CEDAR CITY, Utah - The Southern Utah soccer team will open their 2018 home schedule this weekend by hosting UNLV on Thursday August 23 and Nevada on Sunday August 26.
Previously On Thunderbird Soccer
The Thunderbirds opened the season in the state of Michigan last weekend with matches against Michigan State and Central Michigan. The Thunderbirds dropped both matches, but the team showed improvement throughout the weekend.
"It's always tough to come on the road and play two very strong teams. It was going to be a test for us which was the idea. We wanted to come out and play teams that we would see at the end of the season," head coach Fred Thompson said. "It's one thing to train and it's another thing to play against opposition that wants to beat you. We wanted to give as many kids that we could that opportunity over the weekend and it was good to see them play against someone other than ourselves."
Devri Hartle scored the lone goal for the Thunderbirds, scoring the third goal of her career against the Chippewas on Sunday. Brianna Aldridge made 18 saves in her first two matches in goal for the Thunderbirds.
Scouting Report: UNLV Rebels (2-0)
The Rebels opened the season by going 2-0 last weekend, picking up a 5-1 win over Illinois-Chicago and a 2-1 win over Sacramento State. Sophomore Robin Pollard and redshirt senior Kaila Brinkman both scored two goals in the season opener against UIC. Senior Caitlyn Kruetz also has two goals on the season with one in each game.
The Thunderbirds and the Rebels matched up last season in Las Vegas, which resulted in a 1-3 loss for the T-Birds.
Scouting Report: Nevada Wolf Pack (2-0)
The Wolf Pack also opened the 2018 season by going 2-0 last weekend, shutting out Idaho 1-0 and picking up a 2-1 win over UC Davis. Freshman Payton Lieb has two goals so far this season, scoring the game-winner in both matches. Freshman Kendal Stovall recorded the shutout on Friday against the Vandals.
The Thunderbirds beat the Wolf Pack last year in Reno 2-1. Meghan DeHerrera scored the winning goal in that game in the 88th minute.
Match Info
Thursday's match against the Rebels is set to begin at 4:00 p.m. at Thunderbird Soccer Field. The match will be live streamed on PlutoTV Channel 236 and live stats will be available at suutbirds.com.
Sunday's match against the Wolf Pack is set to begin at 1:00 p.m. at Thunderbird Soccer Field. The match will be live streamed on PlutoTV Channel 236 and live stats will be available at suutbirds.com.
As with all home soccer matches, admission is free for all fans.
Follow Us
Stay up to date during the 2018 Thunderbird soccer season by following @SUUSoccer on Twitter and Instagram and liking the Southern Utah Soccer page on Facebook.
