Utah Soccer Silences Oregon State, 2-0

Sunday, October 12

Corvallis, Ore.

1:00 PM

University of Utah

8-3-3, 1-3-1Pac-12

Oregon State

0-11-3, 0-5-0Pac-12

Utah

Oregon State

10/12/2014 12:00 AM | Soccer

Box Score

Oct. 12, 2014

Final Stats

CORVALLIS, Ore. - Utah soccer captured its first win in Pac-12 play with a 2-0 victory at Oregon State. Goals from Katie Taylor and Jill Robison pushed the Utes to 8-3-3 on the season.

"The talk before the game was to get off to a good start and that approach led to the goal," head coach Rich Manning said. "Obviously, getting in front of them made things a lot easier."

After earning two corner-kicks in the first two minutes, Taylor put Utah in front. The senior had her first shot blocked but she curled a second effort into the left side of the net for her team-leading fourth goal of the season.

"Katie is a catalyst for our team and really was a driving force at the beginning of the game," Manning said. "Not only did she score the goal but she created chances. She is everything you want from a leader."

The Utes created more chances in the half with Mikayla Elmer and Taylor going wide before Megan Trabert put a try high in the 39th minute.

Defensively, Lindsey Luke stood tall in goal denying Samantha Moultrie, Sabrina Santarossa and Nikki Faris.

Utah continued to press at the opening of the second half as Ali Allen was stopped twice and Audrey Gibb was also saved in the first six minutes. After Helene Haavik tested Luke in the 60th minute, Utah doubled the lead on a goal from Jill Robison. The senior scored her first goal of the season from close range off a cross from Katie Rigby.

"We've been bringing Jill along slowly this season because of her injury, " Manning added. "So we had her sit the entire first half and then put her on the wing to start the second half. She came out and did a nice job scoring that second goal."

In the 63rd minute, Utah had another golden opportunity when Trabert hit the crossbar off an Avery Jenkins corner-kick. She would also be denied by Bella Geist in the 77th minute of another corner by Jenkins.

Luke stopped Gwen Bieck in the 68th and then got a little help from her defense as a Julia Sattler attempt was cleared off the line.

"The backs did a nice job and Lindsey managed the game well," Manning added. "As the game wore on, she became more focused on what OSU wanted to do. They are very direct in their approach and our defenders, especially Katie Rigby and Audrey, were able to adjust accordingly."

It would be the last foray by the Beavers as Utah's defense clamped down and at the other end, Elmer and Jenkins kept the pressure on OSU's back four.

Utah wraps up a five-match road swing next Friday in Berkeley. The Utes will play No. 22 California at 2 p.m. PT on the Pac-12 Networks.