Utah United women collect 6th straight win in return home to Clyde Field
Seven Castain scored the game-winning goal, and Ruby Hladek sealed Utah United’s sixth straight victory en route to a 3-1 win over the Colorado Storm for a sixth straight win.
By: Utah United media services
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
OREM, Utah (June 12, 2025) — Utah United women found themselves in an unusual position Thursday evening in the first of a doubleheader match at Clyde Field.
For just the second time all season, United gave up a goal.
How they responded might mean more, though.
Seven Castain scored the game-winning goal, and Ruby Hladek sealed Utah United’s sixth straight victory with a 3-1 win over the Colorado Storm on the campus of Utah Valley University.
“I think it was honestly mature of us to realize we just needed to lock back in, calm down, have composure, do what we know how to do, and then pick our moments,” said Kaitlyn Richins, the former Utah State center back from Layton who was named to the USL W League Team of the Month for May earlier Thursday. “It was one breakdown; it doesn’t define the game.
“But the biggest thing was just mentally locking back in and seeing it out.”
Liliah Blum opened the scoring just after the half-hour mark as United took a 1-0 halftime lead in their first home match since May 27.
But the hosts weren’t done there.
TCU star Castain doubled the advantage in the 59th minute, scoring her league-best seventh goal of the campaign to put United up, 2-0.
But the Storm (3-2, 9 points) didn’t go away. Samantha Maroni pulled one back in the 79th minute as Colorado threatened to take back the momentum, and looked to equalize.
But Hladek’s goal in the 85th minute off a pass from Bella Devey — the North Carolina signee recently returned from MVP honors while winning the 7-on-7 The Soccer Tournament — slammed the door shut and sealed United’s sixth consecutive victory to start its inaugural USL W League campaign with 19 points, 31 goals scorer and just two allowed.
In the other half of the doubleheader, Utah United dropped a 2-1 decision to the Colorado Storm to fall to 4-2-1 (13 points) in USL League Two play.
Quotable: Utah United head coach Scott Halasz
“We were comfortable without the ball. The last time we played this team, we made note of that, as well. The team buys into what we want to do, what they want to do, and putting them in comfortable situations to just let them be who they are is the most important thing.”
Player of the Match:
Ruby Hladek: The rising graduate senior from Utah Valley sealed the win with a third goal, her second in as many matches, to help Utah United soar to the top of the Mountain division by 9 points with four matches remaining in the USL W League regular season.
Next up:
Utah United returns to Clyde Field to host Colorado Storm at 6 p.m. MDT Saturday. The match will stream live on Sportsengine Play.