Jacob Ence takes a shot against the University of Utah. (Savannah Hopkinson)
BYU men’s soccer recorded its first shutout of the season this weekend and then did it again the next day.
The shutouts came as part of a two-game road trip for the team, beating Boise State 6-0 on Friday and the University of Utah 7-0 on Saturday.
Coach Brandon Gilliam called the victory against Boise State “very important,” as it was the first time they kept the opposing team from scoring the entire game.
“It’s nice to finally finish out a full 90 minutes with no mistakes or mental lapses,” said goalkeeper Austin Bagley.
The conditions were less than ideal in Boise, with rain falling throughout the game and temperatures dropping to 40 degrees on the pitch.
This came after six hours of driving and not practicing since Thursday morning.
The team was able to play its entire roster and give minutes to younger players after they pulled ahead early on.
“Games like these are important for younger players who might not normally get a lot of minutes,” Gilliam said. “They showed up well and find themselves being much more comfortable.”
The team appears to be in a very comfortable stride, as they have yet to drop a match and will take a five-game winning streak into this week’s game against Weber State.
Forward Tanner Whitworth recorded his second hat trick of the season against Utah, leading the Cougars’ potent offense to a 7-0 statement victory. The Utes gave the Cougars a little more trouble in their last meeting at South Field on Sept. 27, scoring a goal and putting together several dangerous attacks.
The Utes gave the Cougars a little more trouble in their last meeting at South Field on Sept. 27, scoring a goal and putting together several dangerous attacks.
The Cougars have turned into the team to beat in Utah, and are in dominant form as the Regional Tournament approaches at the end of October.
“We are feeling very good knowing that we are playing some great soccer and have the offense on a roll,” Bagley added. “Now we just have to keep it up.”
The team will come home looking to extend their winning streak to six games Wednesday, Oct. 18, against Weber State at 7:00 p.m. MDT at South Field.