Utah Soccer Takes Down Utah State, 2-1

Thursday, September 23

Salt Lake City

7:30 PM

University of Utah

Utah State

9/23/2010 12:00 AM | Soccer

Sept. 23, 2010

Box Score

SALT LAKE CITY - The University of Utah soccer team (2-9) defeated in-state rival Utah State (3-3-4) by a 2-1 score Thursday at Ute Field. The Utes keep their undefeated home record against USU intact, improving to 7-0 all-time at Ute Field against the Aggies.

Utah's match-winning strike came off the foot of senior midfielder Morgan Skeen, who collected a rebounded ball about 22 yards out and blasted it back towards goal. The ball took a deflection off a USU defender and found the back of the net at the 78:49 mark. It was Skeen's first goal of the year and her first career game winner.

Utah had taken a 1-0 lead with less than a minute remaining in the first half as junior midfielder Cheslea Forbes lofted a ball over the defense from the right side, finding senior forward Lauren Hair on the run. Hair met the ball and headed it into the left corner for her second goal of the season, while Forbes was credited with her first assist of the year.

Utah State then tied the game at 1-1 in the 54th minute as Lauren Hansen streaked through the Utah penalty box to one-time a deep cross from Kendra Pemberton, tying the game and setting up Skeen's late heroics.

"This was a really good home win in front of a fantastic crowd," said Utah head coach Rich Manning. "We did a lot of good things out there, and when Utah State bounced back, we responded well. We're learning, we have confidence in ourselves, we hung in there and created the winning goal."

Freshman goalkeeper Cheyanne Mulcock got the win in net for the Utes as she made her collegiate debut, starting in place of the injured junior netminder Hannah Turpen. Mulcock made three saves in the contest. Molli Merrill made two saves in the USU net. The Aggies were also credited with a team save as a defender cleared a looping shot from Hair off the line.

Utah outshot the Aggies 14-12 overall, while shots on goal went 5-4 in the Utes' favor. Corner kicks were 7-3 for Utah, while fouls were even at six apiece.

Utah gets back into action Sunday, Sept. 26, as the Utes travel to Tuscon, Ariz. to face the Arizona Wildcats of the Pac-10. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. MT.

Utah Player Quotes

Senior midfielder Morgan Skeen
"The ball bounced out to me and I didn't really have a clear shot but I beat one defender and tried to get a shot off, and it went in."

"I thought we played really strong defense tonight. We gave up one goal but then we tightened up and made sure we didn't allow any more."

"Now we just have to come out Sunday confident and try to get another win."

Freshman goalkeeper Cheyanne Mulcock
"When I got my first touch on the ball I started to relax, it was a clean touch and I felt good and confident. To get a win in my first game is actually very relaxing, I was really nervous before the game, but now I know I can do it."