Vs. BYU | Watch Live | Live Stats
At Northern Colorado | Watch Live | Live Stats
 
Utah State soccer (2-2-3, 0-0-0 MW) returns home to host in-state rival BYU (3-2-2, 0-0 WCC) on Thursday, Sept. 15, at 3 p.m. (MT) at Chuck & Gloria Bell Field. The Aggies will then head back to the road for their non-conference finale at Northern Colorado (4-2-2, 0-0 Big Sky) on Sunday, Sept. 18, at noon (MT).
 
FOLLOW ALONG
Live stats and a free live video stream for the match against BYU will be available online at www.utahstateaggies.com. The match at Northern Colorado will available to stream on ESPN+ with a subscription. Live stats will also be available through utahstateaggies.com.
 
AGGIES VERSUS COUGARS
This will be the 15th meeting all-time between the Aggies and Cougars. Utah State won its first match between the two sides last season, 2-1 (OT), in Provo. USU forced overtime courtesy of a goal from former Aggie Ashley Cardozo before winning in extra time via a goal by current Aggie sophomore Tenzi Knowles. 
 
AGGIES VERSUS BEARS
This will be the sixth meeting between Utah State and Northern Colorado. The Aggies lead the all-time series, 4-1, winning last year in Logan, 2-0. The Bears' lone victory in the series came in Logan in 2012. This will be only the second time the series has been played in Greeley, Colorado.
 
YOU GET A POINT, YOU GET A POINT, EVERYONE GETS A POINT
• Utah State has 18 different players that have logged at least one point this season.
 
• Utah State's 13 goals this season have come from nine different players with only four players recording two on the year (Jordan Foraker, London Miller, Sammie Murdock, Sara Taylor).
 
COUNTING ASSISTS
Utah State has recorded 14 assists on its 13 goals from 13 different players.
 
COMPARATIVELY SPEAKING
Through the first seven games of the season, Utah State ranks second in the Mountain West in average margin per match (+0.57), total shots (95), total assists (14), and goals allowed per game (1.29). The Aggies also rank third in scoring average (1.857).
 
SHOOTING RANGE
In Utah State's match versus Illinois State, the Aggies registered 25 total shots, which stands as the most team shots in a match by a Mountain West team this season. USU also posted the fourth-highest shots in a game in the league this season with 23 shots versus Idaho State.
 
OUT OF THE GATES
Utah State has scored the opening goal in four matches so far on the year. Among Mountain West teams, only Boise State has opened the scoring as often as USU this season. 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. 
 
SEEING YELLOW
In its match versus Grand Canyon, Utah State was shown its most yellow cards this season as two players and the Aggie bench were cited. The match featured four yellow cards in all, the most since Utah State and BYU combined for five cards during the contest in Provo on Sept. 18, 2021. The yellow card on head coach Manny Martins against the Lopes was his first as a member of a collegiate coaching staff.
 
WHOSE HOUSE?
Utah State has averaged 688 fans at home matches this season, ranking as the second-largest average crowd size in the conference. 
 
SHAKE IT UP
Utah State has used a different starting XI in each game this season with 20 players finding their way into the starting lineup.
 
QUICK RESPONSES
Utah State retook the lead a mere two minutes from when Northern Arizona tied the match at 1-1 in the season opener. The Aggies did one better and took a 2-1 lead over Grand Canyon less than one minute after the Lopes had equalized at 1-1.
 
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.         Megan Mills                            2001-04           5211
4.         Jeanne Woller                         2012-15           5098
5.         Diera Walton                          2019-pres.       5075
 
USU Career Saves
1.         Megan Mills                            2001-04           273
2.         Diera Walton                          2019-pres.       249
2.         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.       0.92
 
USU Career Shutouts
1.         Ali Griffin                                 2005-08           22
2.         Molli Merrill                           2008-11           21
3.         Diera Walton                          2019-pres.       18
4.         Jeannie Woller                        2012-15           17
 
UNBEATEN STARTS
• Utah State has started each of its last two years under head coach Manny Martins unbeaten over the first four games of the season. Last year, USU opened the year with a tie before putting together six-straight victories. The Aggies drew in their first game this season en route to a 2-0-3 start to the year.
 
• In all, Utah State is 9-3-4 (.688) in non-conference action under Martins.
 
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.
 
 - USU -