USU soccer battles No. 23 Kansas to scoreless draw in home opener
Utah State soccer returned to the Chuck & Gloria Bell Soccer Field on Aug. 24 for its home opener and held No. 23 Kansas to a 0-0 draw in front of an estimated crowd of nearly 1,000.
From the opening whistle, USU controlled the pace, particularly in the first half. The Aggies pressed high and created multiple chances in the early minutes, highlighted by a shot from Mia Mullenmeister in the fourth minute that forced a save from Kansas goalkeeper Sophie Dawe. Moments later, Kaylie Chambers nearly found the net off a pass from Summer Sofonia, but her attempt rolled just wide.
Despite Utah State’s attacking pressure, the game remained scoreless at halftime. Kansas managed only two first-half shots as Utah State’s defense disrupted passing lanes and won 50-50 balls across the midfield.
“I’m really proud of the group,” head coach Manny Martins said after the match. “We pressed well. We denied chances. They didn’t have a lot of clear chances. There are areas we want to get better, but overall, it was the game I was expecting. I knew it was going to be a tight game.”
The second half saw Kansas increase its intensity, outshooting Utah State 7-4 after the break. The Jayhawks earned five corners and nearly broke through in the closing minutes, but Utah State goalkeeper Taylor Rath and the back line held firm.
Rath finished with six saves, including a leaping stop in the 86th minute on a free kick from Kansas midfielder Jillian Gregorski and a save on a point-blank header during a corner in the 89th.
“She’s an experienced goalkeeper, and she does a good job,” Martins said of Rath. “Her positioning is good. Her reaction is good. Makes good decisions to come off her line when needed. That’s what she did today.”
Rath, a transfer who joined the Aggies in January, said her focus has been on building chemistry with a young back line.
“It’s my job to make sure that they feel the most confident going into the game whether they’re a freshman or a senior,” Rath said. “No matter what age they are, everyone is more than capable. I know they have my back, and they know I have theirs.”
First-year defender Capriel Winder set the tone early with a series of tackles in the opening 15 minutes, while fellow newcomers Bentli Barrera and Samantha Sellers contributed crucial stops later in the match. Sellers also had one of Utah State’s best second-half chances on a cross from Tess Werts in the 67th minute, but she couldn’t quite control the ball.
“[Sellers] is a really, really talented player,” Martins said. “This is hard, you know, being a young player coming into this environment, especially with a team like us, but she’s finding minutes every game, and she’s grown within it.”
Utah State began the season with a 1–0 win at Washington State on Aug. 14 in front of 2,317 fans — one of the largest crowds in WSU program history. Sophomore forward Austin Miller delivered the lone goal in the 77th minute, and the Aggies controlled momentum in the second half, outshooting the Cougars 10–4 overall and tallying nine corners to Washington State’s six. Rath’s two saves and defensive leadership secured the clean sheet, leading to a Mountain West Defensive Player of the Week honor.
Their second match, however, ended in a narrow 1–0 loss at Pacific on Aug. 21. In scorching Stockton conditions, the match was decided by a penalty kick in the 70th minute. Aggie senior keeper Rath dove correctly, but the shot — from Pacific’s Aniela Jensen — slipped just inside the post.
Despite the result, Utah State dominated the stat sheet, outshooting Pacific 13–6 — including a 6–2 edge in the second half — and continued pressing until the final whistle.
The loss came as a surprise, given Pacific hadn’t won a game in 11 months, yet Martins and his team remained optimistic and energetic during Saturday’s practice before the Kansas match.
“The goal was never to go undefeated,” Martins said. “The goal is to grow through the season and then at the end, put ourselves in position for postseason. We’ve been here before. We’ve lost games before. We’re in a great place.”
Utah State’s record now stands at 1-1-1, and the team will return to Bell Field this Thursday for an in-state matchup against Utah, the first night game under the newly installed lights. Martins and his group expect another strong turnout.
“Anytime we play at the Bell, the energy is through the roof,” Martins said. “The excitement, the fans, the students being back — it’s going to be incredible.”
Kickoff against the Utes is scheduled for 7 p.m.