WEEKLY AGGIE UPDATE - SEPTEMBER 26, 2022
Weekly Aggie Update
FOOTBALL
Contact: Doug Hoffman - (435) 797-3714
This Week
Thur., Sept. 29 --- at #19 BYU, 6 p.m. (ESPN)
• Utah State football (1-3, 0-1 MW) concludes non-conference play this week with a road game at No. 19 BYU (3-1) on Thursday, Sept. 29, at 6 p.m. USU 37-50-3 all-time against the Cougars, including an 18-28-1 road record. The game will be televised nationally on ESPN (Xfinity Ch. 35/668HD, DISH Ch. 140, DirecTV Ch. 206).
Last Week
L, 24-34 --- UNLV
• UNLV quarterback Doug Brumfield passed for one touchdown and ran for two others to lead the Rebels past Utah State 34-24 last weekend. Brumfield completed 21-of-31 passes for 217 yards and the one touchdown, to go along with touchdown runs of 4 and 1 yards, respectively. Utah State graduate senior quarterback Logan Bonner was 27-of-41 passing for a season-best 313 yards and a season-high-tying three touchdowns, to go along with five interceptions. Bonner's 39-yard touchdown pass to junior wide receiver Terrell Vaughn pulled the Aggies to within 34-24 with 6:15 remaining in the game, but that's as close as they would get the rest of the way. Vaughn was one of three different Aggies to catch six passes in the game as he finished with a career-high 49 yards and a career-best two touchdowns on his career-high six receptions. Senior wide receiver Justin McGriff had five receptions for 91 yards and one touchdown. Redshirt freshman wide receiver NyNy Davis also had a career-high six catches as he finished with a career-high 49 yards, while graduate senior wide receiver Brian Cobbs had six catches for 83 yards. Utah State finished the game with 101 more yards of total offense as it had 421 yards (325 passing, 96 rushing) as compared to 320 (217 passing, 103 rushing) for UNLV, but USU committed six turnovers in the game with five interceptions and one fumble, while the Rebels did not turn it over once during the game. The Aggies also gave UNLV the ball at the USU 5-yard line following a bad snap on a punt and failed to convert two of its four fourth-down attempts. Junior linebacker MJ Tafisi and senior linebacker AJ Vongphachanh led the Aggies on the defensive side of the ball with 10 tackles apiece. USU senior defensive tackle Hale Motu'apuaka added seven tackles, including 2.0 sacks and 2.5 tackles for loss, for the Aggies, all of which are career highs. The Aggie defense finished the game with a season-high 4.0 sacks and a season-best 12.0 tackles for loss, and tied its season high with four pass breakups. Redshirt freshman safety Ike Larsen also blocked his second punt of the season, which resulted in a safety for the Aggies.
VOLLEYBALL
Contact: Ashley Springer - (435) 797-5547
This Week
Thur., Sept. 29 --- at Nevada, 7 p.m. (MT) (MWN)
Sat., Oct. 1 --- at San José State, 2 p.m. (MT) (MWN)
• Utah State volleyball (9-4, 1-1 MW) continues Mountain West action this week with a pair of road matches at Nevada (7-6, 1-1 MW) on Thursday, Sept. 29, at 7 p.m. (MT), and at San José State (8-4, 2-0 MW) on Saturday, Oct. 1, at 2 p.m. (MT). All-time, the Aggies are 26-25 against the Wolf Pack and 24-23-1 against the Spartans. Both matches will be streamed live on the Mountain West Network and available at www.utahstateaggies.com/watch.
Last Week
W, 3-2 --- AIR FORCE
L, 0-3 --- NEW MEXICO
• Utah State began Mountain West play with a 1-1 home record last week with a 3-2 comeback victory against Air Force and a 3-0 loss to New Mexico. Against the Falcons, USU hit .149 (61-35-174), while Air Force hit .141 (51-27-180). Junior outside hitter Tatum Stall led USU with a career-high-tying 21 kills for her second-straight match. Senior outside hitter Shelby Capllonch and Stokes also recorded double-digit kills with 12 and 10, respectively. Both Aggie setters finished with double-doubles as freshman Leah Wilton-LaBoy had 28 assists and 11 digs, while sophomore Beatriz Rodrigues had 26 assists and 11 digs. Capllonch led the team with a match-high 20 digs, while redshirt sophomore libero Jordi Holdaway added 15. Senior middle blocker Kennedi Boyd finished the night with a team-high five blocks. Against the Lobos, USU hit .152 (47-27-132), while UNM hit .210 (41-16-119). Two Aggies finished the match with double-digit kills as Boyd and Stall each had 10. Both USU setters had double-figure assists as Rodrigues had 19 and Wilton-LaBoy had 18. Defensively, Capllonch had 15 digs, while Holdaway had 14. Boyd led the Aggies with five blocks.
