The top-seeded Wolverines advance to Saturday’s WAC Tournament championship match against No. 2 seed California Baptist. With the win, UVU improves to 14-4-2 overall, matching the 2015 team (14-7-1) and 2022 team (14-5-3) for the most single-season victories in program history.

Utah Valley dominated all facets of the semifinal, firing a WAC Tournament-record 39 shots to Abilene Christian’s two and holding a decisive 18-0 advantage in shots on goal. The Wolverines also tallied nine corner kicks while holding ACU to three.

“It was a really fun performance to watch,” said head coach Chris Lemay. “I thought we moved the ball well and played a brand and style of soccer that I genuinely enjoy watching. I’m a picky soccer guy, so when I say that, it means a lot. We’re playing our best soccer at the right time of the year.”

Bailey Peterson opened the scoring in the 11th minute, cutting through the right side of the box before firing a shot across goal into the far post for a 1-0 lead. Josie Shepherd doubled the advantage in the 29th minute, blasting home a loose ball from the top of the penalty area after a blocked shot by Ruby Hladek.

Jacey Wood added to the lead in the 36th minute, cleaning up a scramble in front of the net to make it 3-0 heading into halftime.

Utah Valley kept the pressure on after the break, with Faith Webber slotting home a right-footed strike in the 49th minute to make it 4-0. Hladek followed with a rebound goal in the 53rd minute after her initial penalty kick was saved, extending the lead to 5-0.

Webber added her second of the night in the 57th minute on a follow-up from her own shot to push the margin to 6-0. Taylor Nelson capped off the scoring with a long-range strike from 30 yards out in the 65th minute to tie the tournament record at seven goals.

“I thought we did a really good job playing at max speed,” Lemay said. “Our focus was on the speed of play, minimal touches, attacking space when we had it, and bringing a lot of energy and movement. When we play at that tempo, we’re a lot to handle.”

Webber led the Wolverines with a match-high 10 shots, including five on goal. Goalkeepers Leah Wolf and Mia Roberts combined for the clean sheet, with Wolf anchoring the box for 75 minutes before Roberts closed out the final 15.

While the Wolverines seek to defend their home turf in Saturday’s title match, Lemay emphasized his team’s mindset is focused on opportunity, not revenge.

“It has nothing to do with revenge,” he said. “Our goal from day one has been to get back to the NCAA Tournament. We’re one game away from that, sitting on 14 wins, tying the most in program history. This group wants to do something no other UVU team has done before.”

Utah Valley will face California Baptist in Saturday’s WAC Tournament Championship at UCCU Stadium. Kickoff is set for 4 p.m. MT. The match will be broadcast live on ESPN+.

Women’s basketball goes 2-0 in West Coast road trip

LOS ANGELES – Utah Valley women’s basketball finished its California road trip with a 2-0 record after a 64-60 victory over Loyola Marymount on Wednesday night.

UVU (2-0) had three players finish in double figures, led by Tessa Chaney, who had 13 points. Amanda Barcello added 12, and Kylee Mabry finished with 10. LMU (0-1) was led by Ivana Krajina, who finished with 15 points on 4-of-7 shooting from 3-point range. The Wolverines capitalized on LMU’s 26 turnovers, converting them into 22 points. They finished with 15 steals, with Cambree Blackham recording a career-high six steals and seven assists while scoring eight points.

“I’m so proud of our group tonight, not just for the win, but for their toughness. They answered every time LMU made a run,” said UVU head coach Dan Nielson. “I thought we played good team basketball tonight and that our defense disrupted them the way we wanted to. Overall, it was great to go 2-0 to start the year and finish it with a win over a good WCC team.”

LMU held a 17-12 lead after one quarter. Utah Valley began the second quarter by capitalizing on turnovers to take its first lead after tying the game at 19-19. The Wolverines went on a 12-2 run, with Gibb knocking down a triple to put UVU in front 22-21. The run continued with buckets by Blackham and Halle Nelson before Kaylee Headrick drilled a 3-pointer to extend the lead to 29-25.

The third quarter began with a crucial layup by Chaney, setting a strong tone for the Wolverines. Despite a quick response from LMU with a 3-pointer, Chaney again delivered, maintaining a 35-29 lead. The Lions responded and tied the game before Barcello connected from beyond the arc, pushing Utah Valley ahead. The third quarter saw five ties and three lead changes during the span. In the final minute, Barcello’s jumper put the Wolverines in front, but LMU capitalized on free throws in the closing seconds to edge ahead. The quarter concluded with LMU leading narrowly, 52-51.

Utah Valley began the fourth quarter by capitalizing on an early turnover from LMU, with Barcello assisting Chaney for a crucial jumper that tightened the score. Mabry then delivered a key 3-pointer, assisted by Barcello, which shifted the momentum in favor of the Wolverines with a 56-54 lead. As the quarter progressed, the Wolverines extended their lead with contributions from Nelson, who scored consecutively with a layup and a 3-pointer, both assisted by Mabry. This scoring surge pushed the Wolverines ahead 62-54, creating a comfortable lead. In the closing minutes, after LMU managed to cut the deficit to 62-60, Blackham added a point from the free-throw line, and Headrick sealed the victory with a free throw in the final seconds.

Utah Valley will return home to the Beehive State and play Utah on Tuesday, Nov. 11, at 7 p.m. MT at the Jon M. Huntsman Center. The game will air on ESPN+.