Special Senior Day Sees Utah Soccer Stop No. 9 UCLA, 2-0

Sunday, October 30

Salt Lake City, Utah

2:00 PM

University of Utah

11-3-4, 6-1-3

UCLA

12-5-1, 6-3-1

UCLA

Utah

Special Senior Day Sees Utah Soccer Stop No. 9 UCLA, 2-0

10/30/2016 6:18 PM | Soccer

Box Score Box Score

Rogers and Skolmoski score, Mathias and "D" earn SO

SALT LAKE CITY - Katie Rogers scored early on her Senior Day and Hailey Skolmoski added the capper in the 88^th minute as Utah Soccer stopped No. 9 UCLA this afternoon, 2-0.

"This team is amazing and it's the most special group I've ever been a part of," Rogers said. "I think our team chemistry is better this year. We have a better mentality about us and we stay united. I think what separates us from past teams is that we play for each other and we're there for one another off the field."

Playing in her final home match, Rogers headed in a Natalee Wells corner kick in the 19^th minute to set the tone for the Utes. The defensive midfielder who has started all but one contest the last three seasons notched the eighth goal of her career.

Skolmoski finished things off by stealing the ball away from a UCLA defender and toe poking past the Bruin goalkeeper at the near post. It was the sophomore's 12^th goal of the season after entering the weekend leading the Pac-12 in points.

"She's been phenomenal this year especially coming off her ACL injury," Rogers said of Skolmoski. "To be able to see her progress from the spot she was last season to the star she is now is a confidence boost for all of us."

The Utes had not beaten a team ranked in the NSCAA Top 25 in their last 27 contests dating back to a 1-0 victory over Oregon State on October 14, 2011. This was their first game against a Top 25 team as a member of the Pac-12

Utah attained its 11th win of the season today, a mark not reached since 2008, and also clinched their highest point total since joining the Pac-12 in 2011.

"Our team continues to grow and we put in a fantastic effort against a very good team," head coach Rich Manning said. "It was rewarding to see confident performances and great teamwork by so many different players. I think it's always special for the seniors to have a great win for their final home game and I was pleased that the team worked so hard to get it."

Each goalkeeper made saves within the first 10 minutes as Teagan Micah stopped Rogers and July Mathias denied Jessie Fleming. Utah continued to generate chances with Cabria Turang forcing a save from Micah and Natalee Wells going wide. Natalie Vukic dinked one off the crossbar in the 18^th minute off a corner and moments later, Utah had its lead.

After Skolmoski almost doubled the lead, UCLA turned it up a notch. Mathias was able to stand tall and deny Jacey Pederson, Anika Rodriguez and Sunny Dunphy during a four-minute span.

In the second half, Utah was awarded a penalty kick in the 53^rd minute after Rogers was fouled in the box. However, the Ute try struck the left post and bounded away.

After Mathias held another Dunphy header, Utah looked like it would another. Max Flom and Eden Jacobsen had shots blocked by Bruin defenders and after Flom went wide in the 68^th, Holly Daugirda made Micah make a save to keep the margin at a single goal for the time being.

Utah hits the road next weekend for a single game at Colorado. The contest is Friday at 3 p.m. on Pac-12 Networks.