SOCCER
Contact: Daniel Hansen - (435) 797-8584
This Week
Thur., Sept. 29 --- at Wyoming, 4 p.m. (MWN)
Sun., Oct. 2 --- at Colorado State, 1 p.m. (MWN)
• Utah State soccer (5-2-4, 2-0-0 MW) returns to the road for a pair of Mountain West matches this week as it plays at Wyoming (1-4-4, 0-1-1 MW) on Thursday, Sept. 29, at 4 p.m., and at Colorado State (4-3-3, 1-0-1 MW) on Sunday, Oct. 2, at 1 p.m. Both matches will be streamed live on the Mountain West Network and available at www.utahstateaggies.com/watch.
Last Week
W, 1-0 --- at Nevada
W, 2-1 --- UNLV
• Utah State began Mountain West play with a pair of victories as it posted a 1-0 win at Nevada and a 2-1 home win against UNLV. Against the Wolf Pack, the Aggies outshot Nevada, 21-4, but were unable to break through until the 74th minute when sophomore Tenzi Knowles picked out a run by senior Nicole Hadlock through Nevada's back line. Hadlock lifted her shot over Nevada's keeper and into the net for the game's only goal. Freshman McKenzie Hunninghake posted her second straight shutout to begin her career, becoming the first Aggie to post shutouts in her first two career starts since Grace McGuire in 2016. At home versus the Rebels, Utah State started quick as freshman Kaylie Chambers headed in the game's opening goal in the fourth minute off assists from senior Sara Taylor and junior Alex Day. The Aggies doubled their lead in the 10th minute when Chambers slid a pass through the Rebel back line to Taylor, who tucked the left-footed strike past the keeper and into the net. After a Rebel goal in the 81st minute, Hunninghake and the Aggie defense fended off a late UNLV rally to preserve a 2-1 win.
GOLF
Contact: Wade Denniston - (435) 797-1361
Next Week
Mon.-Tues., Oct. 3-4 --- at Colorado Invite, All Day
• Utah State's golf team continues its 2022 fall season on Monday and Tuesday, Oct. 3-4, at the Colorado-hosted Mark Simpson Invitational. The 54-hole tournament will be played at the Colorado National Golf Club in Erie, Colorado.
Last Week
12th/17 --- at Valparaiso Invite
• Utah State finished 12th at the Valpo Fall Invitational, which was held last week at the Sand Creek Country Club in Chesterton, Indiana. The Aggies posted a 54-hole team score of 50-over 914 (298-301-315) against the 17-team field. Valparaiso, the tournament host, shot a 10-under 278 in the final round to run away with a 34-stroke victory. Loyola Chicago placed second (882, +18), DePaul placed third (883, +19), Purdue Fort Wayne was fourth (884, +20) and Northern Kentucky (887, +23) rounded out the top five. Utah State sophomore Esteban Jaramillo, who at one point was tied for the lead during the two-day tournament, finished tied for 10th at 2-over 218 (70-71-77). He finished with 11 birdies for the tournament to tie for eighth in the field of 99 golfers. Sophomore Javier Vazquez tied for 45th at 13-over 229, while junior Josh Pehrson tied for 67th at 18-over 234 in his Aggie debut. Sophomore Nathan Preslar tied for 79th at 21-over 237 and graduate Cameron Tucker tied for 87th at 25-over 241.
MEN'S TENNIS
Contact: Daniel Hansen - (435) 797-8584
This Week
Thur.-Sun., Sept. 29-2 --- at Utah Invite, All Day
• Utah State men's tennis continues its fall tournament season this week at the Utah Invitational on Thursday, Sept. 29, through Sunday, Oct. 2.
