Sept. 21, 2009

Game Notes: Utah Valey

Pocatello, ID--The Bengals (3-4-0) will host one game this week against Utah Valley (1-7-0) on Wednesday, September 23 at 4 p.m. on Davis Field. The match will be ISU's first in ten days as they had a luxurious week and a half off to rest and heal injured players. The Wolverines are on a three-match losing streak and are 1-3 on the road, posting a 1-5 record away from home. The game will be broadcast on KISU 91.1 FM and can also be followed on the Internet via the ISU athletic website.

Idaho State is nearly halfway through their season and have already matched their win record from last season with three. ISU heads into its second home competition of the season with a win under its belt as the Bengals defeated Wyoming 2-1 for the program's first victory over the Cowgirls. The win also snapped a three-game losing streak for the Bengals. This season the Bengals have posted eight goals this season led by freshman Ashley Jones who has recorded three including a game-winner.

All of Idaho State's contests have been won by scoring two goals either by the Bengals or by the opponent. ISU has scored at least one goal in every contest but two as they fell 2-0 to New Mexico and Maine. Freshmen Rachel Strawn and Jones have been a goldmine for the Bengals. Strawn's touch has produced four assists in seven games this season. She averages .571 assists per game to lead the best all-time assists per game record for a career and second best for a season in ISU history currently.

Jones has recorded three goals in her freshman season. Her goals per game average, currently set at .429 is the second most in ISU history for a career. She also posts the third best points per game average for a career with .857. Jones is tied for third most goals in the conference with three goals, while Strawn posts the second most assists in the Big Sky with four as NAU's Brenna Boies has posted five. However, Strawn's average per game beats Boise as Strawn averages 0.57 assists per game.

With numerous injuries reducing the Bengal bench healthy players have been needed to maintain their position on the field for longer durations. With roughly 15 players available of a roster of 23 total, and with seven of those players playing in 80-plus minutes a contest, only increases chance for injury. However, with the week off the Bengals have been able to rest and recoup its athletes.

Standing at 5'5" sophomore Bailey Williams will do just about anything to make a save, even if it means bodily destruction, which it has come to a few times. Williams' effort has placed her fourth for the most saves in conference with 30 and fourth in saves per game with 4.29 for the season. Williams' season save percentage places her seventh in the all-time list and fifth in the career all-time list with 4.20.

The Bengals have 10 players who call their home state Utah including: Alex Hansen (Wellsville, UT), Ashley Askwig (Salt Lake City, UT), Megan Stainbrook (South Jordan, UT), Jones (Draper, UT), Amber Worthen (Syracuse, UT), Krisha Read (Ogden, UT), Strawn (Clinton, UT, Morgan Olson (Logan, UT), Jana Davis-Boehler (Provo, UT), and Karissa Henage-Fisher (Springville, UT).

Idaho State posts the fourth best goals per game average of 1.14 in the Big Sky Conference as they have recorded eight goals in seven games. ISU post the third best corner kicks per game average with 4.29 as they have recorded 30 corner kicks in seven games.

ISU is 1-0 for contests on September 23, the last time ISU had a game on this date was in 2007 when Natalie Graham led ISU to a 1-0 victory over Air Force on a penalty kick at the Idaho State Classic held at Davis Field. It will be head coach Allison Gibson's second contest on this date.

Utah Valley received its official NCAA Division I status in July as the NCAA Membership Services voted a unanimous approval lift of provisional status. The move completes the University's unprecedented move straight from NJCAA to NCAA athletics. The Soccer program currently posts a 1-7-0 record having only defeated UTEP in the regular season on the road to give them a 1-3-0 road record. They are currently 1-5-0 off their home field. Oddly enough the Wolverines started their season unofficially strong as they posted two exhibition victories including a 5-1 contest over Weber State. Utah Valley is on a three-game losing streak having fallen to Southern Utah at home, UC Irvine and UC Riverside at Riverside. The team has been shut-out of four contests, and most recently in its last two contests. Last season they were undefeated with a 5-0 in the United Soccer Conference and return 19 letterwinners and seven starters. UVU did lose Jenni Clough who led the team in almost all offensive stats including all-time career points for UVU with 71. The Wolverines post a .042 shot percentage and a .427 shot on goal percentage.

This season the Wolverines have four separate players who have scored a goal each: Nicole Archibald, Kendra Buchanan, Brianne Larsen, and Athena Maher. Buchanan leads the point race with three as she posted an assist and posts a .636 shot on goal percentage. UVU has played its two keepers equally as Hailey Brown and Tasha Bell have played 360 minutes each. However, Bell earned Player of the Week Honors with the Great West Conference this season for her performance against UTEP. Bell posts a 2.50 goals against average while Brown posts a 2.00.

Idaho State leads the series 3-0-2 having defeated Utah Valley in 2003, 2005 and 2006 when they were Utah Valley State College. The team's last meeting resulted in a 0-0 double overtime tie at Clyde Field, UVU's home. Both of ISU's ties occurred at Clyde field, with the first tie occurring in 2004 with a 1-1 contest.