OREM, Utah — Utah Valley soccer is fitting in well in its new confines, at least on the soccer pitch.
The Wolverines scored three second-half goals to pull past Sacramento State, 3-0 in Saturday night’s return to UCCU Stadium to keep pace at the top of the Big West.
Oliver Watts had a goal and an assist, and Noah Pogue and Jose Luis Martin Montealegre also scored for the Wolverines, who improved to 7-1-2 with a 3-1 record in league play.
“We used all of our depth to get that result,” said UVU head coach Michael Chesler, whose team out-shot the Hornets 18-7 with seven shots on goal but was tied 0-0 at halftime. “We didn’t start great. The subs came on — we actually call them game-changers — and they changed the game. They got us the result, then the starters came back on and finished it for us, so I couldn’t be more proud.”
Pogue opened the scoring in the 58th minute, when the fifth-year senior from Corner Canyon High rose way up to meet Bismark Ayamba’s header to break the ice.
Watts doubled the lead in the 80th minute, and the freshman added his fourth goal contribution in four games seven minutes later after feeding Montealegre for a curler from the right side of the 18-yard box.
The win gives Utah Valley a 2-point lead on UC Irvine (6-5-2, 2-1-1 Big West) atop the table of the seven-team league.
Meanwhile, in San Luis Obispo …
The Wolverines’ men’s program wasn’t the only winner Saturday night.
Nixan Jackson had a goal and an assist, and Kate Booth secured points for the second-straight match to lift Utah Valley women’s soccer to a 2-1 win over Cal Poly at Spanos Stadium.
Jackson broke the seal with a left-footed strike from 25 yards away int he 36th minute for UVU (7-4-3, 3-0-2 Big West), then found Booth with a cross three minutes later to double the advantage in the 39th minute.
Kammy MacLennan pulled one back for the Mustangs (5-5-3, 2-2-1 Big West), but Madeleine Boucher made five saves to collect the win in goal for the Wolverines to keep pace with Cal State Fullerton atop the conference.
Both the men’s and women’s soccer teams will host a doubleheader Saturday at UCCU Stadium. The Women’s team will open against UC Riverside at 5 p.m. MT, followed by the men’s team at 7:30 p.m. against CSU Northridge.
