Upcoming Event: Soccer at Houston on October 5, 2025 at 12 p.m.
12 p.m.
Soccer
at Houston
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Thursday, October 2
Orlando, FL
5 p.m.
University of Utah
at
UCF
Players Mentioned
Forward
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Forward
/ Soccer
Midfielder
/ Soccer
Midfielder
/ Soccer
Forward
/ Soccer
Defender
/ Soccer
Midfielder
/ Soccer
Midfielder
/ Soccer
Defender
/ Soccer
Goalkeeper
/ Soccer
Defender
/ Soccer
Defender
/ Soccer
Midfielder
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Goalkeeper
/ Soccer
Forward
/ Soccer
Midfielder
/ Soccer
Forward
/ Soccer
Midfielder
/ Soccer
Midfielder/Defender
/ Soccer
Utah Soccer to Travel East to Meet Golden Knights, Cougars
9/30/2025 4:00 PM | Soccer
Utes set for first ever road meetings with UCF, Houston
SALT LAKE CITY – The University of Utah women's soccer team has gotten to spend most of the last few weeks at home, but now they'll have to take their show on the road to visit a pair of Big 12 foes, both of whom have crafted records that are multiple games over .500.
First, on Thursday, the Utes will visit the UCF Golden Knights, who will host Utah at 7 p.m. ET (5 p.m. MT) at the UCF Soccer Complex in Orlando, Fla., followed on Sunday by a fixture against the Houston Cougars at 1 p.m. CT at the Carl Lewis International Complex in Houston, Texas.
Last Time Out
Utah's defense continued to make life difficult for opponents last week, allowing just a single goal across two matches. Against Cincinnati, the Bearcats managed just a single shot on goal and while West Virginia totaled eight on-target efforts, goalkeeper Erin Gibbs corralled a season-high six saves as the Utes and Mountaineers finished level.
The goal Utah produced against WVU came from a familiar source, as Lilliah Blum booted in her team-high fourth of the season and Grace Watkins contributed her fifth assist, tied for fourth most in the conference. Shannon Davidson also picked up a helper on Blum's tally, the first of her collegiate career. The 46 minutes Davidson spent on the field against WVU represent her second-highest total of 2025.
Scouting the Golden Knights
Few teams in the nation got off to better starts than the Golden Knights, who rattled off five straight wins to open the season, including triumphs over LSU and Florida. They started conference competition with a draw and a loss, but bounced back in their most recent outing by logging a road victory over No. 17 Arizona State. UCF was the first team to tally multiple goals against ASU so far in 2025.
The goal that proved to be the difference against Arizona State came off the foot of Rajanah Reed, her third game-winning tally during the current campaign. That number is tied for third-best in the Big 12 and the Golden Knights also have one of the top players in the conference in terms of assists in Liz Worden. Worden provided the assist on Reed's game-winner in Tempe on Sunday, which put her point total for the season at 11, a number that outpaces the rest of the UCF roster.
Scouting the Cougars
Much like UCF, Houston thrived in non-conference play, dropping Texas by a 4-1 margin on Aug. 24, then following that by recording 14 goals in their next two matches. The Cougars' total of 27 scores through 10 matches ranks second in the league and puts the squad in a tie for 21st nationally. They've also been one of the best teams in the Big 12 at limited scoring chances for the opposition, allowing only 27 total shots on goal and crafting and .846 save percentage, which ranks third.
Samira Minor and Adelhia Ghonda are currently sharing the team lead in goals for Houston, having each found the back of the net four times, but they are two of 14 players who've tallied at least one goal. Six different Cougars have also been credited with a game-winning score. In goal, Lexi Gonzalez has taken over most of the goalkeeping of late and her and Maggie Manning have combined for six total shutouts, as well as 22 saves.
For the Utes, this will be their first trip ever to the Space City, but it is not the first-ever meeting between the programs. The initial tilt between these teams was a 4-1 win for the Utes in 2015 and their first bout as conference foes also occurred in Utah a year ago and ended with the home team on top again, this time by a score of 1-0.
Senior Class
The Utes have plenty of experience on their roster, which includes seven seniors, Erin Gibbs, Brooklyn Blaylock, Alex Schoenstadt, Kelly Bullock, Ryann Cull, Sophie Bellini and Ali Swensen, and three graduate students, Devi Dudley, Grace Watkins and Ava Hetzel.
Blaylock, Bullock and Cull are all entering their fourth season at Utah and have appeared in 158 total matches during their collegiate careers. Blaylock and Cull have been fixtures on the back line for the Utes, combining for 78 starts, while Bullock is coming off an all-conference season and will add to her total of 52 starts from 2022-24.
