ST. GEORGE — Portland State might have outshot Utah Tech 9-5 in the first half, but in the end, the single goal on the scoreboard was all that mattered as the Trailblazer women’s soccer team outlasted the visiting Vikings 1-0 Sunday at Greater Zion Stadium.
“It was once again a story of two different halves,” head coach Lexi Brown said in a news release from Utah Tech Media Relations. “We came out very flat in the first half and weren’t ourselves. Credit to Portland State – they pressed us harder than we’ve been pressed by almost any team this season and we just weren’t able to adjust until after halftime.
“After halftime we adjusted our shape and our tactics,” Brown added. “We need to be more dynamic and play forward better but I’m proud of the way we responded at half.”
The first half saw Portland State out-shoot Utah Tech 9-6 (5-2 on goal), and the Vikings looked close to breaking things open with four shots in less than three minutes near the end of the period. After several saves from Brianna Frey kept the game level, neither team would break the deadlock as the game was tied at zero at the halftime break.
Utah Tech ramped up the pressure in the second half and looked close to scoring several times early in the period.
“It was really just about shifting the mentality,” Brown said. “This team was more than capable of playing well in the first half but we were getting beat to many 50/50 balls that we should have won … our attack in the second half was more dynamic, we were receiving balls in behind, getting to the endline and our forwards were driving towards goal. It just came down to mentality.”
Savannah Hansen and Ella Rusick forced saves in the 60th and 61st minutes before the Trailblazers found that breakthrough in the 66th minute.
After McKinley Barney forced the Portland State goalkeeper to make a sprawling save with a shot to the far post, Michelle Rodriguez found the rebound and played a ball across the face of the goal for Lacy Fox who beat her defender to the ball, heading in her second game-winning goal of the 2023 season.
Despite the Vikings’ best attempts, Utah Tech’s backline successfully defended for the game’s final 30 minutes, holding Portland State to just two shots in the entire half.
The Trailblazers finished the game with a 14-11 advantage in shots. Fox led all players with three attempts on goal as Brianna Frey made five saves in net.
“Lacy was special for us, both getting to the end line and creating chances,” Brown said. “Ella Rusick has also come into her own over the past week – she’s shifty, gets to the end line and drives forward really well for us. She really helped the attack today. (Gracie Knutzen) was the heart and soul of our backline today and stepped up big in some critical moments so I’m really proud of her performance.”
Utah Tech will face Colorado State on the road Thursday before hosting Idaho State at Greater Zion Stadium on Sunday.