Two wins in Idaho complete undefeated WAC soccer play
Downing two Idaho teams this weekend, the Aggie soccer squad remained undefeated in WAC play to finish off their best season ever.
With a 5-0-2 conference record and a 10-7-2 record overall, the Aggies finished second in WAC play as Fresno State finished with one more win to clinch the top spot. The Aggies will compete in WAC tournament play this week as they attempt to claim the tournament title.
“It’s a pretty exciting accomplishment,” Head Coach Heather Cairns said of her team’s performance. “It wasn’t a goal of ours. I’ve always said our goal is to win the WAC tournament championship. Our record is 10-7-2, which ties our best regular season finish. These 10 wins are more important because these 10 wins allow us to play in the postseason tournament.”
Three goals from substitute players gave USU the edge over the University of Idaho Vandals as the Aggies won 3-1. The substitutes were key to the win as Charity Weston, the leading scorer for the Aggies, was forced to sit out the game due to a high number of yellow cards on the season. If Weston played and received another yellow card in the Idaho game, it would have forced her to sit out the first game of WAC tournament play, putting the Aggies at a major disadvantage.
“Charity didn’t play today because she had four yellow cards so she had to sit out,” Cairns said. “I think that was the nice thing – we still did a good job. I knew without Charity in the attack other people would step up. I think it helped because we knew we couldn’t rely on her.”
Though the Vandals hold the worst record in the conference, not having won a single match this season, Sunday’s match was less than a walk in the park for the Aggies. The University of Idaho put up a fight in the first half, only allowing one goal in the waning minutes of the half. But the biggest challenge for the Aggies was the weather.
“The Idaho game in the first half was really bad weather,” Cairns said. “Think BYU times 10. It was really bad and it was raining and the wind was bursting like a thousand miles an hour.”
In the 43 minute of play, freshman defender Lindsey Smart took a kick from the half field and sent the shot in. Meanwhile, junior midfielder Abby Hunt made a fake diving header that caught the Vandal goalkeeper off guard and allowed the ball to slide past her into the net.
Two Aggie goals in the second half were icing on the cake. Freshman forward Erin Salmon made a run past defenders and sent the ball over to senior forward Charlsie Harris who chipped the ball in for the second goal in the 57 minute. The final Aggie goal was a shot by sophomore forward Candice Clark.
However, the Vandals answered in the 80 minute off a direct kick from Morgan Bunday that the Aggie defensive line could not clear it. The poor weather added to the difficulty of preventing the shot, Cairns said. The Vandals turned up the pressure in the second half but couldn’t match the Aggie attack.
“They changed to a three-front and tried to put some pressure on us,” Cairns said. “They definitely did not sit back and give the game to us for sure.”
USU vs. Boise State
The Boise State game on Friday, Oct. 27, was critical for both teams as USU looked to maintain their undefeated status and Boise State looked to get a win to advance to the WAC tournament. A quick goal in second overtime by sophomore midfielder Lacey Christenson lifted the Aggies 1-0 over the Broncos.
“The Boise State game was a back and forth game, but it was more a tale of two halves,” Cairns said. “The first half they dominated play, the second half we dominated play, the first overtime they dominated and the second overtime we dominated. Boise State played great possession soccer and they worked really well as a team to connect passes. It was a pretty even game.”
The teams were evenly matched in shots and play and it wasn’t until just into the second overtime that the first and final goal was scored.
“I think we did well,” Cairns said. “We kind of weathered the storm and turned things around the second half which was good. We made the most of our opportunity which was good.”
The opportunity for the Aggies came off a foul on Boise State, which set up the game-winning play. Christenson capitalized on a quick restart play and nailed a free kick from 22 yards out to end the game. The score was the first for Christenson this season.
“Lacey’s been great,” Cairns said. “She came back from an ACL injury. She’s back to where she was last year where she was a very good player for us.”
-sethhawkins@cc.usu.edu