CEDAR CITY, Utah - After their 7-0 season-opening win against Alcorn State last night, the Southern Utah University women's soccer team will continue their opening weekend road swing with a contest against Mississippi Valley State tonight at 5 PM MT.

Game Info

Southern Utah vs Mississippi Valley State

Date: August 19, 2022

Kickoff Time: 5 PM MT

Location: Itta Bena, Mississippi

Venue: Mississippi Valley Soccer Complex

Stream: Unavailable

Live Stats: Unavailable

Preview

Following a tremendous start to the 2022 season, one which marked the first time in SUU Soccer history that the T-Birds won their first road match against a Division I opponent, Southern Utah will take on a talented Mississippi Valley team in what will be their second contest in as many days. 

Southern Utah had everything going in their season-opening contest, owning 56 percent of possession time throughout the match and recording 31 shots to Alcorn State's nine. 

The T-Birds had five different players score goals, and freshman Sammie Sofonia made history by recording a hat trick in her first collegiate game, putting her in a tie for second in the SUU record books for most goals scored in a single match. 

Ashley Rivera also had a sensational first match, scoring one goal and tallying three assists in the match. The three assists placed her in a tie for the most single-game assists in program history.

Hailey Hamataka, Addison Larsen, and Victoria Caucci also tallied one goal apiece for Southern Utah, as the seven goals scored by the T-Birds mark the most goals scored in a season-opening contest in the history of Southern Utah soccer. 

Megan Short and Naomi Kehl had a fairly quiet, but efficient night in the net, recording five saves and combining to earn the shutout. 

Southern Utah will now turn its attention to an MVSU team that returns seven players from last year and has brought in a strong freshmen class and some solid transfer additions. 

The Delta Devils are led by Head Coach Frank Davies, one of the most decorated coaches in the history of the Southwestern Athletic Conference. Davies lost some strong attacking players from last season but returns goalkeeper McKenzie McCarthy, who currently leads all active Division I players in career saves per game (8.11), and ranks seventh among all active players in career saves (357). McCarthy also led the NCAA in the 2019 season in both saves per game (12.58) and total saves (156). 

MVSU has also brought in some talented newcomers, including freshman Bailee Washington, who was a five-time All-Metro selection throughout high school, while amassing 79 goals and 61 assists throughout her high school career. 

Southern Utah will seek to have a repeat performance of last night by creating high-quality scoring chances for their dangerous strikers early and often, while controlling the possession and playing with great intensity from start to finish. 

History

Southern Utah and Mississippi Valley State faced off on the pitch once before in 2004, with Delta Devils claiming a 4-0 victory over the T-Birds.

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