Aggies seek MWC title in inaugural season
The USU women’s soccer team begins its quest for a Mountain West Conference title Monday when they take on Nevada.
The Aggies earned the No. 5 seed for the tournament after finishing 5-3-2 in conference play for the season. Eight teams earned a bid to the tournament, which is formated so the No. 3 and No. 4 teams receive a bye and No. 1 and No. 2 teams are awarded a double-bye.
The Aggies fell just short of a bye when they tied Boise State Friday in Logan. A win would have placed them tied for third in the conference.
But with the regular season behind them, the Aggies face the Nevada Wolf Pack.
The Aggies lost to the Wolf Pack 2-0 in their conference opener on Sept. 27. The game was played in Reno and was scoreless until the 78th minute when Alyissa Deronde scored.
USU coach Heather Cairns called the goal a “breakdown” by the defenders. The Wolf Pack added another goal late in the 87th minute by Kori Disarufino. The Wolf Pack only had three shots on goal that game, but two found the back of the net. However, the Aggies put seven shots on goal.
Nevada was first in the MWC in saves, but last in shutouts and ninth in goals against. They also were the most-penalized team in the conference. Nevada’s Bobby Reilly led the team in scoring with four goals. She is their biggest scoring threat.
Should the Aggies beat Nevada, they would advance to play No. 4 New Mexico on Tuesday. They earned the No. 4 seed in the tournament when they tied 0-0 on Oct. 25 in Logan.
That game was Natalie Stoven’s fourth-straight shutout at the time as they held New Mexico scoreless through 110 minutes. USU took 12 shots in the game, six of which were on goal, and senior and first team All-MWC forward Jennifer Flynn took three of which.
New Mexico boasts four second-team All-MWC players, midfielders Lindsay Guice and Dylan O’Conner and defenders Liz Nare and Brianna Webster. USU has two second-team members, defenders Brooke Larsen-Leavitt and Taryn Rose. New Mexico was third both in shots taken and goals in the MWC.
If USU beats New Mexico, they would play No. 1 San Diego State on Thursday. SDSU defeated USU 2-0 in Logan on Oct. 27. SDSU was first in shots, goals, assists, goals against and shutouts in MWC play.
The Aztecs dominated the conference with a 9-1 record with their only loss coming to Wyoming. SDSU has five first-team all-MWC players, including senior defender Haley Palmer, who has earned all-conference honors four times.
The other side of the bracket has No. 6 UNLV taking on No. 7 Wyoming on Monday. The winner of that game will play Boise State Tuesday, and the winner there will take on No. 2-seed Fresno State in the semifinals on Thursday.
USU was second in the conference in shutouts and third in goals against. The Aggies have only had four goals scored on them in their last nine games and have shut out five teams in that span.
They come in to the tournament on a 5-2-2 run and only one game with multiple goals scored against them in their last nine games.
This is the Aggies’ first-ever MWC Tournament. SDSU is the defending MWC Tournament champion.
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