WEEKLY AGGIE UPDATE - SEPTEMBER 5, 2022

Weekly Aggie Update
 
FOOTBALL          
Contact: Doug Hoffman - (435) 797-3714
 
This Week
Sat., Sept. 10 --- WEBER STATE, 5 p.m. (MWN)
• Utah State football (1-1, 0-0 MW) continues its 2022 season this week as it hosts Weber State (1-0, 0-0 Big Sky) on Saturday, Sept. 10, at 5 p.m. USU is 14-1 all-time against the Wildcats. The game will be streamed live on the Mountain West Network and available at www.utahstateaggies.com.
 
Last Week
L, 0-55 --- at #1 Alabama
•  Reigning Heisman Trophy winner Bryce Young threw five first-half touchdown passes as No. 1 Alabama handed Utah State its first road loss since the 2020 season, 55-0 on Saturday night. The Aggies began the game on offense and started with a bang as graduate senior quarterback Logan Bonner completed a 23-yard pass to graduate senior wide receiver Brian Cobbs down the USU sideline. The Crimson Tide (1-0) defense stiffened after that, limiting the Aggies to just 35 yards and one first down the rest of the half. Meanwhile, Alabama racked up 350 yards and 22 first downs during the first 30 minutes of play, opening up a 41-0 advantage by the break. Redshirt freshman safety Ike Larsen shined for the Aggies on defense as he led the team with both a game- and career-high seven tackles, to go along with his second interception in as many games, and a blocked punt late in the fourth quarter. In limited action, Bonner finished 3-of-9 passing for 39 yards, while junior quarterback Cooper Legas was 3-of-8 passing for three yards and sophomore quarterback Levi Williams was 2-of-5 passing for 15 yards. Cobbs finished with two receptions on the night for 33 yards. Ground-wise, freshman running back Robert Briggs led Utah State with 28 yards on a career-high-tying 10 carries, while graduate senior running back Calvin Tyler Jr. carried the ball 12 times for 13 yards. The Aggies, who were shut out for the first time since 2007 against No. 19 Boise State, also a 55-0 result, finished with 136 yards and only seven first downs. Alabama racked up 559 yards of total offense and 30 first downs. Young, who played into the third quarter, was 18-of-28 for 195 yards and those five touchdowns. He also led the Tide on the ground with 100 yards and a touchdown on five carries. Defensively, Utah State had 5.0 tackles for loss, including 1.0 sacks, to go along with two pass breakups and the one interception. Junior punter Stephen Kotsanlee made the most of his opportunities as he tied his career high of 10 punts for an average of 38.3 yards. He also had a career-high four punts of at least 50 yards (51, 52, 53, 60), including a season long of 60, and he had four of his punts downed inside the 20-yard line.
 
 
VOLLEYBALL      
Contact: Ashley Springer - (435) 797-5547 
 
This Week
Fri., Sept. 9 --- vs. Portland State, Corvallis, Oregon, 2 p.m. (MT)
Fri., Sept. 9 --- at Oregon State, 9 p.m. (MT) (Pac-12 +)
Sat., Sept. 10 --- vs. Portland, Corvallis, Oregon, 12:30 p.m. (MT)
• Utah State volleyball (3-2, 0-0 MW) continues non-conference play this weekend at the Oregon State-hosted Asics Invitational. The Aggies face Portland State (2-4) and Oregon State (2-3) on Friday, Sept. 9, at 2 p.m. (MT), and 9 p.m. (MT), respectively, and Portland (5-1) at 12:30 p.m. (MT), on Saturday, Sept. 10. All-time, the Aggies are 6-4 against the Vikings, 1-3 against the Beavers and 6-5 against the Pilots. The match against OSU will be broadcast on Pac-12 Plus.
 
Last Week
L, 0-3 --- at #7 BYU 
L, 0-3 --- vs. #10 Pittsburgh, Provo, Utah
W, 3-0 --- vs. Cincinnati, Provo, Utah
•  Utah State went 1-2 last week at the BYU-hosted Nike Invitational as the Aggies lost to both No. 7 BYU and No. 10 Pittsburgh 3-0 before sweeping Cincinnati, 3-0. Against the Cougars, USU hit  -.037 (21-24-81), while BYU hit .365 (35-8-74). Senior outside hitter Shelby Capllonch hit a team-best .417 in the match with six kills, while redshirt freshman outside Kaylie Ray posted five. USU was led by freshman setter Leah Wilton-LaBoy with 11 assists, redshirt sophomore libero Jordi Holdaway with 11 digs and graduate opposite side hitter Emilee Turner with three blocks. Wilton-LaBoy and Ray both recorded a match-high-tying two service aces. Against the Panthers, USU hit .196 (35-17-92) in the match, while Pitt hit .493 (41-7-69). Capllonch hit .400 in the match with 12 kills to lead the Aggies, while Ray hit .500 with eight kills. USU was led by sophomore setter Beatriz Rodrigues with 19 assists, Holdaway with five digs, Capllonch with three service aces, and Ray and redshirt freshman middle blocker Bella Wooden with three total blocks each. Against the Bearcats, USU hit .271 (43-14-107), while holding Cincinnati to a .181 (33-16-94) mark. Stokes led USU with eight kills, while junior outside hitter Tatum Stall, senior middle blocker Kennedi Boyd, Capllonch and Turner each notched seven. Wilton-LaBoy recorded a team-best 18 assists and four service aces. Holdaway had a match-best 17 digs, while Boyd, Capllonch and Wooden each posted a match-high-tying three blocks. 
 
