WRITTEN BY: ANDREW MOSIER
 

 

The Wasatch Division kicked off the 2024 season with a flurry of action, a landside of goals, and one huge upset as the road teams won three out of four to open divisional play. 

 

UTAH RED WOLVES 2 – 5 (5) UTAH AVALANCHE

Dumke Field at Westminster College 

Friday, May 17
 

Ranked 5th in the Central Region and 12th in the National Power Rankings, the Utah Avalanche kicked off 2024 chasing its third straight Wasatch Division title at the Utah Red Devils with a 5-2 win. 
 

Seven Castain (Texas Christian University), the club’s leading scorer the past two seasons, picked up where she left off putting the Avalanche on the board in the third minute of the match, and again in the 14th. 
 

Brooklyn Smith (Utah State University) pulled one back for the hosts in the 39’ minute. 
 

Kate Denney (Avalanche Academy), put the visitors two up again a minute before halftime. Belle Devey (Avalanche Academy) made it 4-1 four minutes after the intermission. 
 

The Red Devil’s Olivia Smith (post-collegiate) made it 4-2 in the 50’ minute, before Ashley Garcia (Utah Valley University) made it 5-2 with three minutes remaining in the match. 

The win moves the Avalanche to 1-0-0 on the season, while the Red Devils start at 0-1-0. 

 

GRIFFINS FC 0 – 3 LA ROCA FC

Zions Bank Training Center

Saturday, May 18

The visiting La Roca FC rode the momentum of a fifth minute goal from Sophie White (University of Florida) to cruise to a 3-0 win over hosts, Griffins FC in both club’s opening match of the season. 

Lox Neves (Abilene Christian University) doubled the lead in the 51’ minute, and Kate Howes (University of Memphis) put the game away with a goal in the 63’ minute to put La Roca 1-0-0 on the season. 

The loss puts Griffins at 0-1-0. 

 

(5) UTAH AVALANCHE 0 – 2 (9) Utah Surf

St. Joseph’s Catholic High School

Saturday, May 19

The Utah Surf did something a Wasatch Division side has managed to do — beat the two-time defending Wasatch Division champions Utah Avalanche.

The No.9 ranked Utah Surf opened its season with a huge upset on the road, blanking the 1-0-0 Avalanche. 

Danika Serassio opened scoring for the Surf in the 20’ minute off an assist from player McKenzie Evans to shock the Avalanche on its home opener. Evans (post-collegiate) collected a looping cross from the right flank near the penalty spot and laid it off to Serassio (post-collegiate) to tuck the ball inside the far post from 12 yards out. 

Evans picked up her second assist of the afternoon, feeding Makinna Winterton to double the lead in the 74’minute. Again, it was Evans doing the dirty work in the penalty area, finding Winterton (post-collegiate) streaking in from her right for the finish. 

The win puts the Surf at 1-0-0, bumping the Avalanche to 1-1-0 on the early season. The two clubs face each other again on Wednesday, June 12. 

 

GRIFFINS FC 2 – 0 UTAH RED DEVILS

Zions Bank Training Center

Sunday, May 19

Griffins FC moved to 1-1-0 thanks to a 2-0 win over the Utah Red Devils to close out the first week of Wasatch Division play on Sunday. 

Both Griffins goals came in the first half: Whitney Garn (Salt Lake Community College) put Griffins on the scoresheet for the first time in 2024 in the 27’ minute from a Karime Antonio Lopez (Jackson State University) assist. Presley Devey (University of New Mexico) doubled the lead in the 42’ minute off an assist from Hannah Roe (Utah State University). 

The loss moves the Red Devils to 0-2-0 on the season. 

 

                                              W-L-D      GD    PTS

1. La Roca FC                       1-0-0         3        3

2. Utah Surf                           1-0-0         2        3

3. Utah Avalanche                 1-1-0         1        3

4. Griffins FC                         1-1-0        -1        3

5. Northern Utah United        0-0-0         0        0

6. Utah Red Wolves              0-2-0        -5        0

 

Week 3 Schedule

Wednesday, May 22

Utah Avalanche vs. Northern Utah United 

Friday May, 24

Utah Red Devils vs. Northern Utah United

Saturday, May 25

La Roca FC vs. Utah Surf

Griffins FC vs. Northern Utah United

Sunday, May 26

Griffins FC vs. Utah Avalanche