Sept. 27, 2009

Box Score

PROVO, Utah - Utah State soccer fought hard but the No. 18 BYU Cougars were too much defeating the Aggies, 3-0, Saturday in Provo.

With the loss the Aggies fall to 5-5-1, while BYU improves to 8-2-1 with the win. The Aggies are now 0-3 against ranked teams this season with losses to then-No. 19 Oklahoma State and then-No. 25 Washington. Over 3,000 fans packed BYU's South Soccer Field for the match.

The Cougars scored two goals within two minutes of each other. In the 13th minute, BYU's Alyssa Vander Veur scored the first goal of the match, finding the ball in the middle of the field off the assist from Kassidy Shumway. In the 15th minute, Carlee Payne added the Cougars second goal of the match.

BYU's final goal came off a penalty kick after USU goalkeeper Molli Merrill was called for a foul in the box. In the 64th minute, BYU's Lauren Anderson took the PK, kicking it to her left, and into the right side of the net to give the Cougars the 3-0 lead.

Merrill ended the match with eight saves. USU was out-shot by the Cougars 18-3, challenging BYU with two shots in the second half. Senior midfielder Lindsey Smart and junior Lauren Hansen led the way for the Aggies with one shot on goal apiece.

USU now returns home for its first true home match since Sept. 6. The Aggies will take on Idaho State on Thursday, Oct. 1 at 4 p.m. (MT) before taking on Nevada on Sunday, Oct. 4 at 2 p.m. (MT) in Reno, Nev. as the Aggies open defense of their Western Athletic Conference regular-season title with their first league match.

Live stats will be available for the match against Idaho State through the women's soccer page on www.utahstateaggies.com, by clicking on Live Stats in the current events box.