Southern Utah women's soccer will host in-state rival Utah Tech on Thursday, Nov. 5, to conclude the regular season at Thunderbird Soccer Field. The match, scheduled for 1 p.m. MT, carries significant implications for the Thunderbirds' postseason hopes in the Big Sky Championship.
According to a November 3 report, Southern Utah enters the match in seventh place in the 10-team Big Sky league with eight conference points. The team is one point behind sixth-place Idaho State, and only the top six teams advance to the championship in Missoula, Mont., which is scheduled for Nov. 11, 13, and 15.
Winning the match would secure a spot for the Thunderbirds as the No. 6 seed, unless Idaho State defeats Weber State. A draw would suffice if Weber State defeats Idaho State, allowing Southern Utah to win the tie-breaker against both Idaho State and Eastern Washington. However, a loss will end the Southern Utah season.
The Thunderbirds' roster features several notable performers, including freshman forward Ashlyn O'Malley, who leads the team with seven goals and 16 points. Freshman forward Gracen Blieschke leads the team with four assists and 14 points. Defensively, freshman goalkeeper Tatum Trout has started all 17 matches, recording 81 saves and a 1.54 goals-against average.
Southern Utah's 30 goals this season are just one shy of the program record of 31 set in 2022. Additionally, the team's five shutouts rank fourth in program history.
Utah Tech enters the contest with a 7-6-4 overall record and a 3-2-3 record in Big Sky play. The Trailblazers have already clinched a postseason spot. Their roster includes senior forward Ella Rusick and redshirt junior Lataya Brost, who both lead the team with seven goals. Head coach Lexi Brown leads a squad that includes seventeen players from Utah.
The matchup marks the first Big Sky meeting between these two southern Utah programs. The all-time series record favors Utah Tech with a 5-2-2 standing. Southern Utah's last victory in Cedar City against the program occurred on Sept. 17, 2016.
The regular-season finale will also serve as a senior farewell for Southern Utah players Yasuda, Acree, and Ivey.
