Nielsen Postgame Interview

Utah- Colorado Highlights

SALT LAKE CITY - Baylee Nielsen made sure her fellow seniors got the sendoff they deserved, as she scored the eventual game-winner in a 2-0 victory over Colorado this afternoon.

“We have obviously had our ups and downs as a team these four years,” Nielsen stated. “But to go out this way, with a win, means the world to me. Every one of the seniors played a part today in getting it done.”

“I’m so happy for the seniors,” head coach Rich Manning said. They have fought through so much adversity and so many speed bumps. I think you see how the team kept fighting this whole season and that’s a tribute to our seniors. All of the players just have a love for competition and they want to keep playing. The seniors kept the team on this path and they came through together.”

For Nielsen, one of seven players honored by the Utes today, it was her first goal of the season and the first Pac-12 goal of her career. FreshmanPaola van der Veen, who set up the Nielsen score, added a late goal for a three-point contest. Sophomore Natalie Vukic also notched an assist, giving her a team-high 12 points to end the year.

Goalkeeper Lindsey Luke capped her career with a 25^th shutout, second all-time at Utah. She also graduates ranking second in career saves with 367. Defender Megan Trabert, a starter in every game during her four years, played the full 90 minutes along with fellow seniors Ali Allen and Kaycee Buckley.

“These girls mean the world to me,” senior Baylee Nielsen stated. “We came in together and have put in so much time and effort over four years. I hope we led by example and the underclassmen realize that we tried our best.”

Utah was full of emotion playing its final match of the season and registered the first two shots with Van der Veen firing wide and Taylor Slattery testing CU goalkeeper Kate Scheele. In the 10^th minute, Van der Veen lofted n a dangerous free-kick that Nielsen reached and put home for the game’s first goal.

Luke was called into action during the 22^nd minute when she stopped Colorado’s Brie Hooks. Later in the half, she stopped Madison Krauser’s rebound attempt to keep the Utes in front. The home had their chances to double the lead in the first half, but Scheele stopped Van der Veen on two occasions and then denied a Vukic rebound after parrying away a Buckley try.

Utah’s defenders would not let Colorado get a clean look at goal despite the Buffaloes having a lot of the possession to start the second half. In fact, the Utes continued to create good chances on the counter with Buckley and Van der Veen going wide. The Dutch freshman was then stopped by Scheele yet again in the 56^th minute and Trabert had a header saved off a free-kick opportunity.

Morgan Stanton fired one in on Luke in the 65^th minute but the Utah keeper calmly stood her ground. Van der Veen continued to cause the CU defense fits and missed wide again in the 78^th. Her corner kick a few minutes later found a leaping Trabert, but her header just missed the inside post.

After Luke made another key save on Danica Evans, Utah put the game on ice. A goal kick by Scheele was volleyed back into the offensive half by a Utah defender. Vukic pounced on the ball and sped toward goal where her try was deflected right into Van der Veen’s path. The midfielder tapped it home for her second goal of the year and 2-0 Utah lead

“In the Pac-12 you have to own your home field and that had gotten away from us,” Manning added. “These last three performances, two wins and a close game against a top-25 team, should provide us with a good springboard for next season.”

Utah completes the season with a record of 7-10-3 and a Pac-12 mark of 4-7-0

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