Aggie women’s soccer team one win away from tourney
Now that the snow has come, women’s soccer is coming to a close.
The lady Aggies, in the midst of a battle for a spot in the Big West Conference Tournament, play two important road games this weekend, one of which is against Cal Poly, the No. 22 team in the nation. The Mustangs have a potent offense and are known for scoring goals in a hurry.
The other game USU plays is no gimme, either. The Aggies will play against the Gauchos from UC Santa Barbara Sunday.
One win this weekend will guarantee Utah State a spot in the tournament. Two ties could also put the Aggies in but they would need help from other teams.
Their first game is Friday against Cal Poly (14-1-2, 5-0-2 in conference).
Utah State Head Coach Heather Cairns said there is no additional stress despite the importance of the game.
“It’s no more pressure, we’re basically just starting the playoffs early,” she said.
Coach Cairns was also adamant about going for a win instead of going for a tie against Cal Poly and then expecting to beat UC Santa Barbara.
“The great thing is we’re in the driver’s seat, we control our own destiny,” she said.
Cairns said they have a very good chance of getting into the BWC Tournament if the Aggies can go out and play their game, great defense and efficient offense.
Cairns said winning will take a total team effort.
“It’s going to take more than just one player to step up to win these games, we are going to need to play as a team,” she said.
Utah State plays against UC Santa Barbara on Sunday. The Gauchos have an overall record of 8-5-4 and 3-2-2 in conference.
Santa Barbara, like Cal Poly, has an offense that can be dangerous, so for the Aggies to win this game, they need to play the kind of defense they have been playing all season, and come up with some big goals.
If USU makes it to the playoffs, the first game will be on Nov. 7 and the championship game will be held on Nov. 9.
-kcaustin@cc.usu.edu