The Utah State University (USU) Women’s soccer team has performed miracles this year that have never been done before. Their sacrifice and commitment have earned them a seventh spot in the top 25 rankings. They have just closed out their last non-conference game with a win. The Aggies remain unbeaten this season with a single tie in the Mountain West (9-0-1.) The Aggies have done the imposable in Grand Canyon at Stadium in Phoenix with a win 3-1. GCU had to do something above average to beat the Aggies and was only the fourth team to score on USU. Despite doing extremely well, the Aggies proved too much Grand Canyon on Sunday, extending an unbelievable season record.
USU Proves Unbeatable Yet Again
This match had all the chemistry of a classic, as Grand Canyon controlled the beginning of the game. The Antelopes turned the tables on the Aggies, as USU usually starts the games by scoring early and keeping the pressure on. The Lopes took the game’s first three shots on the Aggies but could not score.
Then it was the Aggie’s turn when Summer Diamond changed things when she performed a corner kick. In the 14th minute of the game, Summer sent the ball to graduate defender Kylie Olsen outside the box by 18 yards. Olsen fired the ball high in the far corner over five Lopes and the goalie to score the game’s first goal.
GCU Strikes Back
An amazing fact about the game is that the next goal came 61 seconds later. It was Tess Werts’s turn to aid the Aggies. GCU was backpedaling the ball, creating space on the field, when a misplaced pass crossed right in front of her. She was inside the box when the pass to the keeper fell short, and Tess caught it with only the goalie to beat. She tapped it in, making the score 2-0 Aggies.
It didn’t take long for GCU to strike back with a string of events that cost the Aggies. The Lopes had their first corner kick right before the USU’s net. The Aggies headed it out to the top of the box right in front of midfield Loper AJ Loera, who shot the ball but hit the crossbar. The shot ricocheted to another Loper, Aleisha Ganief, who kicked it high and scored her second one of the season in the 33rd minute.
The Aggies Want More
The Aggies would not accept a 2-1 score when USU extended its lead only two minutes later. The Aggies had another corner, and this time, Olsen kicked it into the box, which found forward/midfielder senior defender Addy Weicher’s head. The Loper’s keeper deflected her header. Her deflection crossed in front of freshman forward Mia Mullenmeister, who tapped it in easily, scoring the game’s last goal.
The rest of the game remained scoreless and uneventful save for an incident with graduate defender Alysia Butters, who received a red card for denying GCU a scoring opportunity. With her leaving the field, the Aggies tripled down on defense, and the game ended with the Aggies 3 and the Lopers 1.
What’s Coming Next and Aggie Stats
With this game behind them, the Aggies outshot and scored against all their opponents 32 to 7. USU has scored multiple goals in nine of its ten games this season. Some opponents that the Aggies took down were from the NCAA Tournament: Pepperdine, Texas Tech, BYU, and now Grand Canyon. It improves their team record to 4-0. Also, the Aggies have a combined score against these teams of 11 to 2.
Things didn’t all go USU’s way; as stated before, There was a Butters red card. This was the first red card of the season and the first one since coach Manny Marins took the reins. The last time USU got a red card was three years ago when they were playing against New Mexico.
The Aggies will face a pair of road games against San Jose State and Fresno State at the end of the week. Can they keep up the momentum, or will being away from home prove too much for them?
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