Inconsistent season still a good one for women’s soccer
It was somewhat of a bittersweet season for the Utah State women’s soccer team.
After beginning the season with a bang by starting 6-3-2, the Aggies lost six of their first seven Big West Conference games, before winning their final two games to finish the year 8-9-3.
Roller coaster of a season or not, the 2002 campaign was still a success for Utah State, as it posted the best mark in the seven-year history of the program.
As a result, the team is The Utah Statesman’s choice as most improved varsity team of the year for the 2002-03 academic year.
“We’ve got quality soccer players, and we are building a quality program,” said Aggie assistant coach Brent Anderson. “Each year we’re improving, and I expect much of the same [next year].”
The Aggies certainly showed signs of being a quality program, playing some of their best soccer against what Anderson called their best opponents.
This included a 1-1 tie against a 13-5 Portland State squad Sept. 16 in Logan, a 3-2 heartbreaker against Utah in Salt Lake City on Oct. 2, and a 2-1 road loss to then No. 25-ranked Cal State Fullerton on Oct. 13.
In the Utah game, USU battled back from a 2-0 deficit to tie the game at 2-2 on a Megan Tanner goal, only to have the Utes score the game-winning goal with under two minutes to go in the contest.
Not bad against a Ute squad which finished the season 13-4-3, and advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament. Anderson said he just wished the Aggies would play with the same intensity they did against Utah in every game.
“The girls always get up for the Utah game, and I wish they could get up for the rest of the games like that – have that level of emotion and that desire to go out and win a game,” he said.
One Aggie who brought that emotion on a consistent basis was senior forward Brigid Turner. The Las Vegas native had a banner year, scoring a school-record 15 goals to earn first-team All-Big West Conference honors.
“She’s a self-motivator,” Anderson said. “She’s the type of player who can dig down and find what it takes to score. She’s just an amazing player.”
Turner, who was one goal behind former teammate Jayme Gordy (13 goals in 1998) for the school record for most goals in a single season heading into USU’s season finale against Idaho, recorded a hat trick against the Vandals to set the mark.
“We wanted to win the game first and foremost, but we also want our players to do well,” Anderson said of the Idaho game. “Everybody knew Brigid was close to the record, so they were trying to get her the ball.”
It is this respect among teammates and cohesion that was the driving force behind Utah State’s improvement from the 2001 to the 2002 season, Anderson said.
Perhaps more importantly, the future looks bright for USU soccer as the Aggies will return three of their top four scorers in Amber Tracy, Heather Arnell and Chaquel Blaquiere.
While Utah State will lose the services of five starters and seven players, five Aggie freshmen received significant playing time in the 2002 campaign – something Anderson said will only make the program better.
“It’s key to get those underclassmen into the game and get them some experience,” he said. “I think that’s important for us, and I think it’s paid off.”
This idea of getting the freshmen playing time paid off Oct. 27 at Cal State Northridge when Blaquiere tallied the game’s lone goal.
USU will have 15 returning letterwinners for the 2003 season.
-jasonwturner@cc.usu.edu