USU Game Notes (PDF)
 
At Nevada | Watch Live | Live Stats
vs UNLV | Watch Live | Live Stats
 
Utah State soccer (3-2-4, 0-0-0 MW) begins Mountain West play this week with a pair of matches as it plays at Nevada (1-4-2, 0-0-0 MW) on Thursday, Sept. 22, at 7:30 p.m. (MT) and hosts UNLV (2-6-0, 0-0-0 MW) on Sunday, Sept. 25, at 1 p.m. (MT). 
 
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 WOLF PACK
This will be the 22nd meeting all-time between Utah State and Nevada. The Aggies lead the all-time series, 14-7-0, but trailes the Wolf Pack, 4-6-0, in games played in Reno. USU has won four of the previous five meetings, though Nevada won the most recent match in Reno, 1-0 (2OT), in 2019.
 
AGGIES VERSUS REBELS
This will be the 16th meeting all-time between Utah State and UNLV. The Aggies trail in the series, 5-10-0, including a 1-5-0 mark at home with USU's lone victory coming in a 2-1 (2OT) win in 2017. USU has won three of the previous four meetings.
 
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. London Miller currently leads the team with three goals and seven points while junior Alex Day leads the team with two assists.
 
COUNTING ASSISTS
On its 14 goals this season, Utah State has recorded 15 assists from 14 different players.
 
COMPARATIVELY SPEAKING
Utah State currently ranks first in the Mountain West with an average of 1.11 goals allowed per match, 127 total shots and three total shutouts on the season. The Aggies also rank second in average margin (+0.56), total shots on goal, total goals and total assists. Individually, senior Sara Taylor and junior London Miller are currently tied for second in the conference with 10 total shots on goal.
 
SHOOTING RANGE
In Utah State's match versus Illinois State, the Aggies registered 25 total shots, which stands as the second-most team shots in a match by a Mountain West team this season. USU also posted the fourth-most shots in a game in the league this season with 23 shots versus Idaho State and the ninth-most with 19 shots versus Northern Colorado.
 
OUT OF THE GATES
Utah State has scored the opening goal in five matches so far on the year, tying for the lead among Mountain West teams 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 894 fans at home matches this season, the most of any team in the Mountain West. The Aggies also rank first in the conference with an average of 668 fans at all matches, both home and away.
 
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.            Diera Walton                                    2019-pres.           5165
5.            Jeanne Woller                                   2012-15                5098
               
USU Career Saves
1.            Megan Mills                                        2001-04                273
2.            Diera Walton                                    2019-pres.           252
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.           0.92
 
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 10-3-5 (.694) 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.
 
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