OREM, Utah – An historic night at Utah Valley University turned into an even more memorable one as the men’s soccer program kicked off it’s inaugural season with a 5-1 win over Massachusetts in front of a raucous, standing-room-only crowd of 2,610 fans.
Five different Wolverines scored goals, starting with Karson Payton in the game’s sixth minute. Paul Hoffmeister and Matt Gay assisted on the goal with Hoffmeister leading Payton with a pass into the box and the freshman scoring from 15 yards. UMass tied the game at 1-1 less than seven minutes later, in the 13th minute, on a header by Mark Morris from Luke Pavone.
UVU broke it open before halftime though, scoring three more times in a span of 16 minutes with a fast and furious attack. David Adams rebounded a direct free kick off the foot of Gay in the 28th minute to make it 2-1. In the 34th minute Austin Buxton scored on assists from Thomas Loomis and Hoffmeister. The fourth goal of the half came when Lucas Cawley fired a shot that glanced off the inside of the left post and into the back of the net in the 44th minute, with Buxton assisting.
“That first goal was a phenomenal goal,” said UVU head coach Greg Maas. “It was a great buildup, combination and finish and we got three other goals just like that. It was really a team effort and we trained very hard and the guys executed. All the credit goes to the players."
Gay scored the final goal of the night in the 62nd minute. Goalkeeper Collin Partee’s goal kick past midfield was headed by Skyler Milne right to Gay, who scored after a first touch header led himself perfectly and he was able to beat UMass keeper Taylor Culp to the ball. Gay finished with a goal and two assists with Hoffmeister also assisting on two goals.
Prior to the match, a moment of silence was held for longtime UMass head coach Sam Koch, who lost a two-year battle with sinus cancer in July.