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SANDY \u2014 The Utah Royals\u2019 franchise-record 10-match unbeaten run came to a halt Sunday afternoon in a place the Royals have never won.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n Jordyn Huitema scored a brace, including the go-ahead goal with four minutes left in regulation, as the Chicago Stars stunned Utah, 3-2 at Northwestern\u2019s Martin Stadium in Evanston, Illinois.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n It\u2019s just the fourth win of the year for Chicago (4-0-9, 13 points), and the second in three matches to go with a 1-0 road victory over Bay FC back on May 24.<\/span><\/p>\n Clo\u00e9 Lacasse and Cece Delzer each scored a goal for Utah, which fell to 0-5-1 all-time against the Stars when playing in the greater Chicago area.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cI think it took us a bit too long to get ourselves into the game,\u201d Utah Royals manager Jimmy Coenraets<\/a> said after the match. \u201cI think we were a bit surprised at what was going on \u2026 I think we had a few standards, like not giving away set plays against a team as big and as aerial (as Chicago).<\/p>\n \u201cWe conceded two goals because we gave away the ball centrally while trying to play between the lines. We needed to get back to what we were doing in the season \u2026 We kind of tried different stuff, and I don\u2019t think it worked in our favor.\u201d<\/p>\n Chicago out-shot the Royals 5-1 in the early minutes (and 15-13 overall), including a one-touch finish in front of goal from Huitema in the 20th minute to put the Stars up 1-0.<\/span><\/p>\n The center forward slid onto the end of Brianna Pinto\u2019s ball into the center of the penalty box in the 20th minute to give Chicago a leader over Utah in a city where the Royals had never won previously.<\/span><\/p>\n But the Royals wouldn\u2019t stay down.<\/span><\/p>\n Lacasse notched her team-high fifth goal of the season in the 43rd minute, finishing a right-footed shot inside the left corner to pull Utah on level terms at halftime.<\/span><\/p>\n It\u2019s the seventh time in the Royals\u2019 11 first-half goals that Utah has scored in the final 15 minutes of the half \u2014 the most in the 16-team NWSL.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cHonestly, it\u2019s our first game back from that CBA break and we\u2019re trying out a few new things,\u201d Lacasse admitted to CBS Sports Network at halftime. \u201cIt seems like we\u2019re a little bit rusty because of it.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n Utah got a spark from an unlikely place as Madison Hammond made her first appearance since March 28, a 2-1 win over Boston Legacy due to a calf injury. The 28-year-old midfielder replaced Brown in the lineup, and pushed Ana Tejada further into a defensive role that helped the Royals take advantage of wide play on the college soccer pitch-turned-makeshift football stadium at Northwestern.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019ve had really good momentum going.\u201d<\/p>\n Delzer drew a penalty upon video review of a foul in the box by Chicago\u2019s Taylor Woods. After initially stepping up to the spot with the ball, Lacasse offered the kick to Delzer \u2014 and the 28-year-old forward made no mistake in beating Stars goalkeeper Katie Atkinson to the right post for her first goal of the season.<\/span><\/p>\n It\u2019s Delzer\u2019s first penalty kick goal since October 2021, when she played for Racing Louisville. But the lead didn\u2019t last long.<\/span><\/p>\n EVEN A BLOODY NOSE CAN\u2019T STOP JORDYN HUITEMA! pic.twitter.com\/J5kUDu7CO4<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 National Women\u2019s Soccer League (@NWSL) July 5, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n Chicago responded in short order, when Sam Staab buried a left-footed free kick in the 59th minute to equalize from just outside the penalty area.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n About 10 minutes after Tejada earned her fifth yellow card of the season, which will require the defensive midfielder to sit out Friday\u2019s homecoming tilt, Chicago pulled back in front for good.<\/span><\/p>\n Huitema scored her second goal of the match, finishing a ball in the 86th minute that Maitane Lopez headed down from the corner by Mallory Swanson to give the Stars a 3-2 lead.<\/p>\n Mandy McGlynn made four saves in the match, notching her 200th career save to become one of just 18 goalkeepers in NWSL history to reach the mark.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n Utah returns home Friday, July 10 to host Gotham FC at America First Field. Kickoff is scheduled for 8 p.m. MT on Victory+.<\/span><\/p>\n Tickets are available at utahroyals.com<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\nUtah Royals historic unbeaten streak undone by Stars<\/h3>\n
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Utah Royals return home Friday<\/h3>\n