Utah Soccer Set for Two Matches This Weekend

8/22/2016 4:19 PM | Soccer

Utes host San Diego, head to Utah State

Utah vs. San Diego
Date: Friday, Aug. 26
Location: Ute Field
Kickoff: 7:30 p.m. MT

Utah at Utah State
Date: Sunday, Aug. 28
Location: Logan, Utah
Kickoff: 1 p.m. MT

Weekend at a Glance
Utah Soccer (1-1-0) is back in action this weekend with a pair of contests. On Friday night, the Utes welcome San Diego (1-1-0) before traveling up the road to Logan for a Sunday afternoon contest at Utah State (1-1-0)

Opening Weekend Split
Utah started strong on Friday night in the season opener. The Utes benefitted from an own goal just 21 seconds into the contest and never looked back en route to a 4-0 whooping of Weber State. Eden Jacobsen (first career goal), Holly Daugirda (first career goal) and Hailey Skolmoski (second career goal) got on the score sheet while Cabria Turang added two assists and Max Flom (first career assist), Aleea Gwerder (first collegiate point) and Natalie Vukic added helpers. In her first collegiate start July Mathias teamed with freshman Isabel Jones to register the shutout.

Pac-12 Postseason Recognition
Utah Soccer had two players honored by the Pac-12 Conference to close the 2015 season and freshman sensation Paola van der Veen was one of them.

Van der Veen became the fifth Ute to be named to the All-Freshman Team. She joined Avery Jenkins (2011), Lindsey Luke (2012), Katie Rogers (2013) and Mariah Elmer (2014). In her first season playing collegiate soccer, Van der Veen paced Utah with five assists and finished second on the team in scoring. A veteran of the Dutch youth national teams, Van der Veen suited up for ADO den Haag prior to her arrival in Salt Lake City.

How I Spent My Summer
Utah Soccer traveled to Germany for three matches during a 10-day stretch in mid-May.

"It was an amazing trip because we got to go to a different country and experience things as a team," senior Katie Rogers stated. "We already had tight unit off the field and that translated to our play this spring. This experience only improved our team's chemistry."

The Utes traveled to a number of cities including Frankfurt, Munich and Augsburg while also making a jaunt into the Alps. Utah played matches against SC Opel 06 Ru¨sselheim, MTV Dießen and FC Staad.

"This trip was an incredible opportunity for our players and staff," head coach Rich Manning said. "We played quality teams and watched some top-level matches that involved the best European soccer has to offer."

The group took in a Bundesliga match between FC Augsburg and Hamburger SV, visited a TSV Hoffenheim practice at its training ground and took a tour of the Allianz Arena, home of German champion Bayern Munich.

How I Spent My Summer (Part 2)
Utah Soccer newcomer Holly Daugirda spent her summer in New Zealand where she suited up for the U.S. Under-19 Women's National Team.

After training camp in Chula Vista, California, Daugirda and the U19's traveled to New Zealand for three matches in 12 days. Daugirda started for the U19's at right back in a 2-1 win over the New Zealand National Team and a 4-4 draw against the New Zealand U20's. The Salt Lake City native is attempting to earn a spot on the U.S. U20 squad, which will take part in the World Cup this November in Papua New Guinea.

The U-19's also traveled to Spain in March and picked up a pair of 1-0 wins over Norway and England while playing out a goalless draw with Denmark. Daugirda started in defense for both victories and entered as a substitute in the draw.

The reigning NSCAA and Gatorade Player of the year for the state of Utah, Daugirda led Skyline High School to an 18-1-1 record and the Class 4A state championship in 2015. The Deseret News Class 4A MVP and a three-time First Team All-State selection, Daugirda concluded her prep soccer career with 76 goals.

Talent in Utah's New Class
The Utes brought in 11 newcomers this season and all of them were successful in high school and at the club level. In addition to Daugirda, the Utes boast Haylee Cacciacarne, the Deseret News' Ms. Soccer 2015, Ireland Dunn, the 2015 Deseret News 5A Most Valuable Player, Tavia Leachman, who led powerhouse Long Beach Poly to three-consecutive Moore League titles and Carly Nelson, a two-time First Team All-State goalkeeper.

