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NCAA TOURNAMENT
The Utah Valley University women's soccer team came up just short in its first-ever NCAA Tournament appearance, dropping a hard-fought 1-0 decision to 13th-ranked BYU on Nov. 14 in front of 3,663 fans at South Field.
The loss wraps up a record-setting historic season for Utah Valley (14-7-1), which won a school-record 14 matches and won its first-ever WAC Tournament championship.
Utah Valley made its first-ever appearance in the NCAA Tournament after capturing the WAC Tournament Championship with a 2-0 shutout victory over Seattle U.
UTAH VALLEY WINS WAC WOMEN'S SOCCER TOURNAMENT
Utah Valley claimed the 2015 WAC Women's Soccer Tournament title with a 2-0 victory over Seattle U. The Wolverines used goals from Taylor Kirk and Sara Callister, along with a four-save shutout by Tournament MVP Jessica Duffin, to earn the automatic berth to the NCAA Tournament.
Kirk, a junior forward, latched on to a turnover from the Seattle U defense and was able to fend off a defender and beat SU keeper Brianna Smallidge to the lower right corner for the opener. The goal came largely against the early run of play, on UVU's first shot of the match, after SU dominated pressure and possession for the first 20 minutes.
In the second half, SU again had much of the early pressure, but Duffin, the WAC Defensive Player of the Year, held strong in goal. In the 70th minute, UVU executed a prefect counter attack, as Kirk found Callister on the right wing and she beat Smallidge to the top right corner for the insurance goal.
The win gives UVU its first NCAA Tournament berth and head coach Brent Anderson his 100th career win. It is also the Wolverines first victory over SU in school history, after going 0-9-1 in the previous 10 matches. The loss ended Seattle U's 16-game unbeaten streak, which was the longest in the nation.
SHUTOUTS IN SEATTLE
Seattle U earned a shutout over CSUB in the WAC Tournament semifinals, bringing its total to 13 on the season. SU has recorded nine shutouts in its last 11 matches, all against WAC opponents, and outscored opponents 26-2 in the month of October. Earlier this season, the Redhawks did not allow a goal in 541 minutes and 35 seconds, from Sept. 26 at Utah Valley until a goal by Grand Canyon in the 45th minute on Oct. 18.
During the regular season, the Redhawks set the WAC record for shutouts during conference play with eight. Seattle U goalkeeper Brianna Smallidge has seven individual WAC shutouts this season, which is the most in conference history.
GOALIES COMPLETE HISTORIC CAREERS
Four WAC goalies finished their careers near the top of the WAC all-time record books. Three are in the top 15 all-time in Goals Against Average (min. 3,000 minutes); Seattle U's Brianna Smallidge finished her career fourth all-time with a mark of 0.88, Missouri-Kansas City's Nina Tzianos is tied for sixth allowing 0.96 GAA and Utah Valley's Jessica Duffin tied for 12th at 1.02 GAA.
CSU Bakersfield's Tori Ornela made 286 saves in her three year WAC career, good for the tenth-most all-time.
WAC RECORDS
11 WAC season and single match records were tied or set during the 2015 season:
-Seattle U tied the WAC record for wins in conference play with eight, equalling three teams (2014 SU, 2014 UMKC, 2001 SMU).
-The Redhawks set the record for most shutouts in conference play with eight.
-Seattle U's Brianna Smallidge's seven shutouts and eight wins during WAC play both are the most in WAC history.
-CSU Bakersfield's Haley Vicente and Grand Canyon's Deseree Doty, both freshmen, scored four goals in a WAC match, tying a conference record with four others.
-Missouri-Kansas City attempted 60 shots against Chicago State on Sept. 25 to top the old record in WAC play by 12.
-UMKC fired 243 shots during conference play, topping the 2014 ‘Roos' previous record of 228.
-Chicago State made 25 saves against Green Bay on Sept. 11, the most in one match in WAC history. The Cougars also made 22 saves against UMKC on Sept. 25, tied for the most in a conference match.
-Chicago State's 237 saves overall on the season set a WAC record, as well as the 119 saves during conference play, both topping CSU marks set last year.