Wednesday, May 20, 2026
After a 1-1 draw against San Jose Earthquakes II on Wednesday, May 13, the Monarchs remained in the Beehive State to take on the Colorado Rapids II at Zions Bank Stadium, striving for its first win since March. Salt Lake was aggressive during the match and ultimately achieved a 2-0 victory over the Rapids. The win can be attributed to homegrown Van Parker, who scored a first half brace, and goalkeeper Trace Alphin who made multiple crucial saves to protect his clean sheet.
Parker Notches First Professional Brace
The Monarchs found success early in the game thanks to Parker. In the 3rd minute, center back Ruben Mesalles delivered the ball from the defensive third to Parker in the attacking third, who drove downhill before delivering a shot from the side of the box. The chance was buried into the left side of the net, scoring the forward his first career goal and securing the Monarchs a 1-0 lead in just the first few minutes of the match.
Parker’s contributions continued when in the 20th minute right wing back Jack Ottley sent a cross to the middle, where the forward lunged for the ball redirecting the ball to the far post, extending the lead to 2-0 before halftime. The goal secured Parker’s first professional brace and marked the third brace recorded by the Monarchs thus far into the 2026 season.
Parker signed his MLS Homegrown contract in February 2026, making him the 49th all-time Academy homegrowns for the Club.
Alphin Gets a Clean Sheet
Goalkeeper Trace Alphin came up with several key saves in the second half to help preserve the Monarchs’ lead. Alphin made an important stop in the 56th minute to maintain the 2-0 advantage, before following it up with another save in the 62nd minute.
The 2025 SuperDraft pick continued to anchor the defense late in the match with another crucial stop in the 69th minute, helping secure the shutout victory. The performance marks Alphin’s first clean sheet of 2026 campaign, and the Monarchs second of the season.
Looking Ahead
The Monarchs now head to Swangard Stadium to take on the Vancouver Whitecaps FC 2 this Sunday, May 24 with kickoff set for 5:00 p.m. MT. Fans can watch the game on MLSNEXTPro.com.
