Karson Payton scored early and Paul Hoffmeister sealed it late as Utah Valley University made it a perfect season-opening road trip with a 2-0 win at UMass Lowell on Sunday at Cushing Field.
The win, coupled with a 1-0 overtime win at UMass on Friday, gave the Wolverines a 2-0-0 mark on the trek to the Northeast.
"I couldn't be more proud of this team; today's result was about commitment, discipline and tactical execution," UVU head coach Greg Maas said. "You can learn a lot about yourself on the road, and these boys are determined to get a little bit better each and every day."
Payton's goal came in the 17th minute when he rocketed a shot from 20 yards out into the right corner. It was his first goal of the year after he assisted on Friday's game-winner, scored by Austin Buxton.
That score held until Hoffmeister took a through ball from Aaron Meyer and beat the keeper, giving UVU the two-goal cushion in the 73rd minute.
Collin Partee recorded his second-straight shutout with a pair of saves, and a team save — on a redirect by Alex Neff — kept the River Hawks (1-1-0) off the board. Neff made several key blocks throughout the match to thwart potential scoring opportunities from UMass Lowell.
The two UVU goals were the only two shots on frame from the Wolverines on the day. UMass Lowell finished with a 9-3 edge in overall shots.
Utah Valley plays two neutral site games this week at WAC member UNLV in Las Vegas, Nevada, this coming week. The Wolverines face Pacific on Friday at 1 p.m. PT, and Saint Joseph's on Sunday, Sept. 6 at 10:30 a.m. PT.