Game #5
Who | Utah Tech (1-2-1, 0-0-0 WAC) at CSUN (1-2-1, 0-0-0 Big West)
When | Thursday, Aug. 28 - 8 p.m. (MT)
Where | Matador Soccer Field (Northridge, Calif.)
Social Media | Instagram + Twitter (X) + #UtahTechBlazers

FRESHMAN FIREPOWER
Three of Utah Tech's five goals this season have come from freshmen forwards Brooke Hendricks (2) and Jocelyn Wright (1). In just 224 minutes this season, Hendricks leads UT in goals and is tied for second in the WAC and 91st in the nation.

ASSIST ADEPT
Senior midfielder Kyah Le and redshirt sophomore forward Lataya Brost have each assisted on two goals this season. Their two helpers are tied for the most in the WAC and 50th in the nation. With the game-winning goal against UC Riverside, Le is tied for the third-most points (4) in the WAC.

LAST TIME OUT
Utah Tech women's soccer lost to Boise State, 2-1, on Sunday morning at Greater Zion Stadium. Junior defender Michelle Rodriguez scored her first collegiate goal in the effort. After missed shots and blocked shots through the first 20 minutes, the game's first shot on frame resulted in a goal for BSU in the 25th minute. In the 64th minute, Boise State converted a penalty kick to extend its lead to 2-0. Utah Tech bounced back, scoring its goal 55 seconds after kickoff. Freshman defender Abby Olsen forced a save by the Bronco GK, which gave the Trailblazers a corner kick. Redshirt sophomore forward Lataya Brost sent in the corner, and Rodriguez snuck behind two Bronco defenders to head in her first career goal. Boise State held a 16-14 advantage in shots, with a 6-4 lead in shots on goal. The Broncos were shown four yellow cards to UT's one.

SCOUTING CSUN
Cal State Northridge hosts Utah Tech, hoping to snap a two-game losing skid. The Matadors have lost back-to-back games 1-0 to WAC schools (Grand Canyon and California Baptist) at home. CSUN hasn't scored a goal in 262 in-game minutes, dating back to an eighth-minute goal in a 1-0 win at San José State on Aug. 17. 

Three different Matadors account for CSUN's three goals this season: redshirt sophomore forward Jordyn Canister, senior forward Cailey Jackson and freshman midfielder Lia Peterson. With an assist each, Canister and Jackson are tied for the team lead in points (3). Redshirt senior goalkeeper Riley Liebsack has 14 saves on the season and one shutout (at SJSU). 

CSUN beat preseason expectations in 2024, finishing seventh in the Big West with a record of 5-11-3 and a 3-4-3 mark in league play. It was a four-win improvement from 2023's 1-13-5 overall record. 

SERIES HISTORY
Thursday's match will be the first-ever meeting between Utah Tech and Cal State Northridge.

UTAH TECH VS. BIG WEST
Thursday's match is UT's second-ever contest against a Big West Conference opponent and first game against a Big West opponent as a Division I side. The Trailblazers' lone match against a Big West squad was a 5-1 loss at UC San Diego in 2009. 

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. The junior defender from West Valley City, Utah, is expected to anchor the Utah Tech defense, succeeding three-time Second Team All-WAC honoree Gracie Knutzen after her graduation.

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. In UT's exhibition at BYU, Thornton equalized for the Trailblazers in the 57th minute, totaling three shots, two shots on goal, in 55 minutes last Saturday.

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.

CHASING HISTORY
In Utah Tech's record book, senior forward Lacy Fox ranks sixth all-time in career game-winning goals (6) and seventh all-time in career goals (16). 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 (179), second all-time in career minutes (3,285), tied for fifth all-time in career shutouts (6) and 10th all-time in career goals against average (1.51). 

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. Sophomore forward Ella Cotter is Utah Tech's homegrown product, claiming St. George as her hometown and graduating from Crimson Cliffs High School in Washington, Utah. Freshman defender Macie Burton originates from the small, unincorporated town of Mountain Green, Utah, in the Wasatch Back.

THE SPOKANE CONNECTION
Head coach Lexi Brown was an assistant coach 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. While the Trailblazers don't face the Bulldogs this season, the Utah Tech men's soccer team's home opener is against Gonzaga on Aug. 21.

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 9-5-5 all-time against its future conference mates.

WHAT'S NEXT
The Trailblazers continue their road swing at Idaho State on Thursday, Sept. 4, in Pocatello, Idaho. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. at Davis Field.