Women’s soccer finishes record setting year
The Utah State University women’s soccer team finished the 2001 season with a winning record,set new school records and have received several conference honors.
“I think we learned a lot this year,” Head Coach Jen Kennedy Croft said. “We can play with any team in our conference, it’s just a matter of not making silly mistakes.”
The Aggies finished the season with a 6-11-1 record overall and a 3-6 record in Big West Conference action.
The team tied for eighth place in BWC rankings.
This season’s record is marked as USU’s third best record is school history.
The Aggies also made their mark in school history by earning the fourth most points this season, racking up 20 goals and 49 points.
USU also has the third highest all-time shots and saves, notching 198 and 111, respectively.
This year’s team also ranked fifth for number of assists in a season with nine.
USU’s wins against the University of California, Riverside and Cal State Fullerton marked the first time in Utah State history the women’s soccer team had two consecutive shutouts.
The 2001 Aggies had team members who came off the bench and contributed to the record setting.
Amber Tracy shattered her 2000 season record of one goal and one assist, for a total of three points, by racking up a whopping 15 season points, the fourth most points scored by an Aggie in a single season.
Tracy is also in fourth place for her number of goals scored this season with four, and fifth for goals scored in her career with eight.
Tracy is also the eighth Aggie ever to knock in two goals in one game.
Freshman Heather Arnell is listed as the ninth Aggie to accomplish the feat.
Another Aggie coming off the bench for USU was junior Brigid Turner. Turner currently holds second place for all-time goals and points notching 17 career goals and 37 career points.
Sarah Cowley finished the season tied for first place in assists with seven this season.
Aggie goalkeepers Tracy Brady and Megan Mills collaborated in the game against Cal Poly to notch a record high 15 saves in a game.
Mills is currently holding fourth place in the Aggie record books with 29 career saves.
“Tracy Brady and Megan Mills have had a great year,” Croft said. “Tracy is a senior so it will be difficult to lose her.”
Along with the powerhouses, several Aggies made career firsts during the 2001 season.
Senior Becky Ward scored her first career goal this year. She didn’t stop with just one goal though, as she notched two more in, including the game-winning goal against the University of Nevada.
Junior Michelle Eversman scored her first career goal this season against Idaho State and came back again notching a goal against the University of Idaho.
Arnell led the Aggies to a victory over the University of California, Santa Barbara by taking five shots and posting two goals.
Freshman Claire Schend scored her first career goal against the University of Washington this season.
Three Aggies were also named to the Big West Honorable Mention Team.
“I’m very excited for them. Becky Ward deserved that honor, and we get to have Amber Tracy and Melissa Baggaley back next year.” Croft said.
The Aggies will rest during winter and return to action in the spring, as they attend the spring soccer tournament at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas.
The team will have its signing date Feb. 3 to see who will be the new team members.