BYU, Utah Valley to Meet in MCLA Division I Championship Game

ROUND ROCK, Texas — No. 14 Utah Valley rookie midfielder Carter Budge grabbed a rebound and floated a shot into the back of the net with 2:58 left in the first overtime to cap a most improbable comeback against No. 7 UC Santa Barbara in a Division I semifinal on Thursday at the 2024 MCLA National Championships presented by New Balance.

Trailing UC Santa Barbara (12-3) 12-10 with under two minutes left and facing a man-down penalty, Utah Valley (10-6) managed to burn off time and set up a play for burly midfielder Nathan Huntsman, and the senior delivered with rip from out front to get UVU within one.

The Wolverines won the ensuing faceoff and called timeout, setting up a play for Jackson Rehrer. The attackman swept across the top and was left alone for a shot that knotted the game with just 14 seconds left. A desperation shot by UVU set up overtime and Budge’s game-winner.

The game got off to a promising start for the Gauchos as the buried the first three goals of the contest. Utah Valley finally caught up midway through the second quarter, tying the affair at fives. The next quarter would be a series of two-goal runs by UCSB and answered by the Wolverines, sending the teams heading into the final frame tied at nines.

UVU took its first lead of the game 50 ticks into the fourth on the second of Rehrer’s three goals on the day. The Gauchos answered less than a minute later and then took back their two-goal lead when Colin McGrath connected with 2:23 left in the contest.

Then it was time for the Wolverines’ magic act.

Rehrer’s four-point afternoon led UVU and Max Sturgill was solid in net with 14 saves.

Lucas Menendez paced the Gauchos with four goals and an assist while UCSB goalie Zane Schwab was outstanding, turning away 17 shots.

Utah Valley advances to the championship game on Saturday at 11:30 a.m. against RMLC rival Brigham Young at the Round Rock Multipurpose Complex.

This will be the third meeting between the two schools in the last three weeks. BYU won the regular season contest, 12-10, before capturing the conference tournament semifinals, 12-9.

BYU ROLLS PAST LIBERTY

Top-seeded Brigham Young used an 8-0 run bridging the first and second quarters and that proved to be the final margin as the Cougars defeated No. 4 Liberty, 20-12, to earn a trip in to the Division I finals of the 2024 MCLA National Championships presented by New Balance.

Liberty (14-5) started the scoring on the day on the first of Will Geary’s four goals, but then BYU (18-0) took over, scoring the final three goals of the first quarter by opening the second with five more. Max Roberts and Jake Halversen cashed in for a pair of goals each during the run.

The two teams traded goals to finish the half, sending the Cougars to the locker room with a 9-2 advantage.

BYU started the third quarter by scoring five of the first six goals, pushing the lead to 14-3. Still trailing 16-5 at the start of the fourth quarter, the Flames went on a mini run, scoring four of the first five goals in the final stanza to trim the lead to 17-9.

The two traded goals down the stretch for the 20-12 final.

The Cougars were aided by dominant faceoff play in the first half, including goals straight off the faceoff from Bennett Malley. Halversen was credited with five goals while Alton Taylor chipped in with two goals and three assists.

Easton Wilkey was credited with seven saves for the Cougars while Eric Warnstrom and Ian Carvajal combined for 11 stops for Liberty.

BYU will face the winner of the Utah Valley-UC Santa Barbara semifinal. It will be the Cougars sixth appearance the Division I championship game.