Ags clinch WAC tourney spot
The Utah State soccer team eked out a 0-0 tie with Fresno State Sunday afternoon as, at one point in the game, three of the Aggies’ four starting defensive backs were out of the game from injuries.
Rachelle Dixon, who injured her knee Friday against Nevada, sat out for the game against the Bulldogs and Liz Masson and Jessica Darrow had to come off after being “knocked out” from headers, Utah State Head Coach Heather Cairns said.
Dixon will have to have her knee examined to decide when she will be able to return. With those players out, Jessie Malaska and Shannon Ross, who have seen playing time in the last weeks, stepped in and outside midfielder Sierra Smith was moved back to play defense also.
The first half was slow to develop as both teams took just two shots, but things picked up in the second half and Aggie goalkeeper Kelli Allred recorded a shutout.
“They had us on the ropes in overtime and we just hung on,” Cairns said. “Allred played phenomenal.”
At the end of regulation, Allred made a save off a corner kick which helped send the Ags into overtime still scoreless. Allred made back-to-back saves off shots that came off corner kicks twice in overtime. She also stopped a one-on-one scoring chance Fresno State had to keep the game a 0-0 tie.
Allred finished the game with eight saves and the shutout was her second of the season.
With the tie the Aggies gain one point in the Western Athletic Conference standings and because of Idaho and Louisiana Tech’s losses on Sunday the Aggies clinched a spot in the WAC tournament which will take place Nov. 3-5 in Boise, Idaho.
With seven points the Ags still have two home games remaining to move up in the standings as they are currently three points behind Fresno State and two behind Boise State who the Ags play Friday afternoon.
On Friday night, the Aggies took Nevada into double overtime before a corner kick which looked to be caught by goalie Kelli Allred came loose and the Wolfpack’s Randee Robinson put it in for a 2-1 Nevada win.
The Aggies scored in the 52nd minute to tie the game at one at the outset of the second half.
The goal was scored by Chanel Weddle. It was her first of the season and ninth of her career.
The two teams took the same amount of shots and shots on goal while the Wolfpack had one more corner kick than did the Ags, which turned out to be part of the difference in the defeat.
The Ags were whistled for six more fouls than were the Wolfpack (11-5). Utah State Assistant Coach Brent Anderson was given a red card following the winning goal after arguing the call.
-krn@cc.usu.edu