2024 WAC Men's Soccer Release - Week Five

UTAH VALLEY EXTENDS UNBEATEN STREAK TO OPEN 2024
Utah Valley remained the only WAC men’s soccer member with an unbeaten record in nonconference play following matches on Sept. 16. The Wolverines earned two results last week to improve to 5-0-2 (.857). UTRGV (2-1-1, .625) was the only WAC member with just one defeat on its record after four weeks of nonconference action.

UVU’S YEHYA, GCU’S NUTORNUTSI IN SPIRITED BATTLE FOR WAC GOALS LEAD
Utah Valley midfielder Omar Yehya and Grand Canyon forward Bright Nutornutsi have battled for the WAC goals lead over the first four weeks of nonconference matches, turning in sensational performances for their sides. Yehya entered play on Sept. 18 as the conference leader with seven goals and 16 points over his first seven matches played, tallying at least one point in every contest thus far in 2024 to tie for fifth nationally in goals scored. Yehya has scored five combined goals in his past three matches, which included multi-goal performances at Florida Gulf Coast on Sept. 8 and against Lindenwood on Sept. 16. Nutornutsi opened the season with back-to-back two-goal outings against Western Illinois and Duke to place second in the WAC with five goals and 11 points.

UNLV LEVELS RECORD WITH BACK-TO-BACK CLEAN SHEETS
UNLV climbed back to .500 in nonconference play at 3-3 with consecutive shutout victories last week. The Rebels blanked CSU Bakersfield 1-0 on the road on Sept. 11 before shutting out CSUN by a 1-0 match score on Sept. 15 in Las Vegas. UNLV was the only team in the WAC yet to record a draw this season as of Sept. 18.

SHORT REMAINS BUSY IN GOAL FOR UTAH TECH
Utah Tech goalkeeper Stockton Short led NCAA Division I men’s soccer with a 6.29 saves per match average as of the latest NCAA national statistics report on Sept. 17. Short was officially credited with 44 saves over his first seven starts, and checked in fifth in the WAC with a .759 save percentage.

SEATTLE U GETS ITS CHANCE WITH TOP-RANKED DENVER
Seattle U is set for a key nonconference clash at Denver on Sept. 22, with the Pioneers checking in third in the latest United Soccer Coaches and first in the latest Top Drawer Soccer NCAA DI men’s soccer polls. Other ranked matches on the upcoming WAC schedule include No. 22 UC Santa Barbara at Utah Valley and Grand Canyon at No. 15 San Diego on Sept. 19.