In their final home match of the season, the T-birds defeated the Texans to keep pace in the hunt for a WAC Tournament berth.
The first half kicked off with a few potential chances for both sides to score early in the match.
Tarleton State earned a corner kick chance in the third minute, while SUU’s Whitney Garner registered a shot that was saved in the sixth minute.
While both sides battled, it was the Texans that created the next scoring chance. A rolling ball into the box appeared to be headed into the goal, but Allison Keller went crashing into the post to make a diving clearance for SUU, keeping the match level.
Southern Utah then nearly broke through in the 36th minute, but a shot from Mayu Yamamoto rattled the post to keep the match scoreless.
The remainder of the first half did not see many clear chances for goals from either side. Heading into the break, Tarleton had the edge in possession (55-45) and shot attempts (4-3). The Texans also registered six corner kicks in the opening period.
Second half
In need of a win to boost their conference tournament chances, the T-birds came out firing in the second half.
SUU nearly scored the opener in the 51st minute when a cross into the box just missed a header attempt. Mayu Yamamoto nearly gave the T-birds the lead once again in the 59th minute but was denied for the second time by the woodwork.
Southern Utah continued to press following the near misses, which gave Yamamoto another chance to score. In the 68th minute, Ashley Rivera found the dynamic midfielder sprinting down the side of the pitch. Yamamoto took the ball and did the rest, dribbling around a pair of Tarleton State defenders and beating the keeper to her right for the 1-0 lead.
Mayu storms down the field and SCORES 🤯
Thunderbirds take the lead at the 67’ mark ‼️
SUU: 1
TSU: 0 pic.twitter.com/6NO8VMZthh— SUU Soccer (@SUUSoccer) October 15, 2023
SUU continued to push for another goal after breaking the tie, tallying three more shot attempts in the next five minutes.
With only around 15 minutes to play, Tarleton State took its turn with the ball after the T-birds out-possessed them for much of the half.
The Texans’ best chance came off a corner kick in the 84th minute, but SUU was able to hold strong and keep the visitors off the scoreboard for the remainder of the match and secure the 1-0 shutout victory.
Southern Utah edged Tarleton State in chances created in the match, registering more shots (11-8) and shots on target (6-3). Goalkeeper Julia Ortega made three saves to keep the clean sheet in goal for the T-birds.
Thoughts from Coach Kai Edwards
The win means SUU has emerged victorious in three of its last four matches, and they are now four points ahead of seventh-place Abilene Christian for the final WAC Tournament bid.
“Three wins out of four and in these two fixtures (Abilene Christian and Tarleton State) last year we had four points. To get six points now is awesome,” SUU head coach Kai Edwards said of the result.
“The performance and Mayu’s quality with two goals on the weekend and the big-time winning goal. Jenna (Grider) rises from the ashes like a phoenix heading those last balls away. Great time to get a shutout and put ourselves in a position where if we can go get a result at Seattle U, we can earn a (WAC Tournament) spot,” he added.
The shutout was also SUU’s first since the second match of the season, and it couldn’t have come at a better time with the season winding down.
“We had some players switching formations and, in the end, they went back and did their job,” SUU head coach Kai Edwards said of the clean sheet.
“The back three, maybe off the field they have a little more emotion, but on the field, they’re very compartmentalized, they figure out what their job is, and complete their job. What a time to get a shutout from those three,” he added.
Leaving a mark
Sunday’s tilt was the final home game in the careers of three members of the SUU soccer team, as senior forward Ashley Rivera, redshirt junior defender Kiki Stewart, and junior midfielder Alison Keller went out with a win.
A St. George, Utah native, Rivera has appeared in 48 games in her T-bird career, notching 7 goals and 3 assists.
Stewart, another St. George product, has made 32 appearances and recorded 3 assists in two seasons after transferring from Arizona State.
Alison Keller has appeared in 57 matches during her four seasons at SUU, scoring 3 goals. Keller is a native of Chino Hills, California.
All three were part of the winningest season in T-birds soccer history in 2022.
Garnder moving up in record books
After a solid weekend that saw her tally an assist in Thursday’s win, redshirt sophomore forward Whitney Gardner has moved into the Top 10 all-time in multiple SUU soccer categories.
Gardner has now recorded 29 points in 33 appearances for the T-birds, registering 10 goals and 9 assists.
Gardner’s 29 points is currently eighth in SUU soccer history, while her 10 goals are tied for seventh. Her nine assists move her into a tie for second place all-time, just four away from breaking the career program record.
Up next
Southern Utah (3-8-5, 3-3-1 WAC) will now hit the road for the final two matches of the season.
The T-birds have a tough slate remaining, first taking on third place Seattle U before facing first place Utah Valley.
“Number one, you enjoy today. It’s your last game on the home field. The seniors went out balling it up all weekend. So, I think you just sit there and enjoy it because we’ve shown winning is hard, so you enjoy the day and then you wake up tomorrow and it’s all Seattle U, a team that crushed us last year,” Edwards said of the result and what’s ahead.
“We have it in our hands. If we can take care of results, we don’t have to wait for anyone else. Two top teams, we gotta go get sharp and do our job. But right now, winning three out of our last four games, I’m happy,” he added.
SUU will battle the Redhawks of Seattle U on Thursday, Oct. 19 at 8 p.m. MT before traveling to Orem to face the Wolverines on Monday, Oct. 23 at 6 p.m.
Both matches can be seen on ESPN+.
