Utah Soccer Suffers 5-0 Defeat To BYU

Saturday, October 4

Salt Lake City, Utah

7:00 PM

University of Utah

BYU

10/4/2008 12:00 AM | Soccer

Oct. 4, 2008

Box Score

SALT LAKE CITY - The University of Utah soccer team (4-7-2, 0-1 MWC) fell to BYU (8-5-0, 1-0 MWC) in its Mountain West Conference opening match by a 5-0 score Saturday. The loss marked the first time since 2004 that the Utes fell in the opening contest of conference play.

"BYU did a great job tonight," said head coach Rich Manning. "That's the way they play all the time, with passion up and down the field, and tonight was no different. That was some fantastic shooting. On our part, we have to respond and hang in better than that. I felt there were goals to be had out there, but we were not ready to get them. Now we will just have to go back, try to learn some lessons from this and get ready for next Thursday."

BYU jumped out to a 1-0 lead with the fastest goal scored in a Utah game this year, by either the Utes or an opponent, as Katie Larkin buried a long shot just 5:28 into the game. Amanda Draeger was credited with the assist after playing the thru ball. Ultimately it was the only goal BYU would need as Larkin got her first game-winning goal of the year.

Less than three minutes later it was Larkin again finding the back of the net as she buried a penalty kick, the first penalty surrendered by the Utes this year, to make it a 2-0 score at the 8:25 mark.

The Cougars continued their first-half offensive onslaught as Lauren Anderson struck gold to put BYU ahead 3-0 less than 13 minutes into the contest. Later in the half it was Becca Riddle striking from distance at the 34:02 mark, finishing off a rebound that had hit the post and fallen in front of her. The fifth and final goal was scored just over a minute later as Katie Hodgekiss put away a header in the box.

The 5-0 loss marks the first time Utah has allowed five goals in a contest since a 5-2 loss to Florida in 2001. Utah has now been shut out five times on the year.

The Cougars outshot the Utes 24-16 overall, with shots on goal going 9-6 in Utah's favor. Utah took four corner kicks to BYU's three, while the Cougars committed 11 fouls to the Utes' eight.

BYU goalkeeper McKinzie Olson made four saves in the first half, then gave way to Aleena Shelton for the second half. Shelton made five stops in her 45 minutes of action to preserve the shutout. Utah freshman goalkeeper Hannah Turpen (San Clemente, Calif.) saw her first action of the season, subbing on at halftime and making one save.

Utah will be back in action for two home games next weekend, beginning with San Diego State Thursday, Oct. 9, at Ute Field. The Utes then host UNLV Saturday, Oct. 11. Both games are slated to kick off at 7 p.m. MT.