2024 WAC MSOC Release Week 2

SIX WAC TEAMS END WEEK ONE UNBEATEN
A total of six WAC men’s soccer members completed the opening week of the 2024 season with an unbeaten record. Grand Canyon, UNLV and UTRGV each won the only match on the first week’s schedule, Seattle U and Utah Valley won one match and drew one match apiece and California Baptist battled to a pair of scoreless draws.

WAC TEAMS ANSWER TOP-25 CHALLENGES
Both California Baptist and Seattle U faced nationally ranked opponents in true road matches during the opening week of 2024 and emerged with results. Seattle U erased a 1-0 deficit with a 65th minute goal, ultimately outshooting No. 19 Central Florida 13-12 (6-3 shots on goal) in a 1-1 draw on Aug. 25. CBU withstood a potent attack from No. 6 North Carolina that same night and registered nine saves during the match to post a scoreless draw.

BLINK AND YOU WILL MISS BRIGHT
Grand Canyon junior forward Bright Nutornutsi opened the 2024 GCU team goal account in an emphatic way during a 3-0 win over Western Illinois on Aug. 22. Nutornutsi found the back of the net twice 45 seconds apart, scoring at 36:41 and 37:26, to jump GCU out to a 2-0 advantage. The two-goal match marked the second brace of Nutornutsi’s GCU career (9/12/23 against UCSB).

DO REGO SHINES IN CBU DEBUT WEEKEND
California Baptist sophomore goalkeeper Hugo Do Rego made a huge impact during his first two matches as the Lancers starter last weekend. Do Rego posted two solo clean sheets to begin the new campaign, blanking American University on Aug. 22 and No. 6 North Carolina on Aug. 25 during an East Coast road swing. Do Rego’s nine saves in the draw at UNC were the most by a WAC goalkeeper in a single match since the 2022 season.

SEATTLE U RISES TO 11TH IN UNITED SOCCER COACHES POLL
Seattle U moved up 12 places to rank 11th in this week’s United Soccer Coaches NCAA Division I men’s soccer rankings following a 1-0-1 start to the season. The Redhawks also debuted at No. 24 in the Top Drawer Soccer DI top 25 poll for week two.

KEY MATCHES IN WEEK TWO FOR THE WAC
Three ranked foes are included on the upcoming schedule for WAC men’s soccer squads this week. Grand Canyon and No. 23 Duke will clash in Cary, North Carolina on Aug. 30, UNLV travels to No. 20 Ohio State on Sept. 1 and San Diego State plays host to No. 17 Vermont on Sept. 2.