Women’s soccer fails to pull off in-state shocker
Senior forward Kassidy Shumway led the No. 8 Brigham Young Cougars with one goal and one assist as the Cougars shut out the Utah State Aggies 3-0 at Bell Field in Logan on Saturday evening. The Aggies dropped to 3-4-4 on the season and the Cougars improved to 8-1-1. The Cougars played their game by keeping the ball in the air and proved why they are nationally ranked by finishing the close plays.
Shumway got things going early for the Cougars, scoring a header in the fourth minute off a corner kick from senior forward Lauren Anderson. The early goal was one of many scoring opportunities the Aggies gave up to the Cougars. The team from down south had eight corner kicks in the first half.
“You don’t like to give up goals that early in the game,” Aggie head coach Heather Cairns said. “It takes you out of your rhythm. It puts you on your heels. We thought we were a little unlucky on that one.”
Junior goalkeeper Molli Merrill, who was in only in her second game back from a right quadricep injury, let a Cougar kick find the back of the net in the 27th minute. This time, Shumway hit a perfect cross to junior forward Jennie Marshall for a shot from six yards out. The Aggies held the Cougars for the remainder of the first half and responded with more energy and better execution.
“I think when we regrouped at halftime, we responded really well,” Cairns said.
In the first 20 minutes of the second half the Aggies gave themselves many opportunities to score, including seven corner kicks. After several failed attempts to score, the Aggies lost their composure and eventually allowed another Cougar score in the 78th minute. Junior forward Auna Janis-Doria scored from five yards out on a pass from sophomore midfielder Nicole Ernst.
Despite the loss, Cairns said she and her team feel that they have improved since their previous meeting with the Cougars in Provo.
“This game was a 3-0 game. Last year was a 3-0 game and this year was an entirely different game than last year,” Cairns said. “We felt like we gave ourselves some good opportunities and it just didn’t pay off. I think we really put forth the concentrated effort and I think anytime you put forth a concentrated effort, you can feel OK about your performance.
“I don’t think the score reflects the actual game,” said Aggie junior forward Shantel Flanary.
Now the Aggies will gear up for Western Athletic Conference play, where the Aggies are picked to win the conference. USU starts the already difficult task with a challenging road trip to Ruston, La. to face the Louisiana Tech Bulldogs on Friday and then to Las Cruces, N.M. to play the Aggies from New Mexico State on Sunday.
“We have to put our nose to the grindstone and really set our goals in terms of getting enough wins to qualify for the conference tournament, and that’s our next immediate goal,” Cairns said. “Starting your first two games on the road is a tough haul. If we can get some results then we feel like we are going to put ourselves in pretty good shape.”
The Aggies’ last trip to Ruston (in 2008) was successful with now-senior forward Lauren Hansen scoring the lone goal in the 52nd minute. According to Cairns, the Aggies will need the same success to win the conference.
“In order to win the conference you have to take care of your games at home and steal some on the road,” Cairns said.
Kickoff against the Bulldogs will be at 6 p.m.
– ty.d.hus@aggiemail.usu.edu