Aggie soccer looks to end three-game skid at UC Riverside
For the Utah State University women’s soccer team, it’s time to get down to business.
After dropping their first two Big West Conference games last weekend, the Aggies are hoping to salvage their league title hopes as they visit the University of California Riverside (7-4-1, 1-0-1) Friday and the No. 25 Cal State Fullerton Titans (8-1-1, 2-0), the league’s top team, Sunday.
Historically USU has never been on the winning side in conference play, compiling a 15-38 record in its six plus years as a member. The sluggish start to conference play this season was not something the team expected.
“With the great start on the year we had we were expecting to start conference like that too,” said Aggie forward Brigid Turner. “It was kind of a downer, but I feel like we are still playing really well.”
In last week’s matches, USU (6-5-2, 0-2) totaled three goals and averaged 7.33 shots a game – well below its season average of 17.67.
Aggie Head Coach Jen Kennedy Croft attributed this to the team not making the most out of the looks it had.
Another difficulty the Aggies have had this season is the conversion of corner kicks. USU has attempted a conference-high 84, but has only converted four into goals – the majority of which have been taken by defender Shaylee Hogge.
“We’ve talked about changing it up, but to be honest with you, Shaylee’s balls are so good that we should put them in,” Croft said. “I don’t know what else to do. I don’t think a short corner is going to help us or some little funky set play is going to help us. We’ve just got to start getting ball line and going hard.”
UC Riverside (7-4-1, 1-0-1) is a second-year member of the Big West, losing to USU last season 3-0.
The Titans, picked in the Big West coach’s poll to repeat as league champs, have won their last five games to give them their first ever national ranking.
Sunday’s match will be the second this season in which USU has faced a ranked opponent, the other being a loss at the University of Utah.
“I think we’re realistic,” Croft said. “We’re not expecting to kill Cal State Fullerton.”
Aggie defender Lyndy Goodsell will sit out Friday’s match due to a mild concussion she suffered last Sunday against UC Irvine. She suffered the concussion after taking a knee to the head in the second half, but will play Sunday, Croft said.
“They want to play it safe and give her five days full rest,” Croft said.
USU will return to action Oct. 18 when it host the University of California Santa Barbara at Bell Field. The Aggies will also play Cal Poly Oct. 20 at home.
-samhis@cc.usu.edu