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Kelly Isleib scored her team-leading seventh goal of the year and her third game-winner.
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Oct. 24, 2009
LARAMIE, Wyo. - The University of Utah soccer team (8-8-2, 3-2-1 MWC) recovered from a 1-0 deficit to score twice and capture a 2-1 victory at Wyoming, Saturday. Senior midfielder Kelly Isleib tallied her third game-winner of the season on a 35-yard strike with just under 12 minutes remaining in the contest.
"I'm really pleased with the way we battled back after falling behind today," said Utah head coach Rich Manning. "Playing in difficult conditions against a very good Wyoming team in their last home game, when we fell behind it would have been easy to drop our heads and go home with a tough loss. But we hung in there and as many times as we have tried this year, we finally broke through and got comeback victory. That's probably the most exciting thing to come out of today's game - seeing the team show lot of character and break through."
In the 79th minute with the game tied 1-1, Isleib took a pass from freshman defender Natalie Young, took a couple dribbles to the middle and belted a right-footed shot from 35 yards out that found the upper right corner of the Wyoming net to give Utah a 2-1 lead, and the eventual game-winner. Most of Isleib's seven goals this year have come from more than 20 yards out.
Trailing 1-0 in the 36th minute, junior forward Lauren Hair pulled the Utes level, evening the score at 1-1 with her third goal of the year. Freshman midfielder Zoe Van Gorder, pushed up to a forward position, gained possession of the ball and played it to freshman midfielder Allie Wisner. Wisner then dribbled past a defender and slipped a through-ball to Hair, who took a touch past two defenders and slotted the ball into the lower right corner from 12 yards out.
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After a scoreless first half, Wyoming drew first blood in the 57th minute as Nicole Rice finished off a breakaway to give the Cowgirls a 1-0 lead. Courtney Merkle and Carmen Blume were credited with assists on the play.
Sophomore goalkeeper Hannah Turpen made fives saves in the game for Utah, while Cowgirl goalkeeper Courtney Merkle made three. The Utes outshot Wyoming 13-8 overall, however UW put six shots on frame to Utah's five. Corner kicks were 3-2 for Utah, while the Cowgirls committed 10 fouls to the U's seven.
Utah now has 10 points in the conference standings with one game remaining and has guaranteed itself a berth in the MWC tournament. The top six finishers make the tournament and the Utes can now do no worse than fifth.
Utah is back in action Thursday, Oct. 29, as the Utes travel to Stillwater, Okla., for a non-conference tilt against Oklahoma State. Utah then finishes up the regular-season on Senior Day, Oct. 31 against Air Force, at Ute Field. Kickoff for that game is schedule for 1 p.m.
