CEDAR CITY, Utah — Ashlyn O'Malley scored the winning goal and Rylan Tebbs matched a hometown milestone as Southern Utah Soccer defeated Portland State 1-0 on Sunday, Oct. 4, at Thunderbird Soccer Field, earning its first Big Sky Conference victory since returning to the league.
The Thunderbirds improved to 4-6-1 overall and 1-1-0 in conference play behind O'Malley's second-half finish, an assist from Gracen Blieschke and five saves from Tatum Trout. SUU controlled 64 percent of possession and finished with advantages in shots, shots on goal and corner kicks.
Tebbs Matches Cedar City Standard
Tebbs made her 41st career appearance for Southern Utah, tying Rachael Hunt for the most games played by a Cedar City native in program history. Hunt recorded her 41 appearances from 2020-22.
The junior defender marked the occasion by playing all 90 minutes and helping Southern Utah secure the shutout. Tebbs, Ashlyn Woodbury and Dakota Hansen each went the distance in front of Trout, while Nao Yasuda contributed 85 minutes and Brooklyn Bradley added 82.
After matching Hunt's appearances total at home, Tebbs can claim sole possession of the Cedar City record in her next match.
O'Malley Delivers the Difference
Southern Utah generated eight first-half shots and four attempts on target, but the teams entered halftime scoreless.
The Thunderbirds continued creating opportunities after the break. O'Malley put shots on goal at 49:10 and 50:49 before breaking through at 52:46, scoring her third goal of the season with Blieschke providing the assist.
O'Malley finished with four shots, including three on target. Blieschke also recorded four attempts, putting two on frame, as the pair combined for eight of SUU's 13 shots.
Woodbury added two shots and one attempt on goal, while Halle Cowan and Kayleigh Acree each put their lone shot on target.
Trout and Defense Protect the Lead
Trout made four of her five saves in the second half, helping the Thunderbirds preserve their one-goal advantage through the final whistle.
Three of those stops came in the closing minutes. Trout denied attempts at 86:08 and 87:41 before making her final save at 89:44. Southern Utah also received a team save at 84:57 to keep Portland State off the scoreboard.
The Thunderbirds finished with eight shots on goal compared with Portland State's six and earned eight corner kicks to the Vikings' three. Their possession advantage and clean sheet completed a winning finish to the opening weekend of conference play.
Next Up
Southern Utah travels to Pocatello to face Idaho State on Thursday, Oct. 8. Kickoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. MT.
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