Oct. 6, 2006

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LOGAN, Utah - Utah State soccer ended one streak while continuing another in a 2-1 loss to intra-state foe Utah Valley State Friday at a wet Chuck & Gloria Bell Soccer Field. The loss snapped the Aggies' two-match win streak while extending their streak of matches decided by one goal to seven in a row.

Friday was the 10th match overall this season for Utah State that was a one-goal differential, as the Aggies are now 5-5 in one-goal matches.

Overall, Utah State is now 5-7-0 on the season, as the Aggies open Western Athletic Conference action Sunday, traveling to Ruston, La., to take on Louisiana Tech in a match slated for Noon (MST).

Utah Valley State snapped a pair of two-match losing skids, improving to 5-7-1 overall and 2-1 all-time vs. Utah State. UVSC head coach Brent Anderson is in his first season at the helm of the Wolverines after spending the previous eight seasons as an assistant on the Utah State bench.

Utah State ends its battle with in-state foes with a 2-3 mark, beating Weber State and Southern Utah, while losing to Utah, BYU and UVSC.

"UVSC wanted the match more than we did and that's all it came down to," USU head coach Heather Cairns said.

The Wolverines opened the scoring 2:39 into the match, as Courtney Robbins weaved through USU defenders into space and drilled a left-footed shot from just outside the top of the 18-yard box to inside the far post and into the net.

The Aggies countered in the 11th minute, as freshman defender Lindsey Smart sent a long pass into the box that fellow freshman, forward Erin Salmon got enough of her head on the ball to redirect it into the back of the UVSC net and knot the score at 1-all, where it would remain for the remainder of the half.

"We felt we were flat in the first half, much like we had been in the last couple of matches," Cairns said. "The difference is that today was the first time that it cost us. It is a good lesson to learn, especially looking ahead to playing at Louisiana Tech on Sunday. You hope that we learned the lesson that it will cost us if we don't come out strong, so maybe we needed to lose to learn that lesson in order for that not to happen again."

Coming out of halftime, the Aggies applied pressure in the early going, earning a free kick from 25-yards out in the 53rd minute that sophomore midfielder Shannon Ross cracked just over the cross bar.

UVSC responded to the pressure with its own attack, as Robbins struck again with an identical goal to the first, netting the game-winner in the 65th minute with a kiss off the left post and into the net.

The Wolverines outshot the Aggies, 13-12, while the shots on goal were even at five apiece.

Sophomore goalkeeper Ali Griffin made three saves on the afternoon.

Utah State's first half goal was the first time that the Aggies had scored in the first half, and USU is now 4-3 when tied at the half.

"One of our goals was to score in the first half, so I am definitely happy about that, but not happy with the majority of things that happened today," Cairns said.

This is the second year in a row for Utah State to open WAC play against Louisiana Tech, as the Aggies won 2-0 last season. Overall, Utah State is 4-6 in conference openers, going 3-6 in Big West openers.

"Today was a hard loss because it is an in-state loss and because it makes up 5-7 as opposed to 6-6 if we were to have won," Cairns said. "We can't feel sorry for ourselves, we have to move on and focus for Louisiana Tech. We're really going to have to bounce back for Sunday's game."

After Sunday's WAC opener at La Tech, Utah State returns for its conference home-opener on Oct. 13, hosting San Jose State, before heading to Honolulu, Hawai'i to face last season's regular-season conference champion Hawai'i on Oct. 15.

Sunday's match, as well as most WAC matches are available online through wac.tv.

 Utah Valley State (5-7-1) vs. Utah State (6-6-0) Date: Oct 06, 2006  Attendance: 278 Weather: Chilly and wet, rainy
 Goals by period       1  2  Tot ------------------------------- Utah Valley State...  1  1 -  2 Utah State..........  1  0 -  1
 SCORING SUMMARY:  1.   2:39 UVSC ROBBINS,Courtney (3) (unassisted) - left footer from top of 18  2.  10:15 USU Salmon, Erin (3) (Smart, Lindsey) - header off long pass  3.  64:22 UVSC ROBBINS,Courtney (4) (unassisted) - off left post
 Shots: Utah Valley State 13, Utah State 12 Saves: Utah Valley State 4 (THOMPSON,Kelley 4), Utah State 3 (Griffin, Ali 3) USU now holds 2-1 series lead. Snaps USU's two-match win streak and UVSC's two-match losing streak. USU's seventh-straight match decided by one goal and 10th of the season.