Soccer heads to Utah
WASHINGTON STATE (7-1-1, 1-0-0)
at Utah (5-4-1, 0-1-0) | Thr., Sept. 30 | 6 p.m.PT | Ute Field
Watch Live | Pac-12 Network (Analyst: Krista Blunk)
Live Statistics | Statbroadcast
OPENING XI
> The Cougs hit the road for the first time in Pac-12 play with a trip to Salt Lake City Thursday to take on the Utes. The Cougs are unbeaten in the last three against Utah but are looking for their first win in Utah since 2015.
> WSU has been perfect on the road in 2021 going 4-0-0 while outscoring its opponents 11-0.
> Pac-12 play began with a bang for the Cougs as WSU defeated Arizona, 2-0, last week at home on the Palouse. The win snapped a six-match skid for the Cougs against the Wildcats.
> 5th year Sydney Pulver will become the undisputed iron woman of WSU soccer Thursday night when she plays in her record-setting 87th career contest.
> The defense has been up to the task in 2021 allowing just three goals (0.33 GAA - 8th in the nation) while posting seven shutout, four of which have come on the road.
> WSU is riding a four-match shutout streak into Utah, one shy of tying the all-time record for consecutive shutouts. Overall, the Cougs have not conceded in 369:49 minutes.
> The offense has scored 26 goals with 10 different players recording a goal and seven different game-winners. WSU's offense ranks 6th in shots per game (22.67) and 19th in scoring (2.89 gpg). WSU is +23 in goals scored on the year.
> 5th year Elyse Bennett leads the way offensively with six goals (tying a career high) and a team-best 15 points (2nd in the Pac-12). She ranks 7th all-time in goals (22) and T8th in points (55) for her career.
> Junior Enzi Broussard has found her groove at WSU leading the way with 5 assists (2nd in the Pac-12) to go with 3 goals (11 points, T2nd on the team). She scored her first career game-winner in her first career Pac-12 contest.
> Under head coach Todd Shulenberger, the Cougs have gone 31-25-5 away from home (both away and neutral sites). WSU is 4-0-0 on the year on the road.
> WSU was picked 5th by the Pac-12 coaches in the preseason poll marking the third-straight year picked in the top half of the conference.
COUGS VS UTES
Hitting the road for the first time in Pac-12 play the Cougs head to Salt Lake City to take on a Utah team coming off of a conference opening loss to Stanford last week. The trip to Utah is the first for the Cougs in three seasons after hosting the Utes for the last three matchups between the two squads including a pair last season that included a non-conference contest. WSU is unbeaten in the last three meetings with a 2-0 win (both goals scored by Elyse Bennett) in the last matchup that was played inside the bubble on campus in Pullman due to winter weather. The last time the Cougs went to Utah in 2018 the Utes came away with a 1-0 win in overtime. WSU's last win at Utah came in 2015. Since 2017 when the super seniors came on campus the Cougs have allowed just two total goals and are 3-1-1 in those five contests.
Utah enters the week 5-4-1 overall and 3-1-1 at home. The two sides share common opponents in Denver and Northern Colorado with Denver defeating the Utes, 3-0 ,while Utah took down the Bears, 3-0.
LAST TIME OUT
Continuing their stellar run in 2021, Washington State (7-1-1, 1-0-0) opened Pac-12 play with a 2-0 shutout of Arizona (3-5-0, 0-1-0) Friday night at Lower Soccer Field. Doing what they have done best all season long, the Cougs smothered the Wildcats with a constant attack jumping to a quick 1-0 lead in the 13' thanks to Enzi Broussard and never letting up. Elyse Bennett would add an insurance goal in the 62' while the defense gave up just one chance on the night to the Wildcats, shutting it down for their 7th shutout of the season.
PULVER THE ULTIMATE IRON-WOMAN
One of the most durable players to ever put on the Crimson and Gray 5th year Sydney Pulver became the program's all-time leader in games played with 86 career appearances when the opening whistle blew last against Arizona. Pulver tied Ali Fenter (2008-11) for the all-time lead in the game. She will take sole possession of the record Thursday at Utah in game 87.
Additionally, Pulver has been a stalwart in the starting lineup with 79 career starts, T3rd all-time.
Pulver netted her third career goal in the season opener, scoring her first career tally from the penalty spot. The goal was her first since the 2018 season. She would add her first assist of the year on the game-winner at Kansas, Sept. 12. She came up with her second career game-winner at Denver Sept. 16 while tallying a second assist against Arizona Sept. 24.
ROAD WARRIORS
Making a point to travel well and make a statement away from home, the Cougars have taken their talents on the road this season with an impressive 4-0 mark away from Lower Soccer Field. The Cougs have earned four of their seven shutouts on the road. Impressively, the Cougs have outscored their opponents 11-0 in hostile venues, jumping on their opponents early with 7 of their 11 goals (all in the first 30 minutes) coming in the opening half. Additionally, the Cougs have scored 2 in the opening five minutes and 4 in the first 20 minutes of action.
WSU's biggest win to date came on the road at Kansas, shutting out the Jayhawks, 3-0, at Lawrence, Kan.
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