POCATELLO, Idaho – Utah State soccer played to a dramatic finish Saturday, but fell to regional rival Idaho State, 5-4, in a double-overtime match.
The Aggie offense was highlighted by a hat trick from freshman forward
Sara Noel, as she became the 14th player to score three goals in a match in program history. She is the first to record a hat trick since current junior forward
Alecia Robinson did so in a match against Sam Houston State in 2016.
Utah State took 32 shots in Saturday's game, the third-most in a single match in program history. The team record is 41 shots, done twice in the 1999 and 2000 seasons. Additionally, the Aggies had 18 shots on goal, the most in a game since at least 2006. Utah State also took a season-high 12 corner kicks in the match against the Bengals.
Idaho State earned its first win of the season Saturday, improving to 1-4-0. Utah State falls to 1-3-0 with the loss.
Action started early Saturday, as Idaho State quickly jumped out to a 2-0 lead by the 11th minute of the match. The Bengals continued to control the offense through the first half, but did not score again.
The Aggies came out to the second half with more of an offensive attack and quickly got on the board. Noel scored the first of her three goals right at the 53-minute mark, breaking away from the Idaho State defense and drawing out the goalkeeper to get into the left side of the net. Noel then tied the score at two with a very similar goal in the 71st minute.
That tie didn't last long, as the Aggies would go on to take the lead in the 74th minute. A corner kick from sophomore midfielder
Ashley Cardozo curved into the box to find freshman forward
Hallee Jones, who followed the ball into the net for her first-career goal.
Idaho State then bounced back to, once again, even the score in the 79th minute on a rebounded shot to follow through and score. Just four minutes later, the Bengals retook the lead on a long header from the midfield line that was finished in the box.
Utah State wasn't done yet, as Noel completed her hat trick and tied the score at four with just over two minutes left in regulation. The teams battled through 15 minutes of overtime play before Idaho State scored the golden goal to win the game.
On the day, Utah State out-shot Idaho State, 32-17, including an 18-7 on goal advantage. Senior goalkeeper
Grace McGuire played the full match in the net, recording two saves.
Utah State will open a seven-match homestand next week as it hosts in-state rival Utah on Monday, Sept. 10, at 4 p.m. That weekend, the Aggies will welcome Eastern Washington for a match on Friday, Sept. 14, at 3:30 p.m., followed by UC Santa Barbara on Sunday, Sept. 16, at noon.
Fans can follow Utah State soccer on Twitter, @USUSoccer, on Instagram, @USUSoccer, as well as on Facebook, at /USUSoccer. Aggie fans can also follow Utah State Athletics on Twitter, @USUAthletics, on Instagram, @USUAthletics and on Facebook at /USUAthletics.
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