Offense Comes Alive As Utah Soccer Tops TCU, 3-1

Thursday, October 15

Salt Lake City

7:00 PM

University of Utah

TCU

Offense Comes Alive As Utah Soccer Tops TCU, 3-1

10/15/2009 12:00 AM | Soccer

Oct. 15, 2009

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SALT LAKE CITY - The University of Utah soccer team (7-7-2, 2-1-1 MWC) tied its highest offensive output of the season Thursday night as the Utes defeated TCU (8-7-0, 1-3-0) by a 3-1 score. The game-winning goal came on a direct free kick from senior midfielder Kelly Isleib.

"I'm very please with a lot of aspects of the game tonight," said Utah head coach Rich Manning. "I thought this was the best we've done all year at winning the ball in the air and winning first balls. We played with a lot of aggressiveness and scored two fantastic goals in the first half, it was nice to go in with the halftime lead. We need to work a little bit on our mentality when playing with a lead and our end-of-game tactics. TCU took the role of the aggressor in the second half and credit to them for not giving up."

The Utes opened the scoring in the 30th minute of play as sophomore forward Erin Dalley buried a header from six yards out off a perfect cross from sophomore midfielder Chelsea Forbes. It was Dalley's fifth goal of the year, tied for second on the team, and was her second score in Mountain West Conference play. Forbes' registered her third assist.

"I saw Chelsea get the ball outside and I was unmarked at the top of the box, so I just made a run in," said Dalley. "Chelsea saw me and played a perfect ball, and I just put it in the back of the net. I really think that was one of our better halves of the whole season. We attacked well and had lots of opportunities to score. To get three goals in three different ways - a header, a free kick, and in the run of play - gives us a lot of confidence and shows that we are a dynamic offensive team. There is a lot we can take away from this game."

Isleib made it 2-0 in Utah's favor less than two minutes later as she buried the free kick from 30 yards out. Following a TCU foul, Isleib place the ball, examined the wall and the goalkeeper, then bent a shot over the wall and into the left side netting. It was her third goal of the year off of a direct free kick and marks her second game-winner.

"In the first half we really moved well off the ball and created a lot of chances," said Isleib. "We made a lot of good runs for each other and made it easier to play. This was a very physical game and TCU is a good team. They were fun to play against. Now we have to make sure we come out like we did tonight when we play New Mexico on Saturday, we need to start with a lot of energy and hopefully we can get another result."

Just eight minutes out of halftime, freshman forward Hanna Terry made it a 3-0 Utah advantage as she punished the Frogs for a defensive miscue. A long ball was flicked on by Dalley into the defensive third of TCU, where a defender attempted to play back to her goalkeeper. The ball strayed too wide however and was collected by Terry. She cut it back inside, put it on her right foot and hit an 18-yard shot that took a slight deflection and beat the goalkeeper to the bottom right corner.

It was Terry's fifth goal of the year, tying Dalley for second-most on the squad. She also becomes the first freshman to score at least five goals in a season since Adele Letro netted seven in 2005.

Utah's three goals marked its highest offensive output since winning by a 3-1 score at Cal State Fullerton in the second game of the year. It was also the first time the Utes scored multiple goals in a conference game this year after scoring one in each of their first three league contests.

"One thing that has been lost in some of our results lately is that our ball possession and movement has been very good," said Manning. "It is really coming along. Our players are finding their comfort level and rhythms within the game."

TCU was able to pull a goal back in the 83rd minute to make it 3-1. After Utah cleared away a corner kick, defender Kaitlyn Reynolds stepped up and hit a 40-yard bomb that lofted over Utah goalkeeper Hannah Turpen and into the net.

Turpen accounted for seven saves, including a leaping parry off a great shot from TCU's Leigha Leonard. Kelsey Walters made two saves for the Horned Frogs. Overall, shots went 20-17 in TCU's favor, with shots on goal going 8-5 that way as well. Utah and TCU each earned six corner kicks and the Frogs were whistled for 13 fouls, while Utah had seven.

The Utes are back in action Saturday, Oct. 17, as they host New Mexico (10-2-2, 2-1-0) at 7 p.m. at Ute Field.