Thursday, August 27
Salt Lake City, Utah
7 p.m.
University of Utah
vs
Utah State
Players Mentioned
Forward
/ Soccer
Midfielder
/ Soccer
Midfielder
/ Soccer
Defender
/ Soccer
Defender
/ Soccer
Forward
/ Soccer
Goalkeeper
/ Soccer
Midfielder
/ Soccer
Forward
/ Soccer
Utah State, Utah Tech Offer Two More Tests for Utes
8/25/2026 10:21 AM | Soccer
Utah soccer to host Aggies before traveling south to meet Trailblazers
SALT LAKE CITY – Back-to-back wins are under their belt and the University of Utah women's soccer team has two more August tests remaining, first on Thursday at Ute Field against the Utah State Aggies at 7 p.m., followed by a road trip south to visit the Utah Tech Trailblazers at 7 p.m. on Sunday at Greater Zion Stadium.
Last Time Out
For the third time in the last five seasons, the Utes are off to an undefeated start through three matches and they are also riding a wave of three consecutive shutouts, which the program hadn't done to start a season since 2013. Coach Hideki Nakada's club will now be aiming to stay undefeated through four matches for the sixth time in school history.
Against Southern Utah, the first goal of Brooke Gardner's collegiate career got the scoring started. Her shot from beyond midfield took a bounce over SUU's keeper for 1-0 lead that also represented the team's first first half goal of 2026. Katie Callaway added her second score of the year moments later off a pair of perfectly placed assists from Tatym Dever and Maddie Stoddard. Julia Oka tacked on one more in the second half with help from Shannon Davidson, who recorded her second helper in as many matches.
In goal, Anna Solomon remains spotless on the season, having become just the second Utah goalkeeper to ever start a season with three straight shutouts. Her defenders made sure she only had to face two shots on goal against the Thunderbirds and the senior from California stopped both efforts. In total, Solomon has made eight saves through three matches and she's one of only seven keepers in the country with three clean sheets.
Scouting Utah State
After beginning their season with a loss and a tie, the Aggies have bounced back with consecutive triumphs, first blanking Portland 2-0 on Aug. 20, followed by 1-0 squeaker over Utah Valley on Monday. Ellie Hendrix notched the game-winner against the Wolverines, meaning USU's five 2026 goals have been scored by five different players.
In goal, Ivy Nystrom snagged five saves, including one on a penalty kick, to register her second straight clean sheet. Against Portland, USU's back line was performed so well, Nystrom only had to make one save to record her first career shutout.
Utah and Utah State have met 27 times prior to Thursday's match, with Utah owning an overall edge of 20-6-1. USU's last two victories in the rivalry have both come at Ute Field, however, including a 2-0 decision in 2024. Prior to that, the Utes had produced seven straight shutout victories over the Aggies, six of which were shutouts. The 2025 meeting ended in a draw.
Scouting Utah Tech
Before meeting the Utes on Sunday, the Trailblazers will square off with UC Riverside on Thursday, but through their first four matches, Utah Tech has had an up-and-down start to 2026. After an exhibition win over UNLV, coach Lexi Brown's squad drew with UC Irvine before suffering a defeat at the hands of UC San Diego. A win over Westminster followed, but the Trailblazers' most recent home contest was a 3-0 defeat against Portland.
Ella Rusick has been Utah Tech's most prolific scorer in the early part of the season and her four goals lead the Big Sky. She scored her team's first goal in their Aug. 12 tie with UC Irvine, then added two more against UC San Diego and netted her fourth tally in the win over Westminster. Lataya Brost leads Utah Tech in assists with two.
Sunday's fixture will be the third meeting between the Utes and the Trailblazers, who squared off in Salt Lake City in 2025 in a match that ended 2-1 in favor of the home side. This time, the Utes will be traveling to St. George for the just the second time ever. The first instance was in 2020, when Utah snatched a 2-1 decision in overtime.
Three Shutouts for Solomon
Prior to 2026, only one goalkeeper had posted clean sheets in each of Utah's first three matches and that was Lindsey Luke in 2013. Luke now has company, however, as Anna Solomon has started her first year as a Ute by blanking Weber State, Utah Valley and Southern Utah. Two different Utah keepers combined to shut out the program's first three opponents in 2005. The Utes are one of only two teams in the Big 12 still in possession of perfect save percentages, with Texas Tech being the other.
