Aggies rout No. 13 BYU in home upset

Utah State Soccer defeated the BYU Cougars 4-0 in a match they controlled from start to finish on Thursday night. Entering the game, the Cougars were ranked No. 13 in the nation. With this win, USU now has four wins over BYU when BYU is a ranked opponent in the last five years. 

The last time the Aggies faced the Cougars was the first round of the 2025 NCAA Championships, in which the Aggies fell to the Cougars in a game that came down to penalty kicks. The last time the Cougars came to Bell Field, the No. 1-ranked Cougars lost to the Aggies in one of the biggest upsets in USU soccer history. The Aggies entered with a 0-3 record against ranked teams this season, including a loss to No. 24 Colorado on Sunday. 

The Aggies took control of the game early on, scoring the only goal of the first half at the nine-minute mark from sophomore defender Summer Sofonia. Sofonia found the back of the net with a header after a short Aggie corner kick led to a cross into the box from Lila Emmetsberger. 

Out of the gate, USU applied a lot of pressure on the Cougars. While they couldn’t maintain the pressure for the entirety of the half, the early lead helped them set the pace for the night. Defensively, the Aggies also controlled the field, allowing BYU to take only two shots in the first half, compared to the Aggies’ 10.  

“I think you could see that they were getting a little uncomfortable, and that’s what you want from an opponent, to have them feel your pressure,” senior Summer Diamond said.  “Make them feel uncomfortable and then capitalize on the opportunities that they give us. I think it was really important, and I think it set the tone for most of the game.” 

Entering the second half, the Aggies came out with an aggressive game plan, scoring in the first three minutes of the half. Diamond broke past two defenders to score on a left-footed shot from just outside the box, assisted by Rachel Reitz. At 67 minutes, the Aggies scored once again after a goal by Solena Summers, assisted by Austin Miller, extending the lead to three. 

“Coach Martins thought we were doing really well, but he said, ‘I still think there’s another level; I think there’s little more we can give,’” Diamond said. “We had more chances in the first half that we thought we could have put away, and so we just wanted to get more. I think we just continued bringing opportunities, and we just kept bringing the energy.” 

In the closing minutes of the game, sophomore Victoria Espinoza scored to extend the lead to four, again coming on a short corner leading to a cross into the middle, cementing the win for the Aggies. All four goals scored were by different Aggies, and all six assists came from various players as well. The team feels that having so many playmakers will continue to help them as the season goes on. 

“I think everyone’s a key player, but some players that you might regard as key players were able to stay fresh because they were able to rest because of the depth of the roster,” head coach Manny Martins said. “We had a freshman that played 90 minutes. We have a transfer sophomore that played limited minutes and scored a great goal. I mean, to have that type of depth, it really makes me hopeful for what we can do.” 

With the win, the Aggies improve to 5-2-1 on the season, with three more non-conference games left to play. Despite the excitement surrounding Thursday’s win, the Aggies are already focused on their next opponent. 

“The most important thing I’ve learned through my career is we need to come down from the high. Everyone’s in a very emotional high. We need to be able to settle down because that can sometimes be the thing that comes back and punches you in the nose,” Martins said. “We have to look at the scouting. We have to prepare, and that’s now the next biggest game; that’s the most important game of the season right now.”  

The Aggies will return to Chuck and Gloria Bell Soccer Field on Sunday to take on the South Dakota State Jackrabbits at 1 pm.