OGDEN -- There is no question that the Wildcats are getting closer. That first result, however, still remains elusive.
Despite a season-high 13 shots and two goals scored, the Weber State University women's soccer team came up short in a dogfight with in-state rival Utah, falling 3-2 on Thursday afternoon at Wildcat Soccer Field.
"We're getting there," Weber State coach Tim Crompton said. "We're playing a very difficult schedule right now. We've put two good games in a row together and we need to keep moving forward with that."
For the second consecutive match, the Wildcats jumped out to a first-half lead, with freshman striker Felicia Sortor tallying her first collegiate goal from 12 yards out in the 39th minute. Outside defender Alyssa Toomey and midfielder Nicole Moore earn the dual assist on the play after Toomey lofted the ball to Moore, who headed it over the Utes' defense to Sortor.
The lead stood up at halftime, despite numerous chances for Weber State in the dying minutes of the opening half.
Utah's Lauren Hair equalized in the 52nd minute off an assist from Morgan Skeen and the Utes burned into the lead just two minutes later when Chelsea Forbes corralled a rebounded shot and knocked it into the net from 10 yards out.
Weber State returned the punch in the 58th minute when midfielder Ari Wood ziplined a corner kick around the near post and into the goal to equalize the match at 2-2.
The Utes' Lauren Dudley scored the game-winner in the 66th minute, rifling in a free kick from 30 yards out and then held off Weber State's attempts to equalize down the stretch.
Utah (1-6-0), which earned its first win of the year and broke a five-match scoreless streak in the victory, had a season-high 27 shots, placing 13 on frame with Weber State goalkeeper Ryann Waldman making 10 saves.
Weber State (0-5-0) now faces Creighton at 11 a.m. on Saturday at Wildcat Soccer Field. The Bluejays are 3-2-2 in 2010.
* WILDCATS FACE FINAL PRE-CONFERENCE TUNEUP: The Weber State University women's volleyball team heads off to the east coast for its final pre-conference tuneup this weekend.
The Wildcats (0-8) will face three teams at the two-day, four-team Gardner-Webb University Running Bulldog Classic beginning on Friday in Boling Springs, N.C.
Weber State kicks off the tournament action at GWU's 3,500-seat Paul Porter Arena at 3 p.m. MDT on Friday against the Kennesaw State Owls (2-5).
On Saturday, the Wildcats will face the Wofford Terriers (6-3) at 8 a.m. and then play the host GWU Bulldogs (1-5) at 5 p.m.
It will be the first-ever meeting between Weber State and both Kennesaw State and Wofford. The Wildcats previously played Gardner-Webb in 2008, sweeping the Bulldogs 3-0 in Tucson, Ariz.
Weber State enters the tournament after a 3-1 loss (20-25, 25-11, 25-13, 25-23) to Boise State on Wednesday night at Swenson Gym in the Wildcats' home opener.
Following this weekend's tournament, Weber State is set to open Big Sky Conference action on Sept. 17 at home against defending league tournament champion Northern Colorado.
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