(St. George - Nov. 5, 2025) – In a penalty shootout, Utah Tech women's soccer saw its season come to a heartbreaking close, 2-2 (2-1), against No. 2 California Baptist in the semifinals of the WAC Tournament on Wednesday night at UCCU Stadium. The Trailblazers scored their first Division I era postseason goal in the effort.
Utah Tech (8-7-5, 4-4-2 WAC) thought it had an early lead in the second minute. Off a corner kick, CBU senior goalkeeper Mikayala O'Brien saved shots by redshirt senior forward
Kearney Hoggan and redshirt sophomore forward
Lataya Brost. Junior defender
Michelle Rodriguez got the rebound off the second shot and walked it in, but after VAR, the goal was taken off the board because of a handball.
California Baptist (10-8-3, 6-3-1 WAC) struck first in the 13th minute. On the Lancers' second shot of the game, junior midfielder Anja Jestrovic found the back of the net off a cross by sophomore forward Nikki Mau.
Freshman defender
Ava Talaeai sent a ball forward in the 19th minute. With pressure from Trailblazer attackers, CBU mishandled the ball in the air, heading it back into the goal to even the score at 1-1.
In the 78th minute, sophomore forward
Ella Cotter put the Trailblazers up, 2-1, with her first career goal. Cotter buried a left-footer on the first touch via a low cross by junior forward
Ella Rusick. Sophomore forward
Lexi Nelson earned a second assist, setting up Rusick.
The Lancers tied the match with 20 seconds remaining. CBU junior forward/defender Ava Westlund curled a shot to the right upper 90 off an assist by senior midfielder/defender Taylor Held.
Senior goalkeeper
Brianna Frey kept the Trailblazers in the match throughout both halves of overtime, totaling three saves in the extra 20 minutes. She finished her night with seven saves.
Utah Tech was stopped or missed in each of its first three chances in the shootout, while the Lancers scored twice and were stopped by Frey once.
Freshman defender
Abby Olsen netted her chance on UT's fourth kick, making it 2-1 in the shootout.
After a CBU miss off the crossbar, the Trailblazers failed to convert their final attempt.
California Baptist outshot Utah Tech 19-14 with an 8-7 edge in shots on goal. The Lancers committed the large majority of fouls, ending the night with a 15-2 discrepancy.
NUMBERS TO KNOW
- Utah Tech competed in its first DI era penalty shootout, and its first shootout since the 2019 NCAA Division II Tournament. The Trailblazers fell to 1-2 in shootouts all-time.
- UT scored its first DI era postseason goals, benefitting from an own goal and sophomore forward
Ella Cotter's go-ahead strike. They were Utah Tech's first postseason goals since the 2019 NCAA DII Tournament.
- Head Coach
Lexi Brown is now 0-2-1 in the postseason, while the Trailblazers are 3-6-3 in postseason games all-time.
- Head Coach
Lexi Brown logged her second winning season with a mark of 8-7-5. Her career and UT records stand at 21-21-15.
- The Trailblazers competed in their first DI postseason semifinals. UT also played its final match as a member of the Western Athletic Conference.
- Senior goalkeeper
Brianna Frey extended her career program records in saves (239) and goalkeeper minutes (4,745). Frey also set the single-season program record in goalkeeper minutes (1,820), while her 71 saves this year rank fourth all-time.
- Senior forward
Lacy Fox moved up to a tie for seventh all-time in UT career shots on goal (65).
- UT extended its single-season DI team records in goals (38), assists (37), points (113), shots (291), and shots on goal (138). Among all-time program single-season records, the 2025 team ranks tied for second in assists (37), sixth in points (113) and seventh in goals (38).
