Back in Action
Utah State soccer (11-7-1, 8-2-0 MW) concludes the regular season portion of its 2023 slate this week as it hits the road to take on Boise State. The Aggies and the Broncos (10-2-6, 8-1-1 MW) face off on Thursday, Oct. 26, at 7 p.m., at BSU's Boas Soccer Complex.
Follow Along
This week's match will be streamed free on the Mountain West Network. Fans can follow along via live stats online, with stream and stat links available at www.utahstateaggies.com.
Series History
• Utah State and Boise State have met up 23 times in a series that dates back to 1998.
• The Aggies hold a 13-6-4 advantage in the series, and have won four of the past six meetings. When the teams faced off last year in Logan, USU came out on top with a 2-0 win.
• In Boise, Utah State has a 7-4-1 record against the Broncos.
Scouting the Broncos
• Boise State enters Thursday's contest with a 10-2-6 record, and is 8-1-1 in MW play, currently tied atop the Mountain West table with San Diego State.
• The Broncos have been led in scoring this season by junior forwards Kenzie MacMillan and Carly Cross, who each have nine goals. MacMillan also leads the squad with a league-best seven assists, and ranks first in the MW with 25 points.
Tournament Time
This year's Mountain West Championship will be held in Laramie, Wyoming. The quarterfinal round will take place Sunday, Oct. 29, followed by the semifinal round on Wednesday, Nov. 1. The MW Championship match is set for Saturday, Nov. 4, at noon.
What's At Stake?
• Both Utah State and Boise State enter this week's matchup still in the hunt for the Mountain West regular season title and a bye in the first round of next week's MW Championship.
• Boise State currently sits tied with San Diego State for first in the MW with 25 points, while USU is just one spot back with 24 points.
What's the Scenario?
• With a win on Thursday, USU can secure a first-round bye and a spot as a top-two seed in the MW Championships. With a loss or draw, the Aggies will be the three-seed and play an undetermined six-seed opponent in the quarterfinal round on Sunday.
• With a win on Thursday and a San Diego State loss or draw to New Mexico, Utah State would take sole possession of the 2023 Mountain West regular season title.
Making History
• With a pair of wins last week, the Aggies became the first USU squad to ever win eight games in conference play in a season. Previously, two Utah State squads had hit the seven league win mark, most recently in 2016.
• This is also just the sixth Aggie team in program history to reach 11 total wins in a season.
Locking it Down
• The Utah State defense has proven itself as one of the best in the Mountain West, currently holding opponents to a league-best 0.84 goals per game. The Aggies have held 16 of their 19 opponents to a goal or less, including 13 of the previous 14 entering this week.
• In each of the team's three seasons under head coach Manny Martins, USU has held opponents under one goal per game.
• The Aggies lead the Mountain West with five shutouts in conference play, allowing just six total goals to their 10 MW opponents.
A Fitting Senior Sendoff
Utah State forward Nicole Hadlock-Hardy played the hero role in her final match at Chuck and Gloria Bell Field, as the team earned a 2-1 win over Nevada on Senior Day. With the match tied at 1-1, the captain knocked home a 72nd minute game-winning goal to secure the team's fourth-straight win.
In the Polls
Utah State moved up to No. 8 in this week's United Soccer Coaches Pacific Region Poll, jumping one spot after making its season debut at No. 9 last week.
That's Deep
The Aggies have relied on their depth this season to score, with a league-best 12 different players finding the back of the net. Additionally, 12 players have recorded at least one assist.
Brick Wall
Utah State's Diera Walton has set nearly every program career keeper record in the book during her five-year stint as an Aggie, and currently ranks fifth among active DI keepers in career minutes played with 7,324. She also ranks fourth in the NCAA this season in minutes played with 1,643.
That's The Goal
The Aggies are a near-perfect 11-1 this season when scoring at least one goal, and they've scored first in each of their 11 wins. Under Martins, when scoring at least one goal USU is 32-9-5.
Another Freshman Brace
• In the team's win over San José State, forward Solena Sellers came up big for the Aggies. The true freshman entered the game in the 29th minute, then netted the game's first goal in the 41st minute. Sellers then followed what was the first goal of her collegiate career with a second strike just five minutes later.
• Sellers is just the second Aggie player with a multi-goal game this season, joining fellow true freshman Summer Diamond, who scored a brace in the season opener vs Weber State.
