ISU wins in 2 OT over Ags
Sixteen seconds isn’t much time, but, as the USU women’s soccer team learned Friday, it can be the difference between a draw and a loss.
In their season opener against Idaho State, the Aggies took the game into double overtime and were a mere 16 seconds from playing to a draw and earning their first point of the season. However, Bengal freshman Ashley Aswig put a damper on those dreams by pounding the ball into an empty net with USU goalkeeper Ali Griffin having been pulled out. ISU won the game, 2-1.
“It was just one of those games where it was like we had our chances and we didn’t get it done,” said USU head coach Heather Cairns.
Chances were certainly available to claim the win, Cairns said. Freshman midfielder Allie Maduell’s shot in overtime clinked off the post and standout junior defender Lindsey Smart had one of her three shots on goal snagged by ISU goalkeeper Michelle Harrison.
“It was one of those games where we played well at times, they played well at times, and they did a better job,” Cairns said.
The Aggies started the game strong, with junior forward Erin Salmon taking a feed from sophomore midfielder Heather Pond and scoring from 15 yards out just 6:41 into the match.
Salmon’s goal marked her return to the Aggie front line after spending the majority of her sophomore season recovering from a leg injury. In her freshman season Salmon was a sharp shooter, taking 24 shots on goal and tabbing three goals and two assists.
“It’s definitely good to have her on the field,” Cairns said of Salmon. “She’s looking confident. She’s back. I expect her to play her best soccer in an Aggie uniform this season. She’ll be a dangerous attacker for us, that’s the expectation.”
It took until 55:54 for Idaho State to even up the game, when Bengal forward Lauren Ryan slipped a short-range shot past Griffin. Despite close shots and outshooting ISU 19-13, the Aggies couldn’t pull off a win.
“Losses early is all about how you bounce back from them,” Cairns said. “It kind of tests your character. We’re looking to bounce back. We know it’s early and we knew we’d have some growing pains.”
Some of the growing pains Cairns speaks of includes a team dominated by freshmen and players who have seen minimal action in previous seasons. In Friday’s match, Cairns said 10 Aggies saw their first significant minutes in an Aggie uniform.
“Inexperience might have hurt us a little bit, but (the Bengals) were inexperienced as well,” she said.
That inexperience wasn’t helped any by the absence of dominant senior forward Candice Clark, who sat out the game with a concussion.
Cairns said while she was pleased with effective crosses and playing the ball up to the forwards, she expects improvement in consistency and tighter defense in the future.
-seth.h@aggiemail.usu.edu