CSUN Scores Season-High Four Times in Win at Utah Tech

Thursday, September 10

St. George, Utah

6:00 p.m.

California State University at Northridge

2-4-2, 0-0-0

Utah Tech

4-4-1, 0-0-0

Team	1	2	Final F
CSUN	3	1	4
Utah Tech	2	0	2

Photo by: Josue Herrera

CSUN Scores Season-High Four Times in Win at Utah Tech

9/10/2026 9:26:00 PM | Women's Soccer

Box Score

ST. GEORGE, Utah---Three different Matadors hit the scoring column as CSUN Women's Soccer secured its first road win of the season in a 4-2 triumph over Utah Tech on Thursday at Greator Zion Stadium. Yasmin Azar recorded her first career brace while Lia Peterson and Keilani Claiborne each had a goal while contributing assists. Hayden Mauldin picked up six saves in the victory.

HOW IT HAPPENED
The scoring would come early and often over the first 45 minutes of action. The Matadors capitalized off a Utah Tech turnover in its defensive third, which allowed Azar to put away a goal from inside the box just 1:36 into the match. The Trailblazers nearly hit the equalizer less than two minutes later when Lataya Brost hit the right post. However, the Matadors countered with their second goal of the night, courtesy of Azar in the 22nd minute. On the play, a long service from Ariana Lopez-Angel into a crowd led to Peterson heading the ball to Azar who scored on a right-footed shot.

Yas with the Brace in the 1st half!

Off the free kick, Yasmin Azar scores her 2nd goal in the 22nd minute. Assists to Lia Peterson and Ariana Lopez-Angel.#GoMatadors pic.twitter.com/nEWBrMgvny
— CSUN Women's Soccer (@CSUNWSoccer) September 11, 2026

Just two minutes after, CSUN found the scoring column once more as Peterson netted her first goal of the season. Following a CSUN throw-in, a series of deflections found a moving Peterson who would beat her defender and sent a shot just over the head of goalkeeper Elle Rafajko for a 3-0 lead.

CSUN's sizeable lead though quickly dwindled down to a single tally over the next seven minutes of play. A costly CSUN foul in its own box resulted in Brost scoring a penalty kick. Then in the 31st minute, Brost pulled her team closer when she rebounded a shot from Ava Talaeai that hit the crossbar. Brost cleaned up the play, beating the defense to the ball and tapping in her second goal of the night.

Leading 3-2 at the break, the Matadors' defense would right the ship in the second half as Mauldin racked up five saves in the period. CSUN protected a one-goal lead for a majority of the half until picking up insurance with its fourth goal. In the 74th minute, Peterson delivered a throw-in inside the box where a deflection set up Claiborne from inside the 18-yard line. A left-footed shot from the junior found the net, increasing the lead to 4-2. The Trailblazers furiously looked to get back in the game in the late minutes, but the Matadors would be up for the challenge. Mauldin and her defense would make a timely save in the 79th minute as a header from Talaeai looked to be heading past the goal line before both Mauldin and Siena Navarra each got a touch on the ball to prevent the goal. CSUN's netminder made two more saves over the final 10 minutes to ensure a victory.

1st career goal for KK!

Keilani Claiborne with a beautiful shot to add to the lead late in the 2nd half#GoMatadors pic.twitter.com/VG1tqAiBdB
— CSUN Women's Soccer (@CSUNWSoccer) September 11, 2026

NOTES OF THE GAME

CSUN improves to 2-4-2 on the season while Utah Tech slips to 4-4-1.
Each side finished with 19 shots and eight shots on goal.
Utah Tech finished with a 12-2 edge in corner kicks.
A total of 23 fouls and six yellow cards were issued in the match.
Azar's brace is the first by a Matador player since Izabel Reyes on Oct. 19, 2023.
Peterson finished with two assists to go with her goal.
The trio of Azar, Peterson and Claiborne each scored for the first time this season.
Defenders Sydney Lipkin, Alex Valente, Michelle Monroy and Navarra played the full 90 minutes.

ACCORDING TO COACH GINA BREWER
"We are so proud of the team and their performance tonight. We wanted a fast start and Yas did a fantastic job getting those two goals, and Lia adding a third. We made a couple of defensive errors to allow them to get back in the game, but we did a fantastic job in the second half defensively and then Keilani added the insurance goal. This is the quality we know our team is capable of so we are so excited they performed so well tonight."

UP NEXT
CSUN stays on the road to take on Southern Utah on Sunday afternoon. Kickoff is slated for noon PT on ESPN+.

#GoMatadors