This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2014, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
Utah's fall team sports were undefeated through 20 games. They had just one loss — volleyball's, to BYU — before Pac-12 play opened.
Then, it hit them.
Utah's football team has fared decently, going 3-2 in conference, but the soccer team fell this week to 1-7-2 with consecutive losses, and volleyball fell twice to move to 2-10.
Combined, the three went 0-5, with all five losses coming against Arizona and Arizona State.
Their seasons aren't over — fairly far from it, in the cases of volleyball and football — but yet again Utah fans have gotten a shrill reminder that pretty talented teams can have a pretty tough time in the Pac-12.
Verging on the openers for men's and women's basketball, they hardly need another one.
FOOTBALL • Utah's latest meeting with the Sun Devils was yet again a double date with frustration and heartbreak. The Utes lost to Arizona State for the 11th consecutive time after hanging tough during a one-sided first half and forcing overtime. Andy Phillips, who kicked three field goals earlier in the game, had a rare miss from 35 yards, and Sun Devils kicker Zane Gonzalez hit from a similar distance to put a serious dent in Utah's Pac-12 South title hopes. There's no time to wallow, because due in Rice-Eccles on Saturday is No. 5 Oregon.
Our coverage (or that which is not now totally outdated):
ON DECK • at No. 5 Oregon, 8 p.m. MT on Saturday at Rice-Eccles Stadium
MEN'S BASKETBALL • As Larry Krystkowiak said, Utah is not going to take anybody by surprise this year. The Runnin' Utes were ranked No. 25 in the initial AP poll — their first time ranked in the preseason since 2000. Friday, they met Wyoming in an unpublicized scrimmage and won 91-63 in the unconventional format, getting significant contributions from Delon Wright, Jordan Loveridge, Brekkot Chapman, Kyle Kuzma and leading scorer Jakob Poeltl. And speaking of Poeltl, he's feeling pretty comfortable on the defensive end, too.
ON DECK • vs. Pacific, 8:30 p.m. Thursday at the Huntsman Center (exhibition)
WOMEN'S BASKETBALL • Utah's sports information staff prepared previews for Utah's front court and back court ahead of Wednesday's exhibition opener.
ON DECK • vs. Alaska-Anchorage, 7 p.m. Wednesday at the Huntsman Center
WOMEN'S SOCCER • Utah's fans bid adieu to eight seniors, including midfield star Katie Taylor, but the Utes were unable to send them off with a win in a final homestand against Arizona and Arizona State. Avery Jenkins scored and Megan Trabert assisted against Arizona, and Lindsey Luke made four saves. Against Arizona State, Jenkins repaid the favor in setting up Trabert's goal, and Luke stopped the Sun Devils five times.
ON DECK • at Colorado, noon Friday in Boulder, Colo.
WOMEN'S VOLLEYBALL • The Utes clawed to a fifth set after facing a two-sets-to-none deficit Friday against the No. 19 Sun Devils, but ultimately lost the final set 15-13 — their fourth fifth-set loss in Pac-12 play. The following day, the No. 15 Wildcats made short work of the Utes in a three-set sweep. Freshman Adora Anae recorded 24 kills and senior Chelsey Schofield-Olsen had 23 on the weekend.
ON DECK • vs. No. 20 USC, 7 p.m. Friday at the Huntsman Center; vs. No. 16 UCLA, 2 p.m. Sunday at the Huntsman Center
WOMEN'S CROSS-COUNTRY • Led by true freshman Sarah Feeny, in 41st, Utah placed ninth in the Pac-12 Championships in Oakland on Friday. Feeny ran in the top 20 for most of the race, according to a news release, but slipped toward the end. Senior Rebekah Winterton was the second Ute finisher, at 49th. "I am not going to say that our ninth-place finish was disappointing, but we certainly had higher hopes than that, and we are going to learn from this and get better," said Utah head coach Kyle Kepler in the release.
ON DECK • NCAA Cross Country Regional Championships, Nov. 14, Albuquerque, N.M.
SWIMMING AND DIVING • Utah's men's swimming and diving team beat No. 20 Arizona and UNLV in a double-meet in Las Vegas, while the women split — beating the hosts but losing to No. 10 Arizona. Among the first-place finishes from the 5-0 men: Bence Kiraly, in 1000 free and 500 free; Nick Sodel in the 200 free, 50 free and 100 free, and Kristian Kron in the 200 back and 200 IM.
ON DECK • vs. Colorado Mesa (men only), 2 p.m. Friday at Ute Natatorium
MEN'S GOLF • Utah did not compete this week.
ON DECK • Warrior Princeville Makai Invitational, Nov. 3-5 in Princeville, Hawaii
MEN'S TENNIS • Utah did not compete this week.
ON DECK • ITA Nationals, Nov. 6-9 in Flushing Meadows, N.Y.
WOMEN'S TENNIS • Utah did not compete this week.
ON DECK • Brown Invitational, Nov. 7-9, Providence, R.I.
— Matthew Piper
Twitter: @matthew_piper