Utah Soccer Headed To The Palouse For A Pair Of Matches
SALT LAKE CITY – The Utah women's soccer team heads to The Palouse for a pair of matches this weekend against #15 Washington State. The first match-up of the two will serve as the Pac-12 opener on Friday, Feb. 26, while the second match will be a non-conference game between the Utes and Cougars on Sunday, Feb. 28.
Kickoff for Friday's Pac-12 opener is set for 8 p.m. (MT) while the non-conference match-up on Sunday is slated for 1 p.m. There will not be a live-stream for either games, but live stats will be available from the schedule page.
SCOUTING WASHINGTON STATE
Fresh off its College Cup run in 2019, Washington State returns 17 letter winners with a Texas Tech transfer in keeper Marissa Zucchetto. The Cougars head into this week's match-up 3-0 on the year with wins over regional teams in Seattle U (2-1), Eastern Washington (4-1) and Idaho (3-0).
Offensively, Elyse Bennett leads Wazzu with 7 points (3g, 1a) with an .818 shots on goal clip. Meanwhile, Margie Detrizio is second on the squad with five points (2g, 1a). The other four goal scorers for WSU include Makamae Gomera-Stevens (1g, 1a), Alyssa Gray (1g), Grayson Lynch (1g) and Mykiaa Minniss (1g). Additionally, Marin Whieldon is the only Coug with multiple assists on the year with two.
Zucchetto has started in goal for the Cougars in all three matches with a .670 goals against average and four saves. The transfer has played all 270 minutes in net and has a shutout to her name.
DOUBLE DUTY
Junior Brooklyn James will once again pull double duty this week. This time she'll be competing with the track & field team first on Thursday, Feb. 25, before taking a flight right after to join the soccer team that night before the Pac-12 opener against Washington State on Friday, Feb. 26. The Clackamas, Ore., product will be competing in the 800m and 4x400m relay in the dual meet at San Diego State.
James competed for both track & field and soccer the week leading up to Valentine's Day as well as she tries to juggle both sports with soccer being moved to the spring due to COVID-19.
Wednesday, Feb. 10: Bus to St. George, Utah
Thursday, Feb. 11: Soccer game vs. Dixie State --> Bus back to SLC
Friday, Feb. 12: Flight to Las Vegas
Saturday, Feb. 13: Compete at UNLV Winter Challenge #1 --> Fly back to SLC
Sunday, Feb. 14: Soccer game vs. Weber State in Herriman, Utah
LAST TIME OUT
Utah went 1-0-1 two weeks ago as it defeated Dixie State on the road 2-1 on a golden goal from Hanna Olsen in the 108th minute from an entry pass from Courtney Talbot. Olsen also scored the first goal of the game in the 23rd minute when Anna Escobedo found her on the attack.
On Valentine's Day, Haley Farrar booted in the equalizer for Utah in the 57th minute on a pass from McKenna Baillie. Neither team would end up scoring after, despite Utah outshooting Weber State 8-2 in the second half. Chelsea Peterson, who finished with four saves in 65 minutes of play made two great saves for the Utes in the overtime periods.
UP NEXT
Utah remains on the road as it travels to the Bay Area the following week. The Utes will first take on current #3 Stanford on Friday, March 5, at Cagan Stadium. Utah can then be seen on Pac-12 Networks when it battles #14 California on Sunday, March 7, inside Witter Rugby Field. Both matches against the Cardinal and Golden Bears will kick-off at 4 p.m. (MT).