Mountain West teams await USU
A handful of long bus rides through Colorado and Wyoming are in store for the Utah State University women’s soccer team this weekend.
The team left Thursday at 8:30 a.m. for Colorado Springs, and will take on the Air Force Academy (3-3) Friday afternoon.
USU will return to action Sunday in Laramie, Wyo. to face the Wyoming Cowgirls.
“I’m looking forward to it because we have never been on a bus,” said USU Head Coach Jen Kennedy Croft. “It will be a good time for team bonding.”
The Aggies (3-1-2) are anxious to build upon the best start they have had to a season in program history.
But the road hasn’t been a kind place for the Aggies the last couple of years. USU has only notched two road wins in each of the past two seasons. However, Croft said the team has gained some valuable early season confidence thanks to five straight home contests to start the year out – not losing one of them.
“It’s nice to have [home games] at the beginning of the season because we knew what to expect,” said Aggie forward Brigid Turner. “It helped to boost our confidence.”
Turner leads the Aggies with five goals and one assist this season.
So, why the constant road woes over the years?
Croft said the time spent traveling is both a mentally and physically draining experience, which in turn makes it harder for the team to focus.
“Being from Logan you will come back [to the airport] at 11 o’clock at night and you still have an hour and a half trip back,” she said. “It’s not an easy trip, ever.”
Air Force comes into Friday’s game fresh off winning the Georgia tournament, beating Tennessee Tech and shutting out Georgia State.
The only other meeting between USU and Air Force was in 1997 as the Aggies won 2-1 on the road.
“We know they are a fit team with big kids,” Croft said. “I think winning at their place will be a little bit tough.”
The Aggies are 1-2 all time versus the Cowgirls. Last season Utah State lost 2-1 at home.
Wyoming (2-3-2) also comes into its game versus USU with a win. The Cowgirls shut out Northern Iowa last Sunday on their home field.
“It’s good to win at home, but I think its important to win away so people know we can win away,” said Aggie forward Heather Arnell.
-samhis@cc.usu.edu