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OREM — After starting a historic 5-0-2 to open its season, the Utah Valley men's soccer team was faced with their biggest challenge up to this point: No. 22 UCSB.
The Gauchos came into the game 4-1-1 and were outscoring opponents 16-7 through six games on the season.
Utah Valley had lost just one home game in the last three seasons, proving to be an exceptional home team with a 10-1-5 record in home games since the 2022 season.
Despite an incredible home record, the Wolverines were outmatched in the game, falling to the Gauchos 4-1, suffering their first lost of the season.
Utah Valley (5-1-2), found themselves down early. UCSB (5-1-1) took advantage of some poor Wolverine transition defense with Nemo Philipp finding himself one-on-one with Utah Valley keeper Ben Williams, launching a ball to the net and taking a 1-0 lead four minutes into the game.
It is the second game in a row where the Wolverines found themselves trailing early at home, meaning they had to mount another comeback to keep their undefeated season alive.
But just six minutes later, the lead extended.
UCSB fired a ball that bounced off the right post after another poor defensive effort from Utah Valley, landing at the feet of captain Alexis Ledoux who had a wide open net, putting the nationally ranked Gauchos up 2-0 over the home Wolverines.
It was a dominant first-half for UCSB, who put up eight shots – three coming on target — to the Wolverines three in the first half.
Utah Valley struggled to have any transition offense while committing eight first half fouls to the Gauchos four. The Wolverines struggled to match any offensive ball control that the Gauchos had in the first half.
The Wolverines had a chance to get one back after Utah Valley was fouled in the box and was awarded a penalty kick. Team captain Omar Yehya — who is a goal or assist away from breaking the school record with a goal contribution — took the PK but sailed it high.
In the 54th minute, UCSB found nylon again off the foot of Filip Basili which was an essential dagger on the Wolverines perfect season.
Yehya was bumped by an opposing Gaucho which started a shoving match between Ben Ortiz of Utah Valley and Andrew Kamienski. Both were given a yellow card which was not all that surprising given the increased amount of physicality in the game up to this point.
Nine minutes later, UCSB scored after the bounced around the box and eventually found its home in the back of the net where it had been all game.
Utah Valley avoided the shutout in the 84th minute when Nik Kizerian crossed a ball in to a diving Noah Pogue who perfectly placed the header into the goal to make it 4-1.
The Wolverines will play one more non-conference game on Wednesday versus Oregon State at Clyde Field and will turn to conference play where they will look to avenge a 2-2-4 conference record last year.
