(Photo by Kevin Schoonover)

OREM, Utah – After spending its spring break in SELC country, Utah Valley gets to host a team from the southeast in the form of Virginia Tech.

The Wolverine’s trip to Georgia resulted in one of the first big upsets of the year as the UVU took down Georgia Tech on the Jackets' own field.

Unfortunately, it also featured losses to Auburn and Boston College.

Are the Wolverines ready to bounce back?

D-I Round 1: Virginia Tech at Utah Valley | https://t.co/AbyTbYvK6O #virtualmcla20
— MCLA Tournament '21 (@MCLA_Tournament) March 27, 2020

For the second straight year, Connecticut product Spencer Tunick is Utah Valley’s big gun. The senior is a pure finisher who the Wolverines have come to rely on.

UVU is also dangerous out of the midfield. Juniors Payton Kimber, Ian Elson and Preston Burbidge are tough matchups for any long-stick middie or shorty.

“This is a big test for us,” said Utah Valley coach Brian Barnhill*. “Virginia Tech has consistently been one of the better programs in the MCLA. We like to think we’re getting to that point.”

Virginia Tech’s road split against Florida State (win) and Florida (loss) leaves us with a tantalizing picture of the Hokies.

The attack-midfield duo of junior Hunter Capestany and sophomore Mark Schubert was deadly this spring while junior draw man Matt White gave Tech extra possessions.

The defense was a work in progress, but junior netminder Hunter LeClaire is off to a strong start to his first year as the Hokies’ full-time backstop.

“Who is going to win the one-on-one matchups? That’s the storyline in this game from my perspective,” said first-year Virginia Tech coach Panchito Ojeda*. “We’ve got the players to cause UVU problems, but they have to be fired up from the start.”

[*- The coach didn’t really say this. This is all made up. It’s fake]