Aug. 29, 2010
Final Stats | Photogallery by Michael Reese
Photogallery by Brian Kanof
Complete Box Score in PDF Format 
EL PASO, TEXAS- The UTEP soccer team bolted out to a 3-0 lead on first-half goals by Katie Dorman, Brittany Kindzierski and Jessie Pettit and never looked back on the way to downing Utah Valley University, 3-1, at University Field Sunday afternoon.
Pettit, Anoop Josan and Skye Schultz all picked up assists for the Miners (2-1-0), who out-shot the Wolverines (1-3-0) 27-11-including 11-6 on goal. Chandra Morden recorded five saves to lead the way defensively, with only a strike by Whitney Fuller preventing the junior from her second shutout in 2010.
"I'm very proud of the team today," UTEP head coach Kevin Cross said. "We didn't play UTEP soccer on Friday, and I'm very pleased with the way we responded today. Utah Valley University is a tough opponent, but we got it done."
The Miners asserted themselves early in the match, with a Kindzierski shot being blocked over the end line to set up a corner kick. Josan's service into the area found the foot of Pettit, who ripped a shot on net. It was blocked by the UVU defense but Dorman buried the rebound to put the home side up, 1-0, at 5:49.
The Orange and Blue continued to pressure after the strike, with Tess Hall lifting a shot just high in the 13th minute. Dorman was in search of her second strike of the tilt only 30 seconds later but Wolverines' netminder Hailey Brown leapt to tip the ball just wide.
UVU mustered its initial opportunity of the match with a weak shot by Katey Turner, which was easily handled by Morden a minute later.
A good outlet allowed the Miners to go back on the offensive, and it would pay dividends. From just inside the area, Schultz laced a shot which was only kept out thanks to a diving stop by Brown. She couldn't control the rebound, though, and Kindzierski tapped home the loose change to make the score, 2-0, at 15:38.
With the Wolverines on their heels, Pettit proceeded to put the Orange and Blue up by a score of 3-0 at 18:46. She dribbled thru a bevy of defenders before besting Brown with a well-struck ball that blistered into the back of the net.
Trailing 3-0, UVU began to send players up the pitch in an effort to get back into the contest. In an unlucky sequence, a Miners' clearing attempt went right to the Wolverines' Fuller. She took one dribble to compose herself before directing a shot on net which snuck past Morden at 23:00.
The frenetic pace of play began to slow midway through the stanza, as result of tighter marking by both squads.
The Miners picked up their intensity down the stretch but could not extend their lead. A shot by Hall was turned away by Brown in the 28th minute, while Dorman was denied at 34:39. Freshman Maggie Schaffer tested Brown in the 42nd minute, but the visiting netminder was up to the task.
Armed with the 3-1 lead at the break, the Miners were more than content to play possession soccer in the second stanza. The result was a dominant performance across the board. UTEP limited the Wolverines to four shots over the first 40 minutes of the period, only one of which was on target.
At the other end of the pitch UTEP patiently probed the Wolverines' defense. Off a corner kick, Hall's shot forced substitute netminder Lauren Sack to make a diving stop in the 67th minute. Schultz unleashed a ball with ample pace that was gobbled up by Sack in the 74th minute.
Eight minutes later, Brittany Thornton used a crossover dribble to create some space to work with. The junior laced a shot only to have Sack punch it just wide. On the ensuing corner kick, Josan put the ball into the mixer. Dorman touched to control it and sent it in on net, but it bounced off the post.
UVU generated a late chance, but could not beat Morden again. She turned away a shot by Nicole Spencer at 85:24 to preserve the two-goal edge.
The Miners will return to action with a match at Stephen F. Austin at 6 p.m. MT on Friday.
