Utah State soccer (7-5-5, 4-3-1 MW) continues Mountain West play this week as it hosts San Diego State (7-4-5, 5-2-1 MW) on Thursday, Oct. 20, at 4 p.m., and New Mexico (6-3-6, 4-1-3 MW) on Sunday, Oct. 23, at 1 p.m. Both matches will be streamed live on the Mountain West Network and available at www.utahstateaggies.com/watch. 
 
vs San Diego State | Watch Live | Live Stats
vs New Mexico | Watch Live | Live Stats
 
FOLLOW ALONG
Both matches will be streamed live on the Mountain West Network and available at www.utahstateaggies.com/watch. Live stats will also be made available through utahstateaggies.com.
 
AGGIES VERSUS AZTECS
This will be the 11th meeting all-time between Utah State and San Diego State. The Aggies have never beaten the Aztecs as SDSU holds an 8-0-2 lead in the series. The sides have played four times in Logan with the Aztecs winning all four meetings.
 
AGGIES VERSUS LOBOS
This will be the 13th meeting all-time between Utah State and New Mexico. The Lobos lead the series, 8-2-2. The Aggies won the most recent meeting in Logan, 1-0, in March of 2021. New Mexico won both meetings last year by score of 2-1 in 2OT, including the team's matchup in the semifinals of the Mountain West tournament.
 
POINTILLISM
Utah State has 20 different players that have logged at least one point this season. The Aggies have recorded 25 goals from 12 different players and 28 assists from 18 different players so far this season. Seniors Sammie Murdock and Jordan Foraker plus junior London Miller all lead the team with four goals apiece this season. Murdock also leads the team in assists alongside junior Alex Day with three assists each. Murdock also holds the team lead in total points with 11.
 
RELATIVELY SPEAKING
Utah State currently ranks first in the Mountain West in shots on goal per game (7.00), total shots on goal (119), total shots (253) and total assists (28) and are tied for first with 80 total points scored. The Aggies also rank second in total goals (26) and in goals allowed per game (1.06). Individually, senior Sammie Murdock and junior Alex Day are tied for the ninth in the conference with three assists apiece while junior London Miller is currently sixth in the conference with 17 shots on goal. Senior Sara Taylor is tied for seventh in the MW with 16 shots on goal.
 
SHOOTERS SHOOT
Utah State has outshot its opponent in both shots on goal and total shots in nine consecutive matches, including every match of Mountain West play. The Aggies have won both stats in 12 of 17 matches this season and have been outshot in both categories only twice.
 
SHAKE IT UP
Utah State's match versus Wyoming marks the only time this season where the Aggies repeated a starting lineup. USU has used 16 different starting lineups this season with 23 players recording at least one start. Only four players have started every game this season (juniors Alex Day, Kelsey Kaufusi and Kylie Olsen and sophomore Addy Symonds).
 
WHOSE HOUSE?
The Aggies have averaged 791 fans at seven home matches this season, the highest average home attendance among Mountain West teams. USU has gone 4-1-2 at homethis season and has gone 13-3-2 at home under head coach Manny Martins.
 
BOOKENDERS
Utah State has scored six goals this season within the first 10 minutes of a match. On the other end of the spectrum, the Aggies have recorded eight goals this season in the final 17 minutes of play. 
 
OUT OF THE GATES
Utah State has scored the opening goal in 11 matches so far on the year, the most among Mountain West teams this season, and has gone 7-1-3 in those games. Last year, Utah State captured 11 of its 13 victories last season when recording the first goal of the match. The Aggies were 11-1-0 in 2021 when putting the first lights on the board.
 
UNBEATEN STARTS
Utah State has started each of its last two years under head coach Manny Martins with an unbeaten streak. This season, the Aggies started on a five-game unbeaten streak, going 2-0-3. Last year, USU opened the year with a tie before putting together six consecutive victories. In all, Utah State is 10-3-5 (.694) in non-conference action under Martins.
 
SEEING YELLOW
The Aggies were shown four yellow cards in its 2-1 win over UNLV, the most yellow cards given to Utah State in a single match since being shown four cards versus Cal State Fullerton in 2017. In its match versus Grand Canyon, head coach Manny Martins received his first yellow card as a member of a collegiate coaching staff.
 
CHASING RECORDS
Utah State senior keeper Diera Walton is in pursuit of several career records this season.
 
    USU Career Minutes (GK)
    2.         Ali Griffin                                 2005-08           5526
    3.         Diera Walton                          2019-pres.       5480
    4.         Megan Mills                            2001-04           5211
    5.         Jeanne Woller                         2012-15           5098
 
    USU Career Saves
    1.         Megan Mills                            2001-04           273
    2.         Diera Walton                          2019-pres.       255
    3.         Michaela (Miller) Hawes        1997-2000       249
    4.         Jeannie Woller                        2012-15           246
 
    USU Career GAA
    1.         Ashlyn Mulford                       2009-12           0.69
    2.         Natalie Stoven                         2013-16           0.79
    3.         Molli Merrill                           2008-11           0.90
    4.         Diera Walton                          2019-pres.       0.97
 
    USU Career Shutouts
    1.         Ali Griffin                                 2005-08           22
    2.         Molli Merrill                           2008-11           21
    3.         Diera Walton                          2019-pres.       19
    4.         Jeannie Woller                        2012-15           17
 
WEDDING BELLS
• A pair of Aggies were married during the offseason as senior defender/forward Kelsey Salvesen-Harmer tied the knot with her husband (Zachary) in May, while London Miller married her husband (Isaac Smith) in December of 2021.
 
• In all, Utah State has four married players on its roster: Sara Taylor (Jake), Kaufusi (Nathan), Miller (Isaac Smith) and Salvesen-Harmer (Zachary).
 
RETURNED MISSIONARIES
Utah State's roster includes three players that served 18-month missions for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Nicole Hadlock (Ecuador), Salvesen-Harmer (Roseville, California) and Sid Barlow (Paraguay).
 
WHAT'S RETURNING
• Utah State returns nine players that appeared in each of the Aggies' 22 matches a season ago, including senior winger Sara Taylor, senior forward Sammie Murdock, senior forward Nicole Hadlock, Kaufusi, junior midfield/defender Alysia Butters, junior midfielder Alex Day, junior defender Kylie Olsen, sophomore defender Addy Symonds and senior goalkeeper Diera Walton.
 
• Taylor and Murdock are the top goal scorers returning for Utah State, as each logged six goals for the Aggies a season ago.
 
• Taylor is the top returner when it comes to points and assists, finishing second on the team in 2021 with 17 points and five assists.
 
BACK FOR MORE AWARDS
• Kaufusi was named third-team all-Pacific Region by the United Soccer Coaches, while also picking up Mountain West All-Tournament Team honors.
 
• Symonds was named one of the top-100 freshmen in the nation during the 2021 season by TopDrawerSoccer.com, as well as being named to the MW all-newcomer team.
 
• Walton was a second-team all-Mountain West selection in 2021.
 
MOUNTAIN WEST PICKS
Utah State was picked fifth in the preseason Mountain West coaches poll. New Mexico and San Diego State were picked to finish first and second, respectively.
 
 - USU -