Schoenstadt came to Salt Lake City in time for the start of the 2023 season and will be back in action after an injury knocked her out for 2024. Gibbs, Dudley, Watkins and Hetzel are all in their second year with the Utes while Swensen and Bellini will be in their initial Utah campaign.
New Utes
Bellini and Swensen are two of 12 new players Hideki Nakada added to his roster during the offseason, a group comprised of two seniors, one sophomore and nine freshman. Malaspina is the newest addition to the goalkeeper room after starting her career at UC Colorado Springs and defender Madison Encinas also came out of the portal after spending a redshirt year at Baylor.
From the prep ranks, the Utes added goalkeeper Emeline McClenahan, defender Reese Kennel, midfielder and defender Mimi Yamamoto, midfielders Shannon Davidson, Eliza Smith and Addison Lockerby and forwards Julia Oka and Abby Affleck.
Oh Captains, My Captains
Utah will be led by its three graduate students this season. Devi Dudley, Grace Watkins and Ava Hetzel will serve as the team's three captains during the 2025 campaign. The trio has combined to play in 204 collegiate games entering this season.
Coaches Corner
Last season, head coach Hideki Nakada hired a pair of new assistant coaches in Travis Smith and Jackie Poortinga. The two return for their second seasons with Utah in 2025 and will be joined by new assistant coach Sam Gomez.
Gomez brings with him a wealth of experience that includes time as the Girls Director of Coaching at the Utah Athletic Academy and head coach of the girls soccer team at Highland High School. Gomez has also honed his skills as a coach at Port Orchard FC, Impact United and Kitsap Alliance FC.
Prior to moving into the coaching ranks, he played professionally in the Honduran 1st Division with Real CD Espana, as well as with San Diego 1904 FC in the NISA. This followed a collegiate career at Cal State University Bakersfield, where he was an academic all-conference selection and earned a degree in Kinesiology.
NCAA Tournament History
The Utes enter 2025 aiming to reach the NCAA Tournament for the ninth time in school history and the first time since 2019. Utah put together its best postseason finish in 2016, when they forged a path all the way to the Sweet 16.
FOLLOW THE UTES!
Fans can follow along on social media (Twitter: @UtahWSoccer | Instagram: @UtahWSoccer | Facebook: Facebook.com/Utahwsoccer).
First, on Thursday, the Utes will visit the UCF Golden Knights, who will host Utah at 7 p.m. ET (5 p.m. MT) at the UCF Soccer Complex in Orlando, Fla., followed on Sunday by a fixture against the Houston Cougars at 1 p.m. CT at the Carl Lewis International Complex in Houston, Texas.
| THURSDAY'S MATCHUP Date | Time: Thursday, Oct. 2 | 5:00 p.m. (MT) Utah (5-4-3, 0-1-2) vs. UCF (2-3-4, 0-1-0) Location: Orlando, Fla. | UCF Soccer Complex Live Stats: Click Here Live Stream: ESPN+ Twitter Updates: @UtahWSoccer |
SUNDAY'S MATCHUP Date | Time: Sunday, Oct. 5 | 12:00 p.m. (MT) Utah (5-4-3, 0-1-2) vs. Houston (6-1-3, 1-1-1) Location: Houston, Texas | Carl Lewis International Complex Live Stats: Click Here Live Stream: ESPN+ Twitter Updates: @UtahWSoccer |
Last Time Out
Utah's defense continued to make life difficult for opponents last week, allowing just a single goal across two matches. Against Cincinnati, the Bearcats managed just a single shot on goal and while West Virginia totaled eight on-target efforts, goalkeeper Erin Gibbs corralled a season-high six saves as the Utes and Mountaineers finished level.
The goal Utah produced against WVU came from a familiar source, as Lilliah Blum booted in her team-high fourth of the season and Grace Watkins contributed her fifth assist, tied for fourth most in the conference. Shannon Davidson also picked up a helper on Blum's tally, the first of her collegiate career. The 46 minutes Davidson spent on the field against WVU represent her second-highest total of 2025.
Scouting the Golden Knights
Few teams in the nation got off to better starts than the Golden Knights, who rattled off five straight wins to open the season, including triumphs over LSU and Florida. They started conference competition with a draw and a loss, but bounced back in their most recent outing by logging a road victory over No. 17 Arizona State. UCF was the first team to tally multiple goals against ASU so far in 2025.
