Utah Utes soccer: Team keeps season alive with win

PROVO — The Utah soccer team played one of its best games of the season last month when it beat TCU 3-1 in Salt Lake.

Wednesday afternoon, 45 miles to the south at BYU's South Field, the Utes put together another excellent game in the first round of the Mountain West Conference tournament and defeated the Horned Frogs by the same 3-1 margin.

"I thought we played very well and created a lot of chances," said Ute coach Rich Manning. "We got better as the game went along."

The victory keeps Utah's season alive and puts the Utes in today's semifinals against San Diego State (12-3-5), which hasn't lost a game since Sept. 11.

The winner of today's game will face the winner of the BYU-New Mexico game Saturday at noon.

Manning was happy to be matched up with TCU in the tournament for the second straight year because of its open style, giving the Utes more of a chance to play an attacking style.

The Utes dominated the action early with several shots at goalkeeper Kelsey Walters, who made several sprawling saves in the game.

Then in the 25th minute, Kelly Isleib, who is already the Utes' all-time assists leader, put the Utes on the board with a left-footed rocket to the right top corner from just inside the penalty box. Lauren Dudley set Isleib up after getting a cross from Chelsea Forbes.

Just five minutes into the second half, sophomore Lauren Porter scored her first goal of the season with a high header that floated over Walters. Although she is a MWC first-team defender, Porter scored three goals last year, but barely missed on several chances this year.

"I think she was due," said Manning, who called the goal "beautifully strange."

Porter was playing up like she does on free kicks and when Morgan Skeen lobbed the ball towards her, Porter headed the high ball that Walters couldn't quite reach.

"I looked at Morgan afterward and she said, 'Are you kidding me, you scored on that ball?' " Porter said with a laugh. "I just went up and headed it, and it was good."

TCU came back to makethe Utes nervous with a goal by Kaylie Garcia with less than 12 minutes left, but Erin Dalley gave the Utes some breathing room with an unassisted goal in the 86th minute.

The Utes will face a tough test with the Aztecs, who finished 5-0-2 in the MWC and tied with Utah 1-1 on Oct. 10 in San Diego.

"We're coming out every game like it's out last and everyone is giving all they can," said Isleib, one of three seniors on the Ute team. "I definitely don't want it to be over, so I'm hoping it lasts as long as it can."

e-mail: sor@desnews.com

Today's MWC semifinals

SDSU vs Utah, noon

N. Mex. at BYU 3 p.m.