Utah Soccer Shuts Out UNLV, 3-0

Saturday, October 23

Salt Lake City

1:00 PM

University of Utah

UNLV

10/23/2010 12:00 AM | Soccer

Oct. 23, 2010

Box Score

SALT LAKE CITY - The University of Utah women's soccer team (5-13-1, 3-2-1 MWC) shut out UNLV (10-6-1, 2-3-1 MWC) at Ute Field Saturday, taking a 3-0 victory. The game-winning goal came from redshirt sophomore Katie Martinez, who notched her first goal of the year.

With less than three minutes remaining in the first half, senior forward Lauren Hair drove a ball across the box that was collected by redshirt sophomore Kellie Woodfield. She slotted it back to the trailing Martinez, who struck it from the top of the penalty box and found the bottom right corner of the net. It was her first goal since her freshman year in 2008. Martinez missed all of 2009 and the first 14 games of this season with various injuries, before working her way back on to the playing field five games ago. It was Woodfield's first assist of the year and fourth of the year for Hair.

Clinging to a 1-0 score in the 71st minute, Utah made it 2-0 on an unusual play that was created by Hair's relentless hustle. As UNLV goalkeeper Kylie Wassell tried to clear a ball from her own penalty box, Hair continued to pursue the play and positioned herself in front of the keeper. Wassell `s clearance attempt was struck straight into Hair's head, and the resulting deflection rolled into the net for the goal. It was Hair's team-leading fifth goal of the year.

The Utes extended their lead to 3-0 as Hair picked out junior forward Chelsea Forbes on a run down the left-hand side and played a perfectly weighted ball into the UNLV box. Forbes ran onto it and struck a perfectly placed left-footed shot into the bottom right corner. It was Forbes' second goal of the season and the second assist of the game for Hair, who now owns a team-leading five helpers on the year.

Utah goalkeeper Hannah Turpen made four saves to preserve the shutout, holding her second clean sheet of the year with both coming in conference play. Wassell finished the contest with three saves.

The win gives Utah 10 points in the conference race and guarantees the Utes a spot in the six-team MWC Tournament, being played in San Diego, Calif., Nov. 3-6.

Shots were even at 13-13, while shots on goal went 6-4 in Utah's favor. Corner kicks were 6-4 for UNLV, while fouls were whistled 14-13 against Utah.

The Utes are back in action Saturday, Oct. 30, as they host rival BYU in the season finale. The first 300 fans at Ute Field will receive a free red rally towels. Kickoff is slated for 7 p.m. MT.

Postgame Quotes

Head Coach Rich Manning
"We're excited to get the win at home, that's a point of pride for us but we have struggled a little bit at home this year. We showed improvement in a lot of areas today. We want to continue to be the harder-working team on the field and sustain 90 good minutes. I felt like we were the harder working team for most of the game today."

On outstanding individuals:
"Lauren Hair has been really good for us this year, especially in conference play. She is really the focal point of our offense. She could have had more than one goal, but she really earned the one she got. Harley Spier also had a really good game and it was nice to see Katie Martinez play well after sitting out for almost two years. She has worked very hard and it was good to see her get a goal."

Senior forward Lauren Hair
"We came out with a lot of heart today and played hard as a team. We won a lot of headers and 50-50 balls. We have been talking all season about being a more aggressive team and maintaining that aggressiveness throughout both halves. UNLV came out hard in the second half but we fought through it."

"Every conference win is important but to get three goals against a solid team like the Rebels is a good accomplishment for us."

Redshirt sophomore midfielder Katie Martinez
On scoring her first goal since returning from injury "It feels awesome, there are no words to describe it. It was great to know my team was behind me the whole way too."