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OREM — In a game of seconds, 19 of them was all Utah Valley needed to defeat in-state rival Utah Tech 2-1 to keep postseason hopes alive.
Utah Valley, who came into the game 1-3-2 in WAC play this season, desperately needed a win if the team was going to make the WAC Tournament.
A back-foot touch from Zach Lifferth with 19 seconds left in the game propelled the Wolverines over the Trailblazers, and lifted the Wolverines all the way from ninth to tied for seventh place in the WAC standings.
"It was a long time coming," Utah head coach Kyle Beckerman said. "We were pushing and pushing, and I was happy for the guys to get rewarded."
The Wolverines, who came into the game with 5 points, trailed by 3 points behind sixth placed San Jose State. Anything but a win would essentially end their season as they welcomed in seventh placed Utah Tech to town.
For the Trailblazers, who are tied with San Jose State with 8 points, a loss to the Spartans earlier this year gave San Jose State the tiebreaker, which means Utah Tech had plenty to play for, too.
Utah Valley had an uphill battle after starting from behind early. Austin Wallace beat out Utah Valley defender Nathan Kovalcik and sneaked a ball under keeper Ben Williams to put the Trailblazers ahead 1-0.
The Wolverines tied things up in the 28th minute as Kovalcik got an open pass from Omar Yehya and sent through the header as the Wolverines postseason chances stayed afloat.
That Redlands connection 👀🤩@OmarYehya00 finds @natekov1 for the equalizer 🫡#GoUVU | #ValleyForgedpic.twitter.com/gficHDSx1I
— Utah Valley Men's Soccer (@UVUmsoc) October 29, 2024
In the second half, Utah Valley continued to push the defending Trailblazers, but failed to get anything going as stalwart keeper Stockton Short kept the Wolverines out of the net.
With 19 seconds to go, Liffereth took a pass from Gilles Aurelien with the back of his foot past Short and won the game for Utah Valley.
ZACH LIFFERTH WINS IT FOR THE WOLVERINES AT THE DEATH!!! 🤯🤯🤯#GoUVU | #ValleyForgedpic.twitter.com/4vK7evm3wR
— Utah Valley Men's Soccer (@UVUmsoc) October 29, 2024
"Zach has continued to work and work, and that all finally payed off for him," Beckerman said. "We need guys to get hot at the end of the season, so it is great for him and great for the team."
All WAC teams now have two games remaining, and a win and a tie will likely be enough to get into the postseason for Utah Valley. The Wolverines will head to league-leading San Diego State and fourth placed Cal Baptist in their final two games of the season.