Points-A-Plenty
Four different Utah players have accumulated points in each of Utah's last two matches. Katie Callaway has goals in back-to-back games, Shannon Davidson and Maddie Stoddard have assists in consecutive contests and Julia Oka followed up her assist at UVU with a goal against SUU. This is the first time four or more Utes have gotten on the scoresheet in consecutive fixtures since 2023, when Kelly Bullock, Taliana Kaufusi, Courtney Brown and Maryn Granger combined to achieve the same feat.
Solomon Named Big 12 Goalkeeper of the Week
After becoming the first Utah goalkeeper in more than a decade to start a season with consecutive clean sheets, Anna Solomon earned the year's first Big 12 Goalkeeper of the Week award, it was announced on Aug. 19. This is the first time a Utah keeper has ever been chosen as the Big 12's Goalkeeper of the Week. The last Utah keeper to receive such an honor was Carly Nelson in 2019.
Super Subs
Both of Utah's goals against UVU on Aug. 17 were scored by substitutes, as Clem and Callaway came off the bench to get on the scoresheet. That marked the first time two Utah subs scored in the same game since a 5-0 win over Utah Valley on Aug. 30, 2023.
Scanning the Schedule
Utah's 2026 slate consists of 19 matches, including eight home fixtures at Ute Field. The team's Big 12 schedule begins with a Sept. 18 visit to Arizona State and includes 11 matchups against conference foes, concluding with a home clash with Kansas State on Nov. 4.
| THURSDAY'S MATCHUP Date | Time: Thursday, Aug. 27 | 7 p.m. Utah State (2-1-1) vs. Utah (2-0-1) Location: Salt Lake City | Ute Field Live Stats: Click Here Live Stream: Click Here Twitter Updates: @UtahWSoccer |
SUNDAY'S MATCHUP Date | Time: Sunday, Aug. 30 | 7 p.m. Utah (2-0-1) at Utah Tech (1-2-1) Location: St. George, Utah | Greater Zion Stadium Live Stats: Click Here Live Stream: Click Here Twitter Updates: @UtahWSoccer |
Last Time Out
For the third time in the last five seasons, the Utes are off to an undefeated start through three matches and they are also riding a wave of three consecutive shutouts, which the program hadn't done to start a season since 2013. Coach Hideki Nakada's club will now be aiming to stay undefeated through four matches for the sixth time in school history.
Against Southern Utah, the first goal of Brooke Gardner's collegiate career got the scoring started. Her shot from beyond midfield took a bounce over SUU's keeper for 1-0 lead that also represented the team's first first half goal of 2026. Katie Callaway added her second score of the year moments later off a pair of perfectly placed assists from Tatym Dever and Maddie Stoddard. Julia Oka tacked on one more in the second half with help from Shannon Davidson, who recorded her second helper in as many matches.
In goal, Anna Solomon remains spotless on the season, having become just the second Utah goalkeeper to ever start a season with three straight shutouts. Her defenders made sure she only had to face two shots on goal against the Thunderbirds and the senior from California stopped both efforts. In total, Solomon has made eight saves through three matches and she's one of only seven keepers in the country with three clean sheets.
Scouting Utah State
After beginning their season with a loss and a tie, the Aggies have bounced back with consecutive triumphs, first blanking Portland 2-0 on Aug. 20, followed by 1-0 squeaker over Utah Valley on Monday. Ellie Hendrix notched the game-winner against the Wolverines, meaning USU's five 2026 goals have been scored by five different players.
In goal, Ivy Nystrom snagged five saves, including one on a penalty kick, to register her second straight clean sheet. Against Portland, USU's back line was performed so well, Nystrom only had to make one save to record her first career shutout.
Utah and Utah State have met 27 times prior to Thursday's match, with Utah owning an overall edge of 20-6-1. USU's last two victories in the rivalry have both come at Ute Field, however, including a 2-0 decision in 2024. Prior to that, the Utes had produced seven straight shutout victories over the Aggies, six of which were shutouts. The 2025 meeting ended in a draw.
Scouting Utah Tech
Before meeting the Utes on Sunday, the Trailblazers will square off with UC Riverside on Thursday, but through their first four matches, Utah Tech has had an up-and-down start to 2026. After an exhibition win over UNLV, coach Lexi Brown's squad drew with UC Irvine before suffering a defeat at the hands of UC San Diego. A win over Westminster followed, but the Trailblazers' most recent home contest was a 3-0 defeat against Portland.
