Women’s soccer team proud of successes
The 2003 season for the Utah State women’s soccer betting squad was the best in the program’s short eight-year history. USU finished with an overall 10-7-2 record and 4-3-2 mark in Big West Conference play.
Two goals the Aggies set for themselves at the beginning of the season were to have a record of .500 or over and make it to the Big West Conference Tournament.
It all came down to the last three games of the season to make it to the tourney.
“We held our own destiny,” said Head Coach Heather Cairns.
The team only needed one win in those last three games to make it. A tie and two losses weren’t enough to give Utah State a seed.
“We set a lot of firsts,” Cairns said. “It is a little disappointing because we held our own destiny in our own hands, and everyone else needed help from us.”
This season’s Aggie squad has been the only one to win five straight matches, record 10 wins in a season and also go unbeaten at home against teams in the Big West.
Amber Tracy, Kami Kelly, Shaylee Wilson and Ally Clegg are the only members of the team who are graduating this year.
Because of the disappointment of not making it into the Big West Tournament, the returning players are going to be able to use that as motivation next year.
“Every team has ups and downs throughout the season, but the nice thing about this team is they really worked through them,” Cairns said. “The thing that got us through was just teamwork. Team chemistry is always that one variable, it can either make you better or tear you down, and in our case it definitely made us better.”
Goalie Megan Mills was one shutout away with 10, from tying a Big West record.
The Aggies finished No. 35 in the nation on goals against average (0.81), but they were ranked No. 227 on scoring offensive output.
“Our defense really got us going,” Cairns said. “But we really needed to focus on our attack.”
They only played with three defenders as opposed to most other teams that play with four or five.
“A lot of people just played up to their potential,” Cairns said. “There wasn’t one person that came from behind the shadows to surprise anyone and there wasn’t anyone who didn’t play like they were expected to.”
Newcomers Nicole Fuez, Lacy Gustaveson, Sierra Smith, Charity Weston and Ashley Wilson each jumped in and contributed a good amount to help the team.
Next season the Aggies will likely have the same goals, such as finishing with a record of .500 or better, making it to the Big West Conference Tournament and ultimately winning the tourney and going to the NCAA.
-kcaustin@cc.usu.edu