Last Competition
NTS --- at Boise State Invite
• Utah State men's tennis continued its fall tournament season with four Aggies taking part in the Boise State Invitational two weekends ago. Senior Javier Ruiz won the singles consolation bracket. Ruiz defeated Montana's Jake Watkins (6-2, 6-2) in the opening round of the tournament before bowing out in the second round to Boise State's Simon Arca Costas. Ruiz then reeled off four consecutive victories in the consolation bracket, defeating Montana's Josh Watkins (6-2, 6-2), Caelan Potts of St. Mary's (6-4, 4-6, 1-0 (10-3)), and Montana's George Russell (6-2, 6-2) to reach the finals. In the final round, Ruiz dispatched Idaho's Taiyo Kurata (4-6, 6-3, 1-0 (10-1)) to claim the consolation title. Playing alongside senior Roko Savin, Ruiz also placed second in the doubles draw of the tournament. The duo opened the tournament with wins over the Watkins brothers from Montana (8-4) and Boise State's Costas and Caden Moortgat (8-5). The partnership advanced through the semifinals by defeating Carlos Ramos and Diego Jarry of St. Mary's (8-6) before losing to BSU's Michael Bott and Jan Lucca Marquardt in the finals (8-6). Junior Stijn Paardekooper placed third in the singles tournament, recording wins over Montana's Tom Bittner (1-6, 7-6 (3), 3-0, retired) and Idaho's Bruno Casino (6-4, 7-6 (2)), before losing to Costas in the semifinals (6-4, 6-1). Paardekooper then defeated Marquardt (6-4, 6-1) in the third-place match.
WOMEN'S TENNIS
Contact: Ashley Springer - (435) 797-5547
This Week
Fri.-Sun., Sept. 30-2 --- at Colorado State Invite, All Day
• Utah State's women's tennis continues its fall schedule this weekend at the Colorado State Invite on Friday Sept. 30, through Sunday, Oct. 2.
Last Competition
NTS --- at Air Force Invite
• Utah State opened its 2022 fall tournament schedule at the Air Force-hosted ITA Bedford Cup in the Mountains last week. Graduate Monique Burton led the Aggies with a 5-3 mark over the weekend, including a 3-1 mark in singles play. Senior Zeynep Naz Orturk was second on the squad in singles with a 2-2 mark, while three Aggie pairs earned two doubles victories.
CROSS COUNTRY
Contact: Wade Denniston - (435) 797-1361
This Week
Fri., Sept. 30 --- at Lehigh Invite, 11:30 a.m. (MT)
• Utah State's men's and women's cross country teams will continue their seasons at the Lehigh-hosted Paul Short Run on Friday, Sept. 30, in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania.
Last Week
M: 1/5; W: 1/5 --- at Idaho State Open
• Utah State's cross country teams successfully defended their respective men's and women's titles at the Idaho State Open last week at the Centennial Cross Country Course in Pocatello, Idaho. Behind freshman Logan Garnica's first-place finish, the Utah State men finished with 21 points, well ahead of second-place Idaho State's 74 points. Salt Lake Community College took third (75), the College of Southern Idaho finished fourth (93) and Northwest Nazarene was fifth (174). Garnica completed the 6-kilometer course in 18:25.0. Fellow freshmen Stewart Brown and Lyman Floyd captured second and third, respectively, with times of 18:34.5 and 18:37.1. Rounding out the five scoring runners for the Aggies was sophomore Ben Berlin in sixth place (18:59.3) and freshman Grady Mylander in ninth (19:07.4). On the women's side, four of Utah State's scoring runners finished in the top 10 as the Aggies scored 25 points to win the team title. The host Bengals took second (50), CSI finished third (61), SLCC was fourth (117) and NNU took fifth (156). Sophomore Madison Strasner led the Aggie women as she placed third in the 6K race with a time of 22:34.3 Fellow sophomore Camilla McKinstry claimed fourth (22:43.3), senior Reagan Hoopes took sixth (23:09.2) and freshman Malia Lowe finished ninth (23:31.6). The final scoring runner for Utah State was senior Megan Terry in 11th (23:45.4).