Ella Rusick has been Utah Tech's most prolific scorer in the early part of the season and her four goals lead the Big Sky. She scored her team's first goal in their Aug. 12 tie with UC Irvine, then added two more against UC San Diego and netted her fourth tally in the win over Westminster. Lataya Brost leads Utah Tech in assists with two.
Sunday's fixture will be the third meeting between the Utes and the Trailblazers, who squared off in Salt Lake City in 2025 in a match that ended 2-1 in favor of the home side. This time, the Utes will be traveling to St. George for the just the second time ever. The first instance was in 2020, when Utah snatched a 2-1 decision in overtime.
Three Shutouts for Solomon
Prior to 2026, only one goalkeeper had posted clean sheets in each of Utah's first three matches and that was Lindsey Luke in 2013. Luke now has company, however, as Anna Solomon has started her first year as a Ute by blanking Weber State, Utah Valley and Southern Utah. Two different Utah keepers combined to shut out the program's first three opponents in 2005. The Utes are one of only two teams in the Big 12 still in possession of perfect save percentages, with Texas Tech being the other.
Points-A-Plenty
Four different Utah players have accumulated points in each of Utah's last two matches. Katie Callaway has goals in back-to-back games, Shannon Davidson and Maddie Stoddard have assists in consecutive contests and Julia Oka followed up her assist at UVU with a goal against SUU. This is the first time four or more Utes have gotten on the scoresheet in consecutive fixtures since 2023, when Kelly Bullock, Taliana Kaufusi, Courtney Brown and Maryn Granger combined to achieve the same feat.
Solomon Named Big 12 Goalkeeper of the Week
After becoming the first Utah goalkeeper in more than a decade to start a season with consecutive clean sheets, Anna Solomon earned the year's first Big 12 Goalkeeper of the Week award, it was announced on Aug. 19. This is the first time a Utah keeper has ever been chosen as the Big 12's Goalkeeper of the Week. The last Utah keeper to receive such an honor was Carly Nelson in 2019.
Super Subs
Both of Utah's goals against UVU on Aug. 17 were scored by substitutes, as Clem and Callaway came off the bench to get on the scoresheet. That marked the first time two Utah subs scored in the same game since a 5-0 win over Utah Valley on Aug. 30, 2023.
Scanning the Schedule
Utah's 2026 slate consists of 19 matches, including eight home fixtures at Ute Field. The team's Big 12 schedule begins with a Sept. 18 visit to Arizona State and includes 11 matchups against conference foes, concluding with a home clash with Kansas State on Nov. 4.
Coaches Corner
Head coach Hideki Nakada's brain trust for 2026 includes two holdovers in Jackie Poortinga and Sam Gomez and one new addition in former University of Montevallo soccer player Emma Greenwood. Greenwood joins the Utes after spending the 2025 season at Cal Poly Pomona, where she helped the Broncos post an 18-3-3 record, win the conference regular season and West Region Championships and march all the way to the Final Four. The 2025 Broncos also produced three All-Americans and had nine players who earned academic all-district honors.
Prior to her time at Cal Poly Pomona, Greenwood spent four years with Legends FC - San Diego, where she served as ECNL Director, Head Coach, and Administrative Lead. In these roles, she led player recruitment efforts, oversaw program development, and implemented team training periodization. She managed residential and youth camps throughout the year as well, contributing to the club's emergence as one of Southern California's top youth soccer environments. In 2024, Greenwood was selected to the West Region ODP staff, supporting talent identification and player evaluation across the region.
Her coaching background also includes time with San Diego Surf Soccer Club (2020–2021), where she coached ECNL and ECRL teams, and with Palomar College (2021), where she contributed to all aspects of the collegiate program, including player development, team training, scouting, and game day operations.
NCAA Tournament History
The Utes enter 2025 aiming to reach the NCAA Tournament for the ninth time in school history and the first time since 2019. Utah put together its best postseason finish in 2016, when they forged a path all the way to the Sweet 16.
#ProUtes
The number of Utah soccer alums in the professional ranks continues to grow. Courtney Brown, with the Utah Royals, and Katie O'Kane, who plays for Racing Louisville, are both in the middle of their second NWSL seasons. The Royals recently added a second Ute to their roster with the signing of Ali Swensen and Kelly Bullock was just announced as the newest member of Valadares Gaia FC.
FOLLOW THE UTES!
Fans can follow along on social media (Twitter: @UtahWSoccer | Instagram: @UtahWSoccer | Facebook: Facebook.com/Utahwsoccer).
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