoon at Greater Zion Stadium. With the clean sheet, UT posted back-to-back shutouts for the first time since August 2024. The Trailblazers outshot the Wildcats 22-6 with a 10-0 margin in shots on goal. It was the first time Utah Tech held an opponent to zero shots on goal in UT's Division-I era, and the first time since September 2019 when the Trailblazers blanked Black Hills State. Freshman forward Jocelyn Wright scored the opening goal in the third minute. Off a pass from senior midfielder Kyah Le, Wright took a touch past an ACU defender and into the box, where she drilled a right-footer past the Wildcat goalkeeper. Freshman defender Abby Olsen doubled the UT lead in the 30th minute. Running a give-and-go with redshirt sophomore forward Lataya Brost, Olsen returned the ball to Brost, who dribbled inside the box and centered it. Olsen flicked a left-footer into the bottom right corner of the goal. With the help of her defense, senior goalkeeper Brianna Frey earned her third shutout of the season. 

DÉJÀ VU
With WAC conference play in a double round robin this season, California Baptist is the third opponent to rematch Utah Tech in 2025. It's the first year Utah Tech will play opponents twice during the regular season since 2021, when UT played its West Division foes twice in WAC conference play.

Utah Tech fell to California Baptist, 2-0, on Oct. 12 at Greater Zion Stadium. It was the only time the Trailblazers have been shut out this season. CBU scored on its second shot of the game. Lancer junior forward/midfielder Anja Jestrovic was tripped up in the box, leading to a penalty kick. She buried her chance from the mark to the right side, giving CBU a 1-0 lead in the 12th minute. California Baptist scored on the first shot of the second half in the 53rd minute. Jestrovic logged a brace on a free kick, guiding the ball over the wall and past senior goalkeeper Brianna Frey on the right side of the goal, earning a 2-0 Lancer lead. The Trailblazers struggled to maintain possession and were limited to just five shots, with two on goal in the match. Both totals were season lows for UT. The Lancers tallied 10 shots, putting six on frame. The foul count leaned heavily toward CBU, 15-8.

SCOUTING CALIFORNIA BAPTIST
The Lancers host the Trailblazers after suffering a 2-1 loss at Utah Valley on Saturday. In WAC play, CBU has only faltered to UVU, dropping the season series 0-2, while winning its four other conference matches.

Junior forward/defender Ava Westlund leads the Lancers with seven goals, ranking fourth in the WAC and tying for 90th nationally. With two assists, Westlund's 16 points tie for fifth in the conference. She also leads CBU in shots (40) and shots on goal (22), with an impressive 55.0% shot accuracy. 

In net, senior goalkeeper Mikayla O'Brien is a four-time WAC Goalkeeper of the Week this season. Her 64 saves rank second in the WAC and 81st in the nation. With six shutouts, O'Brien leads the conference and ties for 46th nationally. She has allowed 19 goals this season, logging a .771 save percentage and a 1.39 goals against average against 173 shots faced. 

SERIES HISTORY
Thursday's contest is the 20th installment in a matchup that dates back to both schools' Division II days. Tied with Grand Canyon, California Baptist is Utah Tech's most frequently faced opponent, with 19 meetings. CBU holds a 15-3-1 lead all-time with an 8-1-0 edge in Riverside. The Lancers took the first match up this season, 2-0, at Greater Zion Stadium. Utah Tech is looking for its first win over California Baptist since 2021. 

CHASING HISTORY
In Utah Tech's all-time career record book, senior forward Lacy Fox ranks sixth in game-winning goals (6), sixth in career goals (19), eighth in points (47), eighth in shots (121) and ninth in shots on goal (58). The native of Highland, Utah, recorded UT's most recent hat trick against UNLV last season.

Senior goalkeeper Brianna Frey ranks first all-time in career saves (214), first in career minutes (4,365) and fourth in career shutouts (8).

THREE TRAILBLAZERS ON 2025 PRESEASON ALL-WAC TEAM
Senior forward Lacy Fox, senior midfielder Kyah Le and junior defender Michelle Rodriguez were selected to the 2025 Preseason All-WAC Team. This trio is the first Trailblazers named to the Preseason All-WAC Team since Karli Heaton was picked in 2023. Three honorees is the most UT has ever placed on the Preseason All-WAC team, topping one selection in 2023 (Heaton) and 2021 (Whitley Griffiths). 

Fox earned Second Team All-WAC honors in 2024 after leading the Trailblazers in goals (8, second-most in the WAC), points (18, third-most in the WAC), shots (40), shots on goal (18), and game-winning goals (2). Fox started 16 of her 17 appearances, totaling 1,086 minutes on the pitch, the most by any Trailblazer forward.

