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OREM — Utah Valley started the season hot, were 5-0-2 and were receiving nationally ranked votes, but the team has struggled as of late.
Unfortunately for the Wolverines, the struggle continued Saturday.
Utah Valley, who has lost its last three games, was eager to start hot. A goal by team captain Omar Yehya just 14 seconds into the match pushed Utah Valley ahead early 1-0. The goal is the fastest goal in program history by nearly a minute.
In the sixth minute, San Jose State nearly found an equalizer when Diogo St. Baptista fired a ball off the right post, which landed in Wolverine possession and was cleared safely.
In the 18th minute, Nik Kizerian got a shot off that was blocked and rebounded by Yehya, who fired his own shot, which was blocked by the keeper but rebounded yet again by Yehya and found the net for his second goal of the half.
Angel Intiguez found enough room in the 30th minute to put a ball past keeper Ben Williams to narrow its deficit. Initguez was given a yellow card after the goal for diving on Williams while chasing the ball in the net to speed up the game.
Four minutes later, the deficit was gone.
Kizerian launched a ball from the left side, about 24 yards out, to the top right corner of the net to even up the score.
With one minute left in the half, the Spartans scored yet again. St. Baptista found himself one-on-one with Williams, though he did look to be offside to Williams credit, but no penalty was called and the Spartans took a 3-2 lead into the second half.
Unlike the first half, the second half saw little action. Utah Valley struggled to get any attempts on goal, and suffered their third consecutive loss.
Before this season, Utah Valley had just one home loss in the last three seasons, they now have four this year and they have all come consecutively.
The Wolverines will look to right the ship next week versus UTRGV on Oct. 10 in Edinburg.
