After a difficult season a year ago, the SUU women’s soccer team began the 2022 campaign with the goal to get back to winning ways.
Back in 2020, the disruption caused by Covid-19 meant the team’s original fall schedule was canceled. A few months later, however, the T-birds were able to piece together a plan for a rescheduled spring 2021 season. Playing nine matches, SUU was able to compile a 5-3-1 (W-L-D) record, highlighted by a four-match win streak to end the season. It was the first winning campaign for the program since 2007, while the .611 winning percentage was the highest in school history.
After coming off the highs of the spring season, things did not go as planned for the T-birds in the fall. Winning just two matches, it was clear the team was looking to improve in 2022.
Through just three matches, the team has done just that.
Season opener
SUU opened the season on the road against Alcorn State, cruising to a 7-0 victory. The win marked the first time in program history that the team won its first road contest against a Division I opponent. It was also the first time in team history that the T-birds won back-to-back season-opening contests (they defeated Hope International in 2021). The seven goals scored was also the most SUU has ever tallied in a season opener.
Freshman Sammie Sofonia recorded a hat-trick in her college debut, scoring goals in the 42nd, 80th, and 82nd minutes.
Junior Ashley Rivera added three assists in the match for Southern Utah, which tied a single-game school record.
Match two
The T-birds picked up where they left off just a day later when they faced Mississippi Valley State, riding the momentum to a 10-0 victory.
The result was the first time SUU recorded consecutive wins in road matchups against non-conference Division I programs in its history. It was also the first time the team picked up back-to-back wins to open a season. The 10 goals scored in the match is also a T-birds single-match program record.
Sammie Sofonia again recorded a hat trick, bagging goals in the 12th, 20th, and 24th minutes. Her six goals across two matches are the most in a two-game stretch in team history. Sophomore Victoria Caucci added a three-assist night, tying the single-game school record that was also equaled in the previous match.
Match three
On Sunday morning, Southern Utah took the field for the third time in four days, facing Jackson State.
Courtesy of a goal off a corner kick in the 16th minute, the T-birds came away with a 1-0 victory to begin the season 3-0-0. It’s the first time the team has ever begun the year with three wins in a row. The win also represents the most consecutive road victories over Division I opponents in Southern Utah’s history.
Notes
- SUU outscored its opponents 18-0 over the first three games.
- Sammie Sofonia has scored six goals in three games, just two shy of tying the program’s all-time single-season goals record of 8.
- With a pair of hat tricks in the first two matches, Sofonia has now recorded two of the five hat tricks in T-birds program history.
Up next
Along with all the school records that were set through the opening three games, SUU has a chance to add to them on Thursday.
The T-birds will face UTEP to open the home portion of their schedule, looking to add to the historic start. A win would see them add to the record of three consecutive victories to begin a season and also tie the program’s all-time longest win streak of four matches (set five times).
