Thursday, August 27
Salt Lake City, Utah
7 p.m.
University of Utah
2-1-1, 0-0-0
0
vs
1
Utah State
3-1-1, 0-0-0
| Team | 1 | 2 | Final F |
|---|---|---|---|
| Utah St. | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Utah | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Players Mentioned
Forward
/ Soccer
Defender
/ Soccer
Midfielder
/ Soccer
Forward
/ Soccer
Midfielder
/ Soccer
Midfielder
/ Soccer
Defender
/ Soccer
Goalkeeper
/ SoccerTeam Stats
USU
UTAH
Goals
1
0
Shots
7
8
Shots on Goal
4
2
Saves
2
3
Corners
2
5
Fouls
10
5
Scoring Plays
Ellie Hendrix (2)
GOAL by USU Hendrix, Ellie.
75:26
Game Leaders
Shots
2
SOG
0
Goals
0
Assists
0
Shots
1
SOG
1
Goals
0
Assists
0
fwd
Shots
1
SOG
0
Goals
0
Assists
0
def
Shots
1
SOG
0
Goals
0
Assists
0
Photo by: John Zelinka/Utah Athletics
Utah Defeated by Utah State
8/27/2026 10:14 PM | Soccer
Utes suffer first loss of 2026, 1-0
SALT LAKE CITY - In a back-and-forth affair, the University of Utah women's soccer team suffered a narrow, 1-0 defeat at the hands of the Utah State Aggies on Thursday evening at Ute Field in Salt Lake City.
This loss drops Utah's 2026 mark to 2-1-1.
"I'm proud of the way we played today," said coach Hideki Nakada. "Obviously, the result is extremely disappointing considering how we performed, but that's part of the game. At the end of the day, we have to be more clinical with our opportunities, and we can't switch off and give a team a moment like we did. Those are the details that ultimately decide games, and we have to be better in those moments.
"We're a young group that is continuing to grow, and I'm very confident in the direction this team is heading. We have a great opportunity on Sunday to respond, show our character, and get back on track. I have a lot of belief in this group, and I'm excited to see how we respond."
Both sides kept a frenetic pace during the first half, but the back-and-forth action did not yield a goal. USU took the game's first shot in the sixth minute, only to see it blocked and Utah earned the night's initial corner in the 10th minute but were unable to convert.
The day's first on-target effort came from the Aggies and was saved by Anna Solomon in the 17th minute and Utah was soon back on the attack. A steal just outside the box by Julia Oka and a cross by Kori Pickelle helped create a chance that yielded shots from Abby Affleck and Nevaeh Peregrina in the 20th minute, but Affleck's was blocked and Peregrina's sailed high. The teams would end the opening period with six total shots, although USU was the only side to put one on net.
In the second half, Utah put on early pressure that earned them a free kick and a corner, quickly followed by a shot off the foot of Shannon Davidson from the edge of the 18, but it was thwarted by a USU defender. Soon after, the visitors seized the momentum and nearly broke through thanks to a Kunie Hirai attempt that bounced off the crossbar.
Utah's first shot on goal in the half came courtesy of Callie Blaylock in the 63rd minute and Rylan Park tried her luck three minutes later, but USU's Ivy Nystrom stopped both efforts. In the 70th minute, Solomon denied a try from Austin Miller, but a shot from the right side of the box by Ellie Hendrix in the 76th minute slipped past the Utah keeper for the only score of the night. Over the last 15 minutes, the Utes managed to earn a corner and a free kick just outside the box, but they couldn't convert either into the tying goal.
The Utes ended the night with an 8-7 edge in shots and they also out-earned their guests in corner kicks by a 5-2 margin. Seven different Utah players were credited with shots, including Peregrina, who collected two. Blaylock made her first start of the season and played all 90 minutes.
Next Up
The Utes will be on the road when they next take the field, this time for a 7 p.m. match at Utah Tech on Sunday.
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.
This loss drops Utah's 2026 mark to 2-1-1.
"I'm proud of the way we played today," said coach Hideki Nakada. "Obviously, the result is extremely disappointing considering how we performed, but that's part of the game. At the end of the day, we have to be more clinical with our opportunities, and we can't switch off and give a team a moment like we did. Those are the details that ultimately decide games, and we have to be better in those moments.
"We're a young group that is continuing to grow, and I'm very confident in the direction this team is heading. We have a great opportunity on Sunday to respond, show our character, and get back on track. I have a lot of belief in this group, and I'm excited to see how we respond."
Both sides kept a frenetic pace during the first half, but the back-and-forth action did not yield a goal. USU took the game's first shot in the sixth minute, only to see it blocked and Utah earned the night's initial corner in the 10th minute but were unable to convert.
The day's first on-target effort came from the Aggies and was saved by Anna Solomon in the 17th minute and Utah was soon back on the attack. A steal just outside the box by Julia Oka and a cross by Kori Pickelle helped create a chance that yielded shots from Abby Affleck and Nevaeh Peregrina in the 20th minute, but Affleck's was blocked and Peregrina's sailed high. The teams would end the opening period with six total shots, although USU was the only side to put one on net.
In the second half, Utah put on early pressure that earned them a free kick and a corner, quickly followed by a shot off the foot of Shannon Davidson from the edge of the 18, but it was thwarted by a USU defender. Soon after, the visitors seized the momentum and nearly broke through thanks to a Kunie Hirai attempt that bounced off the crossbar.
Utah's first shot on goal in the half came courtesy of Callie Blaylock in the 63rd minute and Rylan Park tried her luck three minutes later, but USU's Ivy Nystrom stopped both efforts. In the 70th minute, Solomon denied a try from Austin Miller, but a shot from the right side of the box by Ellie Hendrix in the 76th minute slipped past the Utah keeper for the only score of the night. Over the last 15 minutes, the Utes managed to earn a corner and a free kick just outside the box, but they couldn't convert either into the tying goal.
The Utes ended the night with an 8-7 edge in shots and they also out-earned their guests in corner kicks by a 5-2 margin. Seven different Utah players were credited with shots, including Peregrina, who collected two. Blaylock made her first start of the season and played all 90 minutes.
Next Up
The Utes will be on the road when they next take the field, this time for a 7 p.m. match at Utah Tech on Sunday.
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.
No videos available.
