Utah Soccer Takes Down Idaho State, 3-1

Sunday, September 18

Salt Lake City

1:00 PM

University of Utah

Idaho State

9/18/2011 12:00 AM | Soccer

Sept. 18, 2011

Box Score

SALT LAKE CITY - The University of Utah women's soccer team (4-4-1) completed a home weekend sweep with Sunday's 3-1 victory over Idaho State (3-5-1) to wrap up non-conference play and take a two-match win streak into it's Pac-12 opener. The game-winning goal came off the foot of sophomore midfielder Leslie Muirhead.

"Taking both games on a home weekend shows we are learning how to win," said head coach Rich Manning. "So in that sense I am very pleased. The games itself have been a little bit choppy, but today I thought the first part of the second half for us was outstanding. We showed confidence, spread the field, moved the ball around, scored a great goal and created more chances. I think it we can continue to show that confidence and sharpness, I think we will have more success. We need to be more consistent, but we rode the waves of the game and stayed in there very well."

Muirhead's goal snapped a 1-1 tie in the 36th minute and became the eventual game winner. After a nice buildup down the right wing, freshman forward Jill Robison crossed the ball into the penalty box, where Idaho State goalkeeper Carly Hutchings-Maloney came off her line to intercept it. She wasn't able to hold on to the ball and the deflection fell straight to Muirhead, who slid it into the net from six yards out for her first career goal.

Muirhead became the eighth different Ute to score this season and the sixth to tally her first career goal. Furthermore, she became the fourth different Utah player to score a game winner this year and the third whose first career goal was also a game-winning strike.

Utah had taken a 1-0 lead in the 19th minute as sophomore midfielder Harley Spier, known for her ability to win head balls on both ends of the field, blasted in a header off a corner kick from freshman midfielder McKel Wall, who earned her first assist of the year. It was Spier's first career goal as well.

Senior forward Erin Dalley iced the game with a goal in the second half, her second of the year, after two well-played passes led to her left-footed one-timer from 14 yards out that ricocheted off the post and in. Freshman midfielder Ashton Hall had gotten possession and played it forward to Robison, who placed a one-touch layoff pass into the box for Dalley to run on to. Dalley beat the keeper and buried it for the 3-1 lead and eventual final score.

Idaho State had pulled the game level at 1-1 less than two minutes after the Utes had taken their initial lead as Madeline Gochnour bent a 22-yard shot into the left side netting after the Utah defense turned it over deep in their defensive zone.

Utah senior goalkeeper Hannah Turpen finished the game with three saves and was credited with the win. Sophomore Cheyanne Mulcock also got into the game in the Ute net, taking over for the last 23:44, and making one save as well. Hutchings-Maloney finished with five saves for Idaho State.

For the second consecutive game, Utah was outshot overall but was more accurate statistically, as ISU led total shots 14-13, but shots-on-goal were 8-5 in favor of the Utes. The Bengals earned five corner kicks to Utah's two, but committed 11 fouls to only five for the U.

Utah is back in action Friday, Sept. 23, as the Utes travel to Oregon in their first-ever women's soccer match as members of the Pac-12. The Utes' next home game is Friday, Sept. 30 against Arizona State, kicking off at 7 p.m. It will be Youth Night at Ute Field and festivities will include post-match fireworks.