Coach at loss after Aggies lose for seventh time in last eight games
“I wish I knew.”
Those were the words of USU soccer head coach Heather Cairns on Sunday when asked how her team could turn around its season after losing for the seventh time in the past eight games. The Aggies lost 2-0 to Colorado State on Sunday two days after falling to Wyoming 1-0.
The two games wrapped up a program record seven-game home stand for the Aggies. The Aggies went 1-6-0 in those games and were outscored 11-1 (the lone goal coming on a penalty kick in USU’s 1-0 win over Nevada).
With the losses piling up, sophomore midfielder Ashley Cardozo said the team needs to avoid a losing mentality.
“It’s hard to break that mentality,” Cardozo said. “There has to be a change mentally and with our attitudes I think we have to come out every game thinking we’re the best and are going to beat everyone.”
Iain Laurence USU midfielder Ashley Cardoza handles the ball in front of a pair of Wyoming defenders during USU’s home match on Sep. 28, 2018.
On Friday, it was déjà vu for Utah State. Nearly a week prior, the Aggies saw two of their games decided by goals in the last minute of regulation. This time, it was the dying moments of overtime that saw a game-winner. With 16 ticks left on the clock, Wyoming’s Morgan McDougal beat USU senior goalkeeper Grace McGuire, who had come off her line to block a prior shot.
Sunday didn’t see late-game heroics from either side, as Colorado State scored a goal in the 39th minute and in the 63rd for a comfortable 2-0 win. The Aggies held possession well, but could not put quality shots on goal, even when they switched their formation to a 3-3-4 to maximize attack in the second half.
USU’s inability to finish scoring chances was epitomized around the 80th minute when down 2-0. After a mistake by the CSU keeper in the 80th minute, the Aggies had a chance at a keeper-less net with a few defenders left to beat. With that golden opportunity to get back within a goal with 10 minutes to go, Utah State didn’t get a good shot off, losing the ball inside the six-yard box.
The second-best chance for the Aggies came in the 54th minute with the team down just one goal. The Aggies had a 25-yard free kick from just right of center. Cardozo put the ball on frame just inside the right post, but the shot was snatched out of the air by the goalkeeper.
“We’ve got to get braver in the attacking third,” Cairns said. “We’ve got to get braver dribbling into the box. We’ve got to get braver getting our shot off. I think that was fairly obvious today.”
Iain Laurence Aggies prepare for a shot attempt on a free kick from Wyoming’s Alyssa Murray on Sep. 28, 2018.
Cairns also pointed out how the low shot total from the forwards. Nine of the 12 shots and four of the five shots on goal came from midfielders and defenders. Only two forwards, the freshman duo of Hallee Jones and Macy Martinez, had a shot in the game but only Jones had a shot on goal.
“We have to get more out of our attackers,” Cairns said. “That’s an issue that we need to solve.”
The Aggies will head out on the road this week for the first time since Sept. 8. It will be a four-game road trip as they face San Diego State and New Mexico this Friday and Saturday. Then USU will take on Colorado College and Air Force before finally returning home Oct. 19 to face San Jose State at home.