Aggies find scoring touch, but not wins
The weekend was far more encouraging for the women’s soccer team than the seven games preceding the two games they played on Friday and Saturday.
After scoring one goal in seven games, Utah State (2-10-1) found the back of the net four times in two games in a 2-2 tie at San Diego State on Friday and a 3-2 loss at New Mexico on Sunday. The Aggie’s first goal of the weekend ended a streak of 720 minutes without a goal in the run of play (Utah State had one goal in that time but it was on a penalty kick). The last goal before the start of that span came in the 88th minute of USU’s 5-4 overtime loss to Idaho State on Sept. 8.
While the fact remains that USU is winless in nine of its last 10 games, the offense has been the driving factor in most of those losses. A spark of offense could be just what the Aggies need to propel them to a few wins to salvage a highly disappointing season.
The four goals came from four different players: Imelda Williams, Mealii Enos, Alecia Robinson and Kanyan Ward-Merrill. Ashley Cardozo and Williams had two assists apiece on those goals.
Williams and Enos scored their goals against San Diego State, both coming after the 70th minute on set pieces from Cardozo. The Aggies fell behind 1-0 after a 60th minute penalty kick converted by SDSU’s Mia Root. Williams struck first, scoring on a corner kick sent in by Cardozo. Enos’ goal came in the 80th minute, scoring from eight yards out from a free kick sent into the box.
In Sunday’s game, both Robinson and Ward-Merrill scored in the first half. It was the first time the Aggies scored in the first half since a 3-1 win at Towson on Sept. 2. USU went into halftime with a 2-0 lead thanks to those goals but two quick goals in the 57th and 58th minutes and a 72nd minute goal sent the Aggies to their 10th loss of the season.
With that 10th loss, Utah State has double-digit losses for the eighth time in program history (since 1996) and the first time since 2007. If the team wants to avoid setting a school record for most losses in one season, they’ll have to tie or win one more game (the inaugural 1996 team lost 14 games, USU has five games remaining in the regular season).