USU lacrosse loses to BYU, prepares for WSU

Last week’s 24-7 home loss to BYU proved to be a learning experience for Utah State.

“We took a lot away from the BYU game,” said head coach John Atwood. “We learned the humbling fact that we have a lot to work on this month before the playoffs begin.”

Utah State began the game with energy, scoring the first goal and winning two of the first three faceoffs. The Cougars, however, responded promptly and scored the next seven goals.

“The BYU game helped us find our weaknesses,” said sophomore midfielder Marshall McGill. “We realize that there a lot of good teams out there, and we need to elevate our game to the next level if we want to compete with those teams.”

BYU’s surge to end the first half with a 13-3 lead proved to be overwhelming for USU, as the Aggies ultimately dropped the game, scoring just four more goals in the second half.

Coach Atwood and the Aggies remain upbeat about the remainder of the season.

“The BYU game was a mid-season lesson that will not affect our conference standings,” Atwood said. “We will dissect the film and apply it towards becoming a better team.”

USU is now 7-4 overall and remains at the top of the Northwest with a 3-0 record against rivals in the division.

With the disappointing loss to BYU behind them, Utah State shifts their attention to a home scrimmage with Weber State.

“This scrimmage will help us work on our mistakes from the BYU game and prepare us for our game against Utah,” McGill said.

Although the upcoming match with Weber State doesn’t affect either team’s conference standings, the Aggies are excited about the opportunity.

“We will treat Weber State seriously,” Atwood said. “It shouldn’t look like a friendly match to the fans. They have a great coach and should put up a fight.”

The scrimmage with WSU will be held Saturday at 1 p.m. on the Legacy Fields.

— bfordhamsix@gmail.com

Twitter: @bfordham6