 
SOCCER               
Contact: Daniel Hansen - (435) 797-8584 
 
This Week
Thur., Sept. 8  --- at Texas, 6 p.m. (MT) 
Sun., Sept. 11  --- at Utah, 5 p.m.
•  Utah State soccer (2-0-3, 0-0-0 MW) continues its 2022 season this week with a pair of non-conference road matches as it plays at Texas (2-1-1) on Thursday, Sept. 8, at 6 p.m. (MT) and at Utah (3-1-1) on Sunday, Sept. 11, at 5 p.m. USU is facing the Longhorns for the first time and is 5-18 all-time against the Utes. Live stats will be available online at www.utahstateaggies.com. 
 
Last Week
T, 0-0 --- at UC Riverside 
•  Utah State finished in a 0-0 tie at UC Riverside last week in its only match. USU had 11 shots to the Highlanders' eight, as junior defender Kelsey Kaufusi led the Aggies with a season-high five shots, including two on goal. Freshman wing Tess Werts matched the two shots on goal on each of her two shots during the match. USU had its best chances with 10 minutes to play as senior forward Sara Taylor's shot in the 81st minute went off the frame of the goal. Freshman forward Kaylie Chambers met a similar fate as her shot in the 89th minute careened off the cross bar, leaving the game scoreless. Senior keeper Diera Walton recorded the 18th shutout of her career, putting her all alone in third place in the USU record books, trailing only Molli Merrill (21) and Ali Griffin (22). Walton made her only save of the game in the 62nd minute on the Highlanders only shot on goal as the USU defense stymied the UCR attack throughout the contest.
 
 
GOLF    
Contact: Wade Denniston - (435) 797-1361 
 
This Week
Fri.-Sun., Sept. 9-11 --- at Air Force Invite, All Day
•  Utah State's golf team continues its 2022 fall season Friday through Sunday, Sept. 9-11, at the Air Force-hosted Gene Miranda Falcon Invitational. The 54-hole tournament will be played on the Blue Course at the Eisenhower Golf Club. 
 
Last Week
L 4.5-11.5 --- at Weber State Cup 
•  Utah State opened the fall portion of its schedule last week against Weber State at the Ogden Golf & Country Club in Ogden, Utah, in a match play event. The Wildcats led 4.5-3.5 after the first two rounds of competition, then went on to beat the Aggies 11.5-4.5. Junior Javier Vazquez and sophomore Esteban Jaramillo teamed up to win their best-ball match. Junior Josh Pehrson and grad Cameron Tucker, along with junior John Cook and sophomore Luis Gerardo Cantu, captured their respective alternate-shot matches, while sophomores Julio Arronte Sanchez and Nathan Preslar earned half a point for the Aggies. In individual singles play, Jaramillo and Preslar each garnered half a point for USU.
 
 
MEN'S TENNIS 
Contact: Daniel Hansen - (435) 797-8584 
 
This Week
Fri.-Sun., Sept. 9-11 --- at Midland (Texas) Invite, All Day
•  Utah State's men's tennis team begins its 2022 fall season at the Midland (Texas) Invitational from Friday through Sunday, Sept. 9-11.
 
Preseason Notes
•  Utah State returns seven letterwinners from last year's team that went 11-12 overall and finished second in the Mountain West during the regular season with a 4-2 league record. Highlighting USU's returners are a pair of seniors in David Cierny and Bodin Zarkovic, who were both named MW all-conference as individuals and as a doubles team. The duo compiled a 6-9 record as a doubles team last season, including a 3-3 mark in MW play while seeing action exclusively at the No. 1 position. In singles play, the tandem anchored the top of USU's lineup at the first and second positions. Zarkovic put together a 13-5 record in singles matches, plus a 2-3 mark in MW action while playing at the first position. Cierny posted a 10-8 record in singles play, including a 4-1 mark at the No. 2-spot in MW play. Other returners include seniors Javier Ruiz and Roko Savin, junior Jack Ninteman, and sophomores Gabriel Chavez and Sergi Mico Fenollar.
 
 
CROSS COUNTRY            
Contact: Wade Denniston - (435) 797-1361 
 
Next Competition
Fri., Sept. 23 --- at Idaho State Open, 9 a.m.
•  Utah State's men's and women's cross country teams will continue their seasons at the Idaho State Open on Friday, Sept. 23. 
 
Last Week
M: 1/3; W: 1/3 --- USU SAGEBRUSH INVITE 
•  Utah State opened the 2022 season with a pair of team victories at the Sagebrush Invitational last weekend. Seniors Bailey Brinkerhoff and Bridger Altice paced the Aggies in the women's and men's races, respectively, as each placed second overall. In the men's race, former Aggie All-American and current cross country volunteer assistant coach Dillon Maggard placed first overall in the 7K race with a time of 21:03. USU then claimed the ensuing six spots starting with Altice in second (21:09), junior Max Wehrli in third (21:24) and graduate Darren Harman in fourth (21:34). As a team, the Aggie men took first place with a total of 20 points. The College of Idaho claimed second place with 108 points, while Westminster finished in third with 161 points. On the women's side, another former Aggie claimed first place as Tori Parkinson recorded a time of 17:47. The following three placers represented Utah State as Brinkerhoff crossed with a time of 18:08, senior Abby Jensen placed third with a time of 18:12 and freshman Carissa Hofeling took fourth place with a time of 18:14. The Aggie women placed first as a team with a total of 24 points, finishing ahead of College of Idaho in second place with 76 points and Westminster in third place with 100 points.