Four-game slide knocks women soccer team out of contention
With two home losses over the weekend, the Utah State soccer team eliminated itself from a berth in the Big West Conference Tournament.
Sunday, facing off with first place UC Santa Barbara, the Ags came out firing and out-shooting the Gauchos 9-6 in the first half. But USU was unable to frame any of its shots and UCSB capitalized on a counterattack goal to go up 1-0.
“We were pushing and pushing and pushing and pushing,” head coach Heather Cairns said. “We can’t say we didn’t have our chances.”
Led by two-time Big West Conference Offensive Player of the Year, Jennifer Borcich, the Gauchos managed one more goal, defeating USU 2-1.
Cairns said a lack of defense helped Borcich, who finished the game with one goal and one assist.
“It helps when we don’t mark her,” Cairns said. “We needed to mark her harder.”
For the Aggies, Charlsie Harris found the back of the net in the waning minutes of the second half, but the goal was too little too late.
For the Utah State seniors, Sunday marked an upsetting end to their soccer career.
“It’s really disappointing to end your season with a loss,” senior midfielder Michelle Haws said.
Still, Sunday’s loss was almost moot, as the Aggies’ defeat Friday to Cal Poly mathematically eliminated them from conference contention.
Unlike Sunday’s game, the Ags came out slow and let Cal Poly control the ball for most of the first half Friday.
“Their midfield really took it tour our midfield in the first half,” Cairns said. “We defended a lot that first half.”
Cal Poly got on the board off a Stephanie Hedien free kick in the 37th minute. Poly added one more goal in the first half and took a 2-0 lead into halftime.
Utah State’s Charity Weston capitalized on a free kick opportunity of her own in the 59th minute of play.
Cairns said the team changed formations to start the second half, which, she said, made the Aggie attack more dangerous.
“We threw that extra number up there [in our attack] just trying to get something going,” Cairns said. “And were dangerous there. We had some chances.”
But, Cal Poly took advantage off the Ags’ formation and scored once more on the counterattack to seal the victory.
“It was a chance we had to take,” Cairns said. “It was a do or die situation for us. We had to win.”
Cairns said the team was hurt by untimely injuries to key players like senior defender Melissa Baggaley.
“It’s frustrating when you’re not full force,” Cairns said. “You like to go into that championship part of your season in full force, but sometimes it just not in the cards.”
“It just wasn’t in the cards today,” Cairns said.
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Utah State´s Michelle Haws kicks a ball through the legs of a Guacho defender Sunday in Logan. (Photo by John Zsiray)