The ACU Wildcats (2-6-6) fell to Utah Valley (10-4-1) 4-1 on Sunday evening at Clyde Field, despite a strong first-half goal by Raegan Hollis. The Wildcats put up a tough fight but were ultimately defeated by the relentless attack of the Wolverines.
The match began with Utah Valley taking an early lead, as the Wolverines found the back of the net in the 12th minute. UVU added two more goals to the tally quickly after.
ACU responded in the 31st minute when freshman Raegan Hollis scored her first goal of the season, set up by assists from Amelia Leggett and Georgia Guenther. This goal brought the Wildcats within two going into halftime.
Despite the Wildcats' efforts to close the gap, Utah Valley added a final goal in the 65th minute, securing the Wolverines' win. Goalkeeper Lili Ross kept ACU competitive with an impressive 11 saves, facing 28 shots from a relentless Utah Valley offense.
Offensively, the Wildcats had five shots, three of which were on target, including efforts from Hollis, Malia Cerdon, and Chayse Thorn.
We didn't start off strong and you can't do that against a talented team like Utah Valley, which they capitalized on," said head coach Stephen Salas. "It was great to get a goal from from Raegan and a nice build up too."
"The end of the first half we found more possession, which picked up in the second half," Salas said. "The team also settled in but we needed to capitalize more on transition moments and our build up. We know these next three games are crucial for the tournament and will look forward to hosting two of three at home. We will make adjustments, sharpen up our set pieces, and have a focused mindset going into each game. I'm ready to watch the team step up and respond against Southern Utah."
ACU will look to bounce back at home, hosting Southern Utah for the second conference match at Elmer Gray Stadium on Thursday, Oct. 17.
The Wildcats' match against Southern Utah will be broadcast on ESPN+. Those who cannot attend can follow Live Stats.