The goal that proved to be the difference against Arizona State came off the foot of Rajanah Reed, her third game-winning tally during the current campaign. That number is tied for third-best in the Big 12 and the Golden Knights also have one of the top players in the conference in terms of assists in Liz Worden. Worden provided the assist on Reed's game-winner in Tempe on Sunday, which put her point total for the season at 11, a number that outpaces the rest of the UCF roster.
Scouting the Cougars
Much like UCF, Houston thrived in non-conference play, dropping Texas by a 4-1 margin on Aug. 24, then following that by recording 14 goals in their next two matches. The Cougars' total of 27 scores through 10 matches ranks second in the league and puts the squad in a tie for 21st nationally. They've also been one of the best teams in the Big 12 at limited scoring chances for the opposition, allowing only 27 total shots on goal and crafting and .846 save percentage, which ranks third.
Samira Minor and Adelhia Ghonda are currently sharing the team lead in goals for Houston, having each found the back of the net four times, but they are two of 14 players who've tallied at least one goal. Six different Cougars have also been credited with a game-winning score. In goal, Lexi Gonzalez has taken over most of the goalkeeping of late and her and Maggie Manning have combined for six total shutouts, as well as 22 saves.
For the Utes, this will be their first trip ever to the Space City, but it is not the first-ever meeting between the programs. The initial tilt between these teams was a 4-1 win for the Utes in 2015 and their first bout as conference foes also occurred in Utah a year ago and ended with the home team on top again, this time by a score of 1-0.
Senior Class
The Utes have plenty of experience on their roster, which includes seven seniors, Erin Gibbs, Brooklyn Blaylock, Alex Schoenstadt, Kelly Bullock, Ryann Cull, Sophie Bellini and Ali Swensen, and three graduate students, Devi Dudley, Grace Watkins and Ava Hetzel.
Blaylock, Bullock and Cull are all entering their fourth season at Utah and have appeared in 158 total matches during their collegiate careers. Blaylock and Cull have been fixtures on the back line for the Utes, combining for 78 starts, while Bullock is coming off an all-conference season and will add to her total of 52 starts from 2022-24.
Schoenstadt came to Salt Lake City in time for the start of the 2023 season and will be back in action after an injury knocked her out for 2024. Gibbs, Dudley, Watkins and Hetzel are all in their second year with the Utes while Swensen and Bellini will be in their initial Utah campaign.
New Utes
Bellini and Swensen are two of 12 new players Hideki Nakada added to his roster during the offseason, a group comprised of two seniors, one sophomore and nine freshman. Malaspina is the newest addition to the goalkeeper room after starting her career at UC Colorado Springs and defender Madison Encinas also came out of the portal after spending a redshirt year at Baylor.
From the prep ranks, the Utes added goalkeeper Emeline McClenahan, defender Reese Kennel, midfielder and defender Mimi Yamamoto, midfielders Shannon Davidson, Eliza Smith and Addison Lockerby and forwards Julia Oka and Abby Affleck.
Oh Captains, My Captains
Utah will be led by its three graduate students this season. Devi Dudley, Grace Watkins and Ava Hetzel will serve as the team's three captains during the 2025 campaign. The trio has combined to play in 204 collegiate games entering this season.
Coaches Corner
Last season, head coach Hideki Nakada hired a pair of new assistant coaches in Travis Smith and Jackie Poortinga. The two return for their second seasons with Utah in 2025 and will be joined by new assistant coach Sam Gomez.
Gomez brings with him a wealth of experience that includes time as the Girls Director of Coaching at the Utah Athletic Academy and head coach of the girls soccer team at Highland High School. Gomez has also honed his skills as a coach at Port Orchard FC, Impact United and Kitsap Alliance FC.
Prior to moving into the coaching ranks, he played professionally in the Honduran 1st Division with Real CD Espana, as well as with San Diego 1904 FC in the NISA. This followed a collegiate career at Cal State University Bakersfield, where he was an academic all-conference selection and earned a degree in Kinesiology.
NCAA Tournament History
The Utes enter 2025 aiming to reach the NCAA Tournament for the ninth time in school history and the first time since 2019. Utah put together its best postseason finish in 2016, when they forged a path all the way to the Sweet 16.
FOLLOW THE UTES!
Fans can follow along on social media (Twitter: @UtahWSoccer | Instagram: @UtahWSoccer | Facebook: Facebook.com/Utahwsoccer).
Utah Soccer's Ali Swensen - ESPN+ Feature
Saturday, September 27
Utah Soccer's Lilliah Blum - ESPN+ Feature
Wednesday, September 24
Crimson Corner with Bill Riley - Tony Caridi, voice of the West Virginia Mountaineers
Tuesday, September 23
Crimson Corner with Bill Riley - Urban Meyer
Wednesday, September 17