Griz win Big Sky opener with late goal

Thursday, October 1

Cedar City, Utah

4 PM

Montana

3-6-0, 1-0-0BSC

Southern Utah

3-6-1, 0-1-0BSC

Team	1	2	Final F
Montana	0	1	1
Southern Utah	0	0	0

10/1/2026 7:06:00 PM | Soccer

Box Score

By: Montana Sports Information

The moment begged for something special, for a player to answer the call in what had been a scoreless match for more than 85 minutes.

It's why first-year Montana soccer coach Stuart Gore targeted Megan Wilson-Sofield in the spring, when the forward's name popped up in the transfer portal.

Collecting the ball just beyond the midfield line in the 86th minute, the junior weaved her way through a triangle of Southern Utah defenders and ripped a knuckler of a left-footed shot from 25 yards out that scored inside the left post.

It held up as the game-winner as the Grizzlies (3-6-0, 1-0-0 BSC) opened their Big Sky Conference schedule with a 1-0 victory over the Thunderbirds (3-6-1, 0-1-0 BSC) on Thursday afternoon in Cedar City.

The win kept Montana, now 8-0-4, unbeaten against Southern Utah in a dozen matches between the two teams and improved the Grizzlies to 19-1-5 in league since the start of the 2023 season.

Montana was on the offensive from the start, from when Caylee Kerr stole a soft pass and put a shot on goal in the fifth minute that SUU goalkeeper Tatum Trout had to leap and punch into the crossbar to keep from going in.

The Grizzlies took eight shots, putting five on goal, in the opening 45 minutes, but Tatum kept it a scoreless match at the half.

Her counterpart, Montana's Avery Heeb, also was challenged in the first half. She also made five saves through the first 45 minutes.

The match appeared destined for a scoreless draw until Wilson-Sofield brought some magic to Thunderbird Soccer Field.

The Englishwoman handled the moment with complete aplomb, calm and confident in a situation that needed somebody to do something. And fast.

She casually dribbled up the left side, cut to the right to beat one defender, then cut left again to create just the sliver of space she needed to strike a shot with her left foot.

Trout was positioned well and was moving to her right to protect the left post, but Wilson-Sofield's knuckler froze the freshman just long enough that the ball was over her shoulder before she could react.

It gave Montana its first Division I victory of the season, with Heeb getting the win while collecting five saves.

Montana took 15 shots, its most against a Division I opponent this season. Ten of those were on goal, a season best.

Grace Morton took five shots, four of which were on goal. Grace Russell took three shots, putting two on goal.

Montana will play at Utah Tech at 11 a.m. on Sunday in St. George. The Trailblazers open their Big Sky schedule with a home match against Portland State on Thursday night.