Weber State notebook: Soccer takes high-scoring loss to UVU
Football changes kickoff time for Butler; Calder takes home award
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- Weber State forward/midfielder Tenzi Knowles rears back to strike the ball against Utah Valley on Monday, Sept. 15, 2025, in Ogden.
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- Weber State players Tenzi Knowls and Grace Kirby, center, embrace after scoring a goal against Utah Valley on Monday, Sept. 15, 2025, in Ogden.
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- Weber State forward Grace Kirby, left, makes a move on Utah Valley’s Taylor Nelson (5) on Monday, Sept. 15, 2025, in Ogden.
The only Division I women’s soccer match of the day put eyes on Ogden for Weber State’s return to its home field Monday, hosting head coach Kyle Christensen’s former squad in Utah Valley.
The Wildcats burst to an early 2-0 lead but the Wolverines scored three times over 17 second-half minutes to rally for a 4-3 road victory.
Grace Kirby and Tenzi Knowles paired up for two goals with two minutes of each other to open the scoring. In the 20th minute, Knowles sent a cross into the UVU box where Kirby, the Fremont High alum, gave a soft redirecting touch that found the bottom-left corner.
In the 22nd minute, it was Kirby with fancy footwork to possess through a persistent challenge, poking the ball to Knowles near the penalty spot; she fired to the top-right shelf.
Just 40 seconds later, though, it was Bonneville High alum Sadie Beardall signaling that Monday’s winner might need a bunch of goals to survive. She got Utah Valley (4-3-1) on the board.
Still, Weber State (4-4) led 3-1 in the 59th minute when Kirby crossed to Sammie Sofonia and the senior netted from near the penalty spot to maintain the lead.
UVU took 10 shots in the second half, however, and outnumbered WSU 12-7 in shots on goal for the match. The Wolverines got past freshman keeper Lauren Butorac in the 64th minute (Marie Quentel), the 68th minute (Kate Shirts) and the 81st minute (Nixan Jackson) to stun the Wildcats and leave with a victory.
Weber State swings through California this week to close its nonconference schedule, playing at Cal Baptist (4-4-1) on Thursday before a challenge at UC Santa Barbara (7-1-1) on Sunday.
WSU then begins Big Sky play with a weekend homestand, hosting Eastern Washington on Sept. 25 and Idaho on Sept. 28.
FOOTBALL CHANGES KICK TIME
Weber State football changed the kickoff time for this week’s home opener against Butler, shifting the start one hour later to 7 p.m. on Saturday.
The change helps facilitate the university’s first presentation to “Light the W” on the hillside after completing construction of a permanent fixture above Stewart Stadium. A solar-panel-clad letter outlined with LEDs makes the shape of the university’s academic-based logo often called the “Flaming W.”
CALDER WINS WEEKLY AWARD
Senior kicker Sloan Calder was named the Big Sky Conference’s co-special teams player of the week after his performance in WSU’s 42-41 win at McNeese.
Calder was 6 for 6 on PATs in the high-scoring affair but most notably, one of those kicks punctuated his own touchdown that proved to be paramount in securing the victory. Calder took a fake field goal pitch from holder Peyton Beck and scooted left for a 10-yard touchdown rush with 21 seconds left in the first half, giving the Wildcats a 21-7 lead.
