WEEKLY AGGIE UPDATE - SEPTEMBER 11, 2023
Weekly Aggie Update
FOOTBALL
Contact: Doug Hoffman - (435) 797-3714
This Week
Fri., Sept. 15 --- at Air Force, 6 p.m. (CBSSN)
• Utah State football (1-1, 0-0 MW) continues its 2023 season this weekend as it begins Mountain West play at Air Force (2-0, 0-0 MW) on Friday, Sept. 15, at 6 p.m., in a game that will be televised on CBS Sports Network (Xfinity Ch. 269/753HD, DISH Ch. 158, DirecTV Ch. 221). USU is 5-6 all-time against the Falcons, which includes a 2-4 road record. USU has won each of the two last games played in the series.
Last Week
W, 78-28 --- IDAHO STATE
• Sophomore running back Robert Briggs Jr. rushed for a career-high 101 yards and one touchdown on nine carries to help lead Utah State to a dominating 78-28 home-opening win against Idaho State last weekend. The Aggies racked up 591 yards of total offense, including 380 on the ground – the 19th-most in school history. Junior running back Rahsul Faison nearly eclipsed the century mark as he had 95 yards rushing and one touchdown on just five carries, while fellow junior running back Davon Booth ran for 83 yards and two scores on just six carries. This was Utah State's sixth-consecutive victory over Idaho State, which finished with 424 total yards – 323 through the air and 101 on the ground. The 78 points scored by the Aggies are the fourth-most in school history and the most since 1919, when they defeated these same Bengals by a whopping 136-0. Utah State senior quarterback Cooper Legas was 14-of-16 passing for 125 yards and two touchdowns. Two other signal callers got into the game for the Aggies as junior Levi Williams was 5-of-7 passing for 68 yards and two touchdowns, while freshman McCae Hillstead made his Aggie debut, completing 3-of-5 passes for 18 yards. Senior wide receiver Terrell Vaughn caught 11 passes for 73 yards and a career-high-tying two touchdowns. While the Aggie offense found the end zone nine times on the night, the defense also got into the scoring act on two occasions. Sophomore safety Ike Larsen intercepted a pass and returned it 47 yards for a touchdown to give USU a 34-7 lead with 5:44 remaining in the second quarter. It was his fifth-career interception and second career pick-six. Junior cornerback Jaiden Francois capped the game's scoring with a pick-six of his own, returning it 75 yards for a touchdown with 54 seconds remaining in the fourth. USU went into halftime leading 51-14, which are the second-most first-half points in school history. Redshirt junior safety Anthony Switzer recorded both a game- and career-high 10 tackles on the night, while senior punter Stephen Kotsanlee had a career-long 69-yard punt.
SOCCER
Contact: Jaden Johnson - (435) 797-2066
This Week
Sat., Sept. 16 --- No. 1 BYU, 3 p.m. (MWN)
• Utah State soccer (2-5-1, 0-0-0 MW) hosts No. 1 BYU (7-0) on Saturday, Sept. 16, at 3 p.m., in its non-conference finale. This will be the first time USU has faced the No. 1 team in the nation. The match will be streamed on the Mountain West Network, with links to live stats and video available at www.utahstateaggies.com.
Last Week
L, 0-1 --- vs. Arizona State, Tucson, Arizona
L, 0-1 --- at Arizona
• Utah State lost a pair of 1-0 matches in Tucson, Arizona last week as part of the Arizona Classic, falling to Pac-12 foes Arizona State and Arizona. Against ASU, the Sun Devils registered eight quick shots in the first 15 minutes of action, though the game remained even until a 36th minute goal put ASU ahead. In the contest, each side finished with four shots on goal. Sophomore midfielder Kaylie Chambers led the team's attack with three shots, two of which were on target. The USU defense held strong in the second half, allowing just three ASU shots in the final 45 minutes, while the Aggies fired off five of their own. USU didn't allow the Sun Devils a single corner kick in the contest. Against Arizona, each side registered just one shot on target through the first 45 minutes. The Aggie offense found some momentum after the halftime break, registering seven shots in the final 45 minutes. The teams exchanged opportunities through much of the half, remaining even until a 77th minute goal off the foot of Arizona's Nicole Dallin found the top corner of the net. Junior forward Bizzy Arevalo split a pair of Wildcat defenders in the 87th minute, but a right-footed attempt at the top corner deflected off the frame. Chambers