What Olivia Moultrie said about playing her first game in Utah — and scoring a goal

Olivia Moultrie made the most of her first game back from injury Saturday — and her first game in Utah.

Moultrie, whose father is from Utah, scored the Portland Thorn’s lone goal in the team’s 3-1 loss to the Utah Royals just six minutes into entering the game as a substitute in front of a large crowd of loved ones.

What Olivia Moultrie said about her goal against the Utah Royals

Moultrie had missed Portland’s past five games, including when the Thorns played in Utah on June 29, as she recovered from an injury.

She told reporters in her postgame press conference that the chance to play in front of family motivated her to be ready to play in Saturday’s game.

“That was another special little piece of tonight. That was a little extra motivation to get back for this game, so that I could see them, play in front of them. Obviously with Utah being an expansion club and them living here, like (I’m) really looking forward to the moments where I can travel and play in front of them,” she said.

Olivia Moultrie’s connection to Utah

Having been sidelined when Portland last came to Utah on June 29, Saturday’s goal was Moultrie’s first in Utah, the state where she was born.

Moultrie and her family moved to Southern California when she was 2 years old. Eight years later, she moved to Oregon to begin training with the Portland Thorns Academy.

Despite the moves, Moultrie, a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, considers Utah home, she told the Deseret News on Saturday.

“I kind of get asked a lot like, ‘Oh, where do you feel is home?’ and to me, that’s always kind of this place. It grounds me having family here, being able to visit (and) obviously strong connection to the church. I always love coming back,” she said.

Utah is also where Moultrie first trained with the senior U.S. women’s national team.

At that camp, the Deseret News asked then-interim national team head coach Twila Kilgore about the decision to call Moultrie up.

“Olivia has been doing a really good job with her club. She does a great job between the lines. She has good patience between the lines, and when she gets the ball, she’s able to accelerate the attack, bring other people into the play. She’s starting to create opportunities for herself in the league,” Kilgore said.

But Moutrie didn’t see the field in the U.S. women’s national team’s scoreless draw with Colombia during that October trip to Utah, and she didn’t make her debut until December.

In March 2024, she earned her first national team start and scored a brace .