Freshman Nixan Jackson recorded the 12th hat trick in program history and the Wolverine defense picked up its second straight clean sheet in a 10-0 shutout over Stephen F. Austin on Thursday night at Clyde Field.

Utah Valley improves to 5-3-4 overall and 2-0-1 in WAC play, while SFA falls to 1-10-1 overall and 0-2-1 in league play.

“I was really proud of how consistent we were with our possession and ball movement, which allowed us to find seams and pockets to create really good scoring opportunities,” said Utah Valley head coach Chris Lemay. “I was really happy with how we moved the ball and how we created and finished opportunities.”

The 10 goals are tied for the second most in UVU history, falling just one goal short the program record of 11 goals set against Delaware State in 2005. UVU’s 12 assists in the game are the most in program history, surpassing the 10 assists that both the 2017 and 2019 teams recorded. UVU also recorded a school-record 32 points in the match, surpassing the previous single game record of 30 points set in both 2005 and 2019.

Jackson’s hat trick marks the 12th time that a UVU player has scored three or more goals in a single game. It is the first career hat trick for Jackson who also scored her first career goal in the match.

The Wolverines got on the scoreboard early as Faith Webber sent a cross into the box from the left side. Ruby Hladek then heel-touched a ball back to Heather Stainbrook who then fired a shot into the net to give UVU a 1-0 lead in the fifth minute. The Wolverines scored less than a minute later in the sixth minute after Nicole Olanda sent a cross to the top of the box where Hladek again heel-touched it back into the box to Webber who then sent it into the net to give UVU a 2-0 advantage.

Stainbrook recorded her brace in the 16th minute as she received a cross into the middle of the box and fired a shot with her left foot past the FSA keeper and into goal to give the Wolverines a 3-0 advantage.

Manthy Brady stole the ball from an SFA defender at mid field and then passed it forward to Jackson who shot it into the goal to give the Wolverines a 4-0 lead at the half. The goal marks Jackson’s first career goal. Webber secured her brace in the 53rd minute as she received a pass down the middle of the field from Ashley Garcia. Webber picked up the ball and sent it into the goal to put the Wolverines up, 5-0.

Utah Valley racked up its sixth goal of the match in the 62nd minute as Hladek sent a ball to Stainbrook near the top of the box. Stainbrook then sent it to Garcia who flipped the ball up and over her defender to set up a shot into the net to give the Wolverines a 6-0 advantage. The goal was Garcia’s first career score.

Utah Valley’s Sadie Beardall was fouled in the box in the 68th minute and Hladek earned capitalized on the penalty kick to give UVU a 7-0 lead.

Quincy Bonds sent a ball into the box from the left side into the box where Manthy Brady got a head on it and sent it out to Garcia. Garcia then settled it and passed it back out to Bonds who sent in the cross. Jackson then headed it into the back of the net to give UVU its eighth goal of the match in the 70th minute. Stainbrook sent a ball into the box in the 72nd minute that got deflected around. Taylor Nelson kicked it off the bounce and into the goal to give the Wolverines a 9-0 lead.

Bonds sent a ball to Jackson in the 85th minute from the right side of the field. Jackson then secured her hat trick with a shot into the back of the net to lift Utah Valley to a 10-0 lead.

Utah Valley outshot the Lumberjacks 31-1, including a 19-0 advantage on goal. UVU has 10 corner kicks while holding SFA without a corner. Stainbrook led UVU with nine shots, including six on frame. Webber had five shots with four on goal, while Hladek had four shots with two on frame. CJ Graham and Idalia Serrano each played 45 minutes in the box and combined for the shutout.

Utah Valley continues play at home on Saturday night against UTRGV. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. at Clyde Field. The match will be broadcast live on ESPN+.

UVU men’s soccer drops WAC opener to Seattle U

Utah Valley dropped its opening match of the 2023 WAC season to the No. 23 Seattle U Redhawks, falling 5-2 on the road at Championship Field.

The Wolverines saw a 2-0 lead slip away late in the first half, as the Redhawks equalized in the final minutes of the opening 45.

Utah Valley got on the board first in the 12th minute after withstanding a wave of pressure from the Redhawks. Ethan Kovach earned a set piece in the attacking third, which was taken by Alejandro Silva. Silva’s cross deflected through the penalty area to Nik Kizerian. Kizerian sent the ball through the six to Floris van Nijnanten, who flicked it off an SU defender into the back of the net.

Utah Valley settled in offensively after gaining the lead, maintaining the majority of the possession for the remainder of the half. The Wolverines doubled their lead in the 32nd minute after Silva unloaded on a long shot from 25 yards out. Redhawk keeper Charlie Lanphier was unable to handle the ball cleanly, and Omar Yehya was able to pounce on the loose ball and tap it in.

SU struck in quick succession before intermission to bring things level. Lennard Fock tapped in a loose ball in the 43rd minute, then Yeider Zuluaga let loose from outside of the penalty area in the 45th.

The Redhawks pulled away in the second half with a trio of goals in the 55th, 72nd, and 77th minutes.

Utah Valley will look to regroup on Sunday, as it faces another tough test in the San José State Spartans. The Wolverines will kick things off in San José at 2 p.m. MDT and the match will be streamed live on WAC International.

UVU women’s volleyball swept

Utah Valley women’s volleyball fell on Thursday night 3-0 to Stephen F. Austin inside Lockhart Arena.

SFA (14-3, 3-0) was led by reigning WAC Player of the Week Izabella Ortiz, who finished 12 kills and seven blocks.

Tori Ellis led UVU (4-10, 1-2) with eight kills, while Avery Shewell and Kalea Kennedy chipped in six. The Wolverines used a 4-0 run to get their first lead of the match at 4-3 after two kills, a block assist, and a service ace.

Utah Valley will play inside Lockhart Arena on Saturday, Sept. 30, against UT Arlington at 1:00 p.m. MT. Following the match on Saturday, they won’t play again until Oct. 7 at 1:00 p.m. MT against UTRGV.

No. 9 BYU women’s volleyball falls at No. 10 Texas

AUSTIN, Texas — No. 9 BYU women’s volleyball took the opening set before eventually falling in four at No. 10 Texas (25-13, 20-25, 15-25, 20-25) at Gregory Gym on Thursday night.

The Cougars (13-2, 2-1 Big 12) hit .185 to the Longhorns’ .227 in the program’s first road match as members of the Big 12. Texas had two more (eight to six) aces than BYU, and also out-blocked the Cougars, 11.5 to six.

Outside hitter Erin Livingston led all hitters with 16 kills. Opposite hitter Kate Prior added 11, tying a career-high, while middle blocker Whitney McEwan-Llarenas had seven kills to go along with two aces, also tying a career-high.

Setter Whitney Bower dished out 35 assists and also had a team-leading three service aces. Liberos Kamaile Hiapo and Aria McComber led the way with 17 and 11 digs, respectively. Middle blocker Mia Lee finished with five total blocks.

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