SALT LAKE CITY — Utah women's soccer played Cincinnati to a 0–0 draw Wednesday night at Ute Field, as both teams struggled to break through in a physical, defensive battle.
The Utes controlled long stretches of possession and created several quality chances, including a late second-half surge that forced multiple saves from Cincinnati's goalkeeper. On the other end, Utah's back line remained sharp, limiting the Bearcats to just five shots and stifling their counterattacks.
Still, head coach Hideki Nakada said the inability to finish was "frustrating."
"It's been sort of the same story. I feel like we've been the better team in almost every game," Nakada said. "We just haven't been able to find the back of the net, which is frustrating because we've created enough chances. We just need to be better with those opportunities."
Utah outshot Cincinnati 19-5 but managed only four attempts on goal. The team's shot selection and movement in the final third must improve, Nakada said.
"Cincinnati wasn't pressing us, and we didn't have a whole lot of space to exploit behind," Nakada said. "Once we broke their pressure, we needed more numbers inside the box. We didn't test their goalie nearly enough, too many shots over, wide, or what have you. We just have to be sharper."
The Utes (5-4-2) now turn their attention to West Virginia, who they host Saturday at Ute Field.
"We have to win. We've dropped games we shouldn't have, and I'd categorize tonight as a loss," Nakada said. "The bottom line is we have to get results. What happened tonight isn't good enough, we just have to find a way to win."
