The UNLV Women’s soccer team fell 3-2 to Utah Tech in St. George, Utah, after Utah’s Lucy Fox posted a hattrick to save her team.
Fox’s presence completely changed Utah’s game as she was substituted on and off the field twice, and whenever she was off, the Trailblazers struggled to create offense against the Rebels.
The UNLV Rebels took the lead first in the first half of the game with a Sarah Martinez header.
However, the Utah Trailblazers equalized with a Fox penalty early in the second half.
And while the Rebels retook the lead, Fox would equalize and later win the game for the Trailblazers late in the game.
In the 5th minute of the game, Lacy Fox ran down the left wing before shooting a shot across the goal that Hanne Breur was able to stop.
In the 11th minute, a 35-yard freekick from Torrie Reardon found Sarah Martinez, who headed the ball over Brianna Frey to the left post and put the Rebels 1-0 up.
Nine minutes later, Fox received the ball at the edge of the box and took a shot that was deflected by Gianna Newby, which goalkeeper Breur would catch.
In the 29th minute, Tori Martinez ran with the ball down the field and struck a low shot slowed down by a deflection off of a Utah defender so Frey could hold onto the ball.
In the 33rd minute, Michelle Madrid took a shot from 20 yards out that was saved by Frey, with the rebound by Savannah Nichols being narrowly missed wide.
In the 37th minute, Summer Pyles struck a long shot from 30 yards out that barely flew wide of the right post.
A minute later, Lataya Brost made a run down the middle of the field and struck a long shot that Breur could come away with.
In the 41st minute of the game, the Utah defense gave away a ball to Madrid, who took a shot from outside the 18-yard box that flew over the crossbar.
As the countdown for the end of the first half reached five, Heidi Wilstead attempted to lob Breur, who was off her line, but the shot was just wide.
Three minutes into the second half, the Rebels hit the Trailblazers on a counterattack as Mallie Ramirez took the ball and struck an angled shot from outside the box, which Frey dove and caught.
Three minutes later, Martinez found herself at the edge of the 18-yard box and took a shot that went wide.
In the following play, Trinity Buchanon dispossessed a Utah defender and took a shot that hit the top of the crossbar and out.
Then a minute later, the Trailblazers whipped a cross to Ella Rusick, who headed the ball, but Breur dived to catch the shot and save a goal.
In the 63rd minute, UNLV’s Amaya Haley committed a foul in the box, allowing the Trailblazers a penalty shot opportunity.
Fox stepped up to the penalty and put it in the top right corner past goalkeeper Breur to equalize the game 1-1.
In the 76th minute, Newby crossed the ball to Buchanon, who set up Mallie Ramirez with a good chance in close, allowing her to slot it to the right of the keeper and put the Rebels up 2-1.
Then, in the 84th minute, Fox chipped the ball from 30 yards out over the goalkeeper as it dipped down to equalize the game 2-2.
A minute later, Lataya Brost ran into the box and sent a low cross across the goal that found Fox alone as she tapped the ball into the goal for her third of the night to take a 3-2 lead.
Despite all efforts from the Rebels, they could not find an equalizer as the final whistle blew declaring the Trailblazers victorious by a score of 3-2.
The Rebels will play their next match against Seattle University on Thursday, August 29, at the Peter Johann Memorial Field, Las Vegas, at 6:30 P.M.
