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Friday, October 4
Tempe, AZ
8 p.m.
University of Utah
5-4-4, 2-2-2
4
at
1
Arizona State
7-3-3, 2-3-1
1
2
F
Utah
2
2
4
Arizona St.
1
0
1
Blum, Callaway Help Utes Dominate Sun Devils
10/4/2024 11:31 PM | Soccer
Utah soccer scores first-ever Big 12 road triumph, 4-1
TEMPE, Ariz. – Lilliah Blum and Katie Callaway both recorded a goal and an assist to help the University of Utah women's soccer team score a 4-1 triumph over the Arizona State Sun Devils in Big 12 Conference action on Friday evening at Sun Devil Soccer/Lacrosse Stadium in Tempe, Ariz.
Utah's first-ever Big 12 road win bumps their league ledger up to 2-2-2 and they are 5-4-4 on the season. This victory also comes over the same Sun Devils squad the Utes defeated for their final Pac-12 triumph in 2023.
"Fantastic performance by our Utes tonight," said head coach Hideki Nakada. "ASU is a very well coached group, but I thought we executed the game plan brilliantly and we were really sharp throughout the match."
It did not take long for the visitors to seize the initiative, thanks to a 10th minute attack in which a through ball by Blum sprung Taliana Kaufusi on goal and the senior buried her shot in the back of net for her Big 12-best 10th goal of 2024. Kaufusi is the first Ute since Hailey Skolmoski in 2016 to reach double-digits in that stat in a single season.
ASU did even the score in the 16th minute, but the Utes re-took the lead before halftime. Blum was once again the catalyst, intercepting a pass on the offensive end of the field and delivering a ball to Callie Blaylock. Blaylock's pass into the box then put Blum one-on-one with the keeper and a well-placed shot by the sophomore restored Utah's one-goal edge. Blum's first score of 2024 also counted as Blaylock's first career assist.
After the break, the Utes kept the pressure on and a chance created off a corner kick resulted in a 3-1 lead in the 51st minute. Utah kept control after the corner and Callaway ended up with the ball on the right side of the attacking area. Her cross made it to Katie O'Kane on the back post and O'Kane didn't miss, booting across her sixth goal of the year. Callaway picked up her second assist.
The coup de grâce was applied by Callaway in the 81st minute. A couple of perfect passes by Kaufusi and Blum set up Bella Woods for a cross into the box that was headed on target by Callaway for the final tally of the night. It went into the books as the freshman's first collegiate goal.
Four goals is twice as many as ASU had allowed in any match in 2024 entering Friday and it's the highest total they've allowed at home since a 4-3 defeat against UCLA in 2021.
Utah was also strong on the back line all night, permitting only two shots on goal, tied for the second-lowest total by an opponent during the current campaign. Two on-target efforts matches ASU's fewest so far in 2024.
"I am really pleased with the way we played and happy for our team that they were rewarded with four great team goals," said Nakada.
Next Up
Utah's next road trip will take them to Manhattan, Kan., where they'll square off with the Kansas State Wildcats on Thursday.
FOLLOW THE UTES!
Fans can follow along on social media (Twitter: @UtahWSoccer | Instagram: @UtahWSoccer | Facebook: Facebook.com/Utahwsoccer), and the official mobile app of Utah Athletics, Utah360 -- download here.
Utah's first-ever Big 12 road win bumps their league ledger up to 2-2-2 and they are 5-4-4 on the season. This victory also comes over the same Sun Devils squad the Utes defeated for their final Pac-12 triumph in 2023.
"Fantastic performance by our Utes tonight," said head coach Hideki Nakada. "ASU is a very well coached group, but I thought we executed the game plan brilliantly and we were really sharp throughout the match."
It did not take long for the visitors to seize the initiative, thanks to a 10th minute attack in which a through ball by Blum sprung Taliana Kaufusi on goal and the senior buried her shot in the back of net for her Big 12-best 10th goal of 2024. Kaufusi is the first Ute since Hailey Skolmoski in 2016 to reach double-digits in that stat in a single season.
ASU did even the score in the 16th minute, but the Utes re-took the lead before halftime. Blum was once again the catalyst, intercepting a pass on the offensive end of the field and delivering a ball to Callie Blaylock. Blaylock's pass into the box then put Blum one-on-one with the keeper and a well-placed shot by the sophomore restored Utah's one-goal edge. Blum's first score of 2024 also counted as Blaylock's first career assist.
After the break, the Utes kept the pressure on and a chance created off a corner kick resulted in a 3-1 lead in the 51st minute. Utah kept control after the corner and Callaway ended up with the ball on the right side of the attacking area. Her cross made it to Katie O'Kane on the back post and O'Kane didn't miss, booting across her sixth goal of the year. Callaway picked up her second assist.
The coup de grâce was applied by Callaway in the 81st minute. A couple of perfect passes by Kaufusi and Blum set up Bella Woods for a cross into the box that was headed on target by Callaway for the final tally of the night. It went into the books as the freshman's first collegiate goal.
Four goals is twice as many as ASU had allowed in any match in 2024 entering Friday and it's the highest total they've allowed at home since a 4-3 defeat against UCLA in 2021.
Utah was also strong on the back line all night, permitting only two shots on goal, tied for the second-lowest total by an opponent during the current campaign. Two on-target efforts matches ASU's fewest so far in 2024.
"I am really pleased with the way we played and happy for our team that they were rewarded with four great team goals," said Nakada.
Next Up
Utah's next road trip will take them to Manhattan, Kan., where they'll square off with the Kansas State Wildcats on Thursday.
FOLLOW THE UTES!
Fans can follow along on social media (Twitter: @UtahWSoccer | Instagram: @UtahWSoccer | Facebook: Facebook.com/Utahwsoccer), and the official mobile app of Utah Athletics, Utah360 -- download here.
Team Stats
UTA
ASU
Goals
4
1
Shots
16
6
Shots on Goal
11
2
Saves
1
7
Corners
5
4
Fouls
13
6
Scoring Plays
Taliana Kaufusi (10)
Assisted By: Lilliah Blum
GOAL by UTA Kaufusi, Taliana Assist by Blum, Lilliah.
09:40
Cameron Valladares (6)
GOAL by ASU Valladares, Cameron.
16:00
Lilliah Blum (1)
Assisted By: Callie Blaylock
GOAL by UTA Blum, Lilliah Assist by Blaylock, Callie.
36:48
Katie O'Kane (6)
Assisted By: Katie Callaway
GOAL by UTA O'Kane, Katie Assist by Callaway, Katie.
50:12
Katie Callaway (1)
Assisted By: Bella Woods , Lilliah Blum
GOAL by UTA Callaway, Katie Assist by Woods, Bella and Blum, Lilliah.
80:06
Game Leaders
Players
Shots
3
SOG
3
Goals
1
Assists
2
Shots
2
SOG
2
Goals
1
Assists
1
Shots
6
SOG
3
Goals
1
Assists
0
Shots
4
SOG
2
Goals
1
Assists
0
Players Mentioned
DEF
/ SoccerMID
/ SoccerMidfielder
/ SoccerForward
/ SoccerForward
/ Soccer
MID
/ SoccerCrimson Corner with Bill Riley - Urban Meyer
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Utah Soccer's Grace Watkins - ESPN+ Feature
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Utah Soccer's Devi Dudley - ESPN+ Feature
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Utah Soccer's Ava Hetzel - ESPN+ Feature
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