TOURNEY ROUNDUP: No. 4 Salt Lake opens nationals with 2-1 win over Eastern Oklahoma
TOURNEY ROUNDUP: No. 4 Salt Lake opens nationals with 2-1 win over Eastern Oklahoma
The Bruins opened pool play with a win to improve to 13-1-1 on the year.
It’s tournament time in college soccer, and several teams from Utah have taken to the postseason, from NCAA Division I to the JUCO ranks. Here’s a look at the weekend’s results.
MELBOURNE, Fla. — Death. Taxes. Salt Lake Community College winning in the postseason.
MLS wrapped up the 2022 season with LAFC’s penalty shootout to clinch MLS Cup, and Real Salt Lake ended its season earlier in the first round to Austin FC.
But the soccer ball is still spinning on the Wasatch Front.
Salt Lake Community College took its No. 4 national ranking into the NJCAA men’s soccer tournament this weekend, and the Bruins wrapped up the first day of pool play Sunday with a 2-1 win over No. 9 Eastern Oklahoma State in Melbourne, Florida.
“It was a stellar performance from each and every one of the boys,” Bruins coach Mark Davis told Salt City FC. “They put everything on the line for 90 minutes. There is a lot of emotion and a big atmosphere around the tournament, but they never let it get them.”
After falling behind in the 30th minute on a goal by Ian Cowie, the Bruins (13-1-1) rallied through Ty Sanchez’s unassisted marker just two minutes later to tie the match at halftime.
The scoreline stood until the final minutes, when Damien Arguello’s corner kick from the right side connected with Blake Bastian in the 85th minute to clinch all three points for Salt Lake.
Bastian, a 6-foot-4 sophomore from Saratoga Springs who prepped at nearby Westlake High School, recently returned from a two-year mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, where he became a “really special kid who just does everything right,” his coach said.
“He finds himself in the starting lineup and puts in the game winner, I am just so proud of him,” SLCC coach Mark Davis said.
Eastern Oklahoma scored its lone goal of the match on just three shots on goal, highlighted by SLCC goalkeeper Ben Williams’ two saves. The Bruins next face fifth-ranked Iowa Western, Davis’ alma mater, in pool play Tuesday at 3:30 p.m. MT.
"It doesn't get any easier, this team was so good tonight, and I give Eastern Oklahoma State a lot of credit for how they played,” said Davis. “I expect this exact same game against Iowa Western.”
The NJCAA championship match is scheduled for Saturday at Orlando Health Stadium on the campus of East Florida State College.
NJCAA Division I women’s soccer tournament
Salt Lake 3, Butler 1
Jordan Roe had two assists as the 10th-ranked Salt Lake Community College women’s soccer team rallied to score an upset over third-ranked Butler Community College in Sunday’s opening round of pool play at Blanchard Woods Park in Evans, Georgia.
After trailing 1-0 at halftime, Aly Starbuck equalized for the Bruins in the 70th minute. That set up Braelyn Baclayon’s go-ahead goal in the 83rd minute off an assist from Roe, who found Lexi Vernsey a few minutes later to pull away for good in the first match of the three-team pool play.
Salt Lake out-shot Butler 26-5, while goalkeeper Theresa Wiesiolek made three saves to stay in front.
The Bruins will face No. 6 Monroe Community College on Monday before the NJCAA semifinals beginning Thursday.
NCAA Division I women’s soccer tournament
Brigham Young 3, Utah Valley 0
No. 15 BYU women’s soccer found the revenge it craved with a 3-0 win over crosstown rival Utah Valley in front of a standing room-only crowd of 3,839 fans Friday night at South Field in Provo.
Allie Fryer gave the Cougars (11-2-6) the go-ahead goal in the first half before Tara Warner and Rachel McCarthy finished off the scoring after the break to stretch BYU’s unbeaten run to 12-straight, dating back to a 4-2 loss to the Wolverines back on Sept. 10 at South Field.
"We're playing some of our best soccer, and we're really excited to have the chance to keep going,” said BYU midfielder Jamie Shepherd, the former American Fork star whose sister Jenna plays for UVU.
BYU advanced to face third-seeded Stanford (17-2-2) in the second round Thursday in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. Kickoff is scheduled for 12 p.m. MT on ESPN+ and BYU Radio.