USU soccer picks up clean sheet in opener
Utah State University women’s soccer kicked off its season with a scoreless draw against Southern Utah University Friday afternoon in Logan, Utah. The Aggies played through two extra time periods and picked up a clean sheet, making four saves in the process. It may have been an exhibition, but nonetheless, USU soccer head coach Heather Cairns was pleased with what her team showed on the pitch.
The team will no doubt come away prideful of its play, despite the result. For the most part, Utah State controlled the game and imposed its style of play on the Thunderbirds, but the team’s finishing left a little to be desired.
“Looking at the match, I thought we had some good possession. Our possession is immensely improved from last year,” Cairns said. “You know, I think the one thing you look at is 23 shots, no goals, I think the finishing can get sharper. The finishing can get sharper, but the great news is we created a lot of scoring opportunities.”
The Aggies certainly did.
From the opening whistle through the first 15 minutes, Utah State spent most of its time in the other team’s half, constantly putting pressure on the keeper. With 18 minutes gone, Utah State had attempted five shots while SUU was still unable to get off a shot. Southern Utah’s only real chance in the half was off a corner-kick, the low cross into the box was dangerous, but the Aggies were able to clear the ball away, thus negating any chance.
Utah State thrived by being quick to put pressure on SUU as soon as one its players won the ball. For long stretches of the half, SUU was unable to get out of its half, the swarming press of Utah State proving difficult to deal with. If it remains effective, this could be something the Aggies adopt throughout the season.
“I think our press, I think we really feel good,” Cairns said. “We’re playing a little bit of a new formation that I don’t want to go into too much about — but I was pleased with how the vets and the newcomers settled into our formation and it looked like everybody knew what their role is on both sides of the ball. So for being two weeks in, I was really pleased with that.”
Utah State ended the half with eight shots over SUU’s three, but the second half is where the Aggies truly asserted themselves. Within the first ten minutes, the team had already fired off four shots, the veterans getting heavily involved in the attack. Senior midfielder Kanyan Merrill and Junior midfielder Ashley Cardozo were both instrumental in linking up progressive play with the forwards and pushing the ball out wide to the fullbacks, who were constantly getting crosses into dangerous areas in SUU’s box.
“It’s great, anytime we can get our outside backs touches in the attacking half, we know that we’re in a good mentality, we’re playing on our front foot, we’re being aggressive,” Cairns said.
Cardozo led the Aggies in shots on goal with four in the game, the same amount that SUU was able to get off as a team. Most notably, Cardozo’s shot in the first extra time period surely would have gone in if it weren’t for an outstanding kick-save by an SUU defender.
Ashley Cardozo with a shot blocked by the Thunderbirds. pic.twitter.com/5DOgIvGWJI
— USU Soccer (@USUsoccer) August 16, 2019
However, the Thunderbirds had possibly the most important shot on goal in the 77th minute when junior forward Danielle Meuret stepped up to the spot to take a penalty. A poorly struck ball and a great read from Aggie keeper Diera Walton killed off the chance, Walton making a strong dive to her right to pull the ball in.
Walton played all of the second half and the extra-time periods, finding a bit of a rhythm as the game progressed in the first collegiate match of her career. The moment might have been big, but Walton backed herself with full confidence.
“First I was really scared, but then I was like — this is my house, show her who’s boss — and I just stepped up to the ball and clapped my hands a few times, stared her in the eyes and then I just picked a way,” she said. “She kinda like looked to the right a few times so that’s why I kinda thought she might go that way, but even before I picked that way.”
Walton, a freshman goalkeeper, was one of many Aggie newcomers that played a vital role in Friday’s game. Smithfield native and freshman forward Sid Barlow looked lively attacking down the left side and was one of the key players that put pressure on SUU in her 71 minutes on the pitch. Senior forward Alecia Robinson is working her way back from injury, but as soon as she stepped onto the pitch energy and workrate was superb and was inches away from finishing a chance as time expired.
“Oh my gosh, how fun is it to have Alecia back. We missed her so much,” Cairns said. “The fact she could go forty-five minutes, plus I think she played five in the overtime, that’s a significant improvement to where she was and we’re so happy to have her back. Senior leadership, you see that optimism, that energy, she almost got on the end of a couple of them and she hasn’t touched the ball in a very long time.”
Utah State opens up its season Friday, August 3 on the road with a match against South Dakota State.