Le returns after starting all 17 games and playing 1,435 minutes on the pitch in 2024. Le tallied the second-most assists (3) and fourth-most points (5) on the 2024 Utah Tech squad. A veteran leader, Le is the only senior midfielder and one of three upperclassmen in the midfield for UT.

Rodriguez also started all 17 games last season, totaling 1,427 minutes and helping the Trailblazers shut out three opponents. 

UTAH TECH PICKED THIRD IN COACHES' POLL
The Trailblazers tied for third with 15 points in the 2025 WAC Preseason Coaches' Poll, the highest placement UT has ever garnered, besting fifth-place nods in 2023 and 2024. Utah Tech finished sixth in the WAC regular season standings last year with a 2-4-1 mark in conference play and a 5-75 record overall. The Trailblazers made their third-straight WAC Tournament appearance, falling to Seattle U, 2-0 in the quarterfinals. 

Utah Valley (24 points and four first-place votes) is the preseason favorite, predicted by the league's coaches to repeat as regular-season champions. California Baptist, the 2024 WAC Tournament champs, came in second (22 points, two first-place votes). Tarleton State tied with UT with 15 points. Abilene Christian (fifth, eight points) and Southern Utah (sixth, six points) rounded out the poll. 

2024 RECAP
Utah Tech made its third-straight WAC Tournament appearance after finishing sixth in the conference with seven points. After four straight losses to start conference play, UT rallied to secure points in each of its last three games on the road. Overall, the Trailblazers went 5-7-5 in their second year under head coach Lexi Brown. UT garnered four all-WAC selections with senior forward Lacy Fox and sophomore Bre Koscielski returning for the 2025 campaign. 

RETURNING PRODUCTION
The Trailblazers bring back 12 letter winners and four squad members from the 2024 team. Utah Tech's returners were responsible for 83% of goals (19-of-23), 58% of assists (11-of-19) and 75% of points (49-of-65) in 2024. Two 2024 All-WAC honorees remain in senior forward Lacy Fox (Second Team) and sophomore midfielder Bre Koscielski (All-WAC Freshman Team). 

Senior goalkeeper Brianna Frey returns after leading the WAC in saves per game (5.38), posting three shutouts and earning two WAC Goalkeeper of the Week selections in 2024.

Senior Tessa Thornton returns to action after missing the 2024 season due to injury. The five-foot-six forward totaled seven points on three goals and an assist in 2023. 

NEW KIDS ON THE BLOCK
UT welcomed 11 newcomers, including two transfers and nine true freshmen, to its 2025 roster. 

Junior midfielder Teagan Jaussi transferred from DII Ouachita (Wah-CHI-tah) Baptist, where she led the Tigers in goals (6), assists (5) and points (17) on her way to earning United Soccer Coaches All-Central Region Team, D2 Conference Commissioners Association All-Region First Team and unanimous First Team All-Great American Conference honors. 

Redshirt freshman midfielder Liv Leonard defected from Grand Canyon after redshirting the 2024 campaign in Phoenix, Arizona. Leonard helped GCU go undefeated, playing in all matches during the Lopes' spring slate this offseason.

Utah Tech's freshman class features four forwards, two midfielders, three defenders and a goalkeeper. Freshman Rachel Boren is a forward and midfielder.

REPRESENTING THE 801
Two-thirds of Utah Tech's roster hails from the Beehive State. 16 of those 18 student-athletes' hometowns are on the Wasatch Front, a long and relatively narrow strip of land to the west of the Wasatch Mountains, where approximately 80% of Utahns live. 

THE SPOKANE CONNECTION
Head coach Lexi Brown was an assistant at Gonzaga for five seasons prior to accepting the top job in St. George. While in Spokane, Washington, Brown coached senior midfielder Kyah Le (GU 2022-23) and first-year assistant coach Lauren Towne (GU goalkeeper 2020-24). Additionally, sophomore midfielder Bre Koscielski and senior forward Tessa Thornton hail from Spokane. 

BIG SKY BOUND
Utah Tech announced this offseason that it will become a full member of the Big Sky Conference on July 1, 2026. The Trailblazers will join a robust women's soccer cohort that includes Eastern Washington, Idaho, Idaho State, Montana, Northern Arizona, Northern Colorado, Portland State and Southern Utah (The Thunderbirds will rejoin the Big Sky in 2026). The Big Sky has sent a team to the NCAA College Cup every season since 1999, with three squads making it as far as the second round. UT has a combined record of 12-5-6 all-time against its future conference mates, including three wins and a draw this season.

WHAT'S NEXT
The Trailblazers head up I-15 to challenge in-state rival Utah Valley on Monday, Oct. 27. After a 3-3 draw earlier this month in St. George, the season series in the Old Hammer Rivalry will be decided starting at 5 p.m. at UCCU Stadium in Orem, Utah.