Ella Ballstaedt scored 40 goals during her high school career, Kristin Fairbairn spent three years with the BC Provincial Team at the National training Center, Isabel Jones was a two-time Deseret News All-State performer, Natalie Kump was First Team All-Area, All-League, All-State, League MVP and Offensive Player of the Year at Elko HS in Nevada, Natalee Wells was ranked as the no. 5 recruit in the state of Utah by MaxPreps and Aleea Gwerder led Washington Premier to a U18 Rainier Challenge championship

Manning Makes History
With a victory over Oregon State last year, Rich Manning earned his 150th career win at Utah. During his tenure, Manning has established Utah soccer as an elite program in the west.

Manning has coached the Utes to an NCAA Tournament berth in six of his years at the helm. Prior to joining the Pac-12, Manning directed Utah to three Mountain West Conference regular-season championships (2003, `05, `06) and a pair of league tournament titles (2003, `04).

Series History
Utah is 3-1-0 all-time against the Toreros including a 2-1 win last year in California. Mariah Elmer scored a pair of goals as the Utes hung on for the victory. Taylor Slattery and Natalie Vukic also notched assists in the win. USD last visited Ute Field in 2000 and left with a 2-1 loss. The Utes are 17-36-7 all-time against foes from the West Coast Conference, 9-14-2 at Ute Field.

Utah is 13-5 all-time against Utah State with a 5-2-0 mark in Logan. Utah lost last year in SLC, 2-0, but picked up a 3-0 win over the Aggies in their last meeting at USU. Katie Rogers had a goal and assist, Mariah Elmer scored the eventual winner off a pass from her sister Mikayla and Natalie Vukic also added a goal. Utah is 83-27-13 all-time against Mountain West Conference foes, 29-11-6 away from home.

Scouting the Opposition
San Diego started the season with a 2-1 loss at Wake Forest and responded with a 1-0 victory at North Carolina State. The Toreros are returning three All-West Coast Conference honorees from last season, highlighted by first-team selection, senior Jacqueline Altschuld. Senior Victoria Walker was an All-WCC honorable mention in 2015, and sophomore Juilanne De Armas was an All-WCC freshman team honoree. Altschuld scored four goals and added seven assists, Walker recorded six goals and three assists while De Armas played in all 20 matches scoring a pair of goals and adding three assists.

Utah State opened the season with a 1-0 win at South Dakota State and a 3-2 loss at Eastern Washington. The game against the Utes will be the home opener for the Aggies. Utah State returns nine starters and 15 total letter winners from last year's roster, a team that posted a 10-8-2 record. Among the experienced players are senior Jessica Brooksby and junior Wesley Hamblin, who each earned all-Mountain West honors last season. Brooksby led the conference with 12 goals on the season and Hamblin was USU's assist leader with five.

Utah Success in the Classroom
Ten members of the Utah soccer team earned Pac-12 Conference academic honors in 2015. Katie Rogers was honored for a third-straight year while Taylor Slattery and Cabria Turang earned awards for a second-straight season. Listed below are the returning award winners.

Utah's Second Team honoree:
Janie Kearl, 3.81, Exercise and Sport Science

Utah's Honorable Mention honorees:
Mikayla Elmer, Business Administration
Katie Rogers, Exercise and Sport Science
Taylor Slattery, Human Development and Family Studies
Cabria Turang, Human Development and Family Studies
Natalie Vukic, Graphic Design

Since joining the Pac-12 in 2011, Utah women's soccer has had 57 players earn academic honors from the conference, including 10 student-athletes last season. In order to earn All-Academic status, student-athletes must have a minimum of a 3.0 GPA and either be a starter or significant contributor.

Luke Leaves Legacy
The Seattle Reign selected Utah goalkeeper Lindsey Luke in the fourth round of the 2016 National Women's Soccer League College Draft.

She is the fourth draft pick for the Utes and first since 2010 Kelly Isleib. Former Ute Allie Wisner played with the Reign last season.

No Utah player earned more accolades from the Pac-12 in program history than Luke. She was named the Pac-12 Goalkeeper of the Week seven times during her career, most for any Ute in program history.

An All-Pac-12 performer and NSCAA All-Region selection, Luke set the single-season shutout mark for Utah during her sophomore season with nine blankings and finished with 25 in her career.

She also finished six saves shy of setting a new career record for Utah goalkeepers and her 367 stops placed her eighth among all current Division 1 goalkeepers (74 total games).

Season Ticket Scarves
Season tickets are $10 and come with a Utah Soccer Scarf. Your scarf serves as your season ticket and will get you admission to all home games. All seating is general admission. To get your 2016 season ticket scarf, visit http://utahtickets.com/soccer/#single-games or call 801-581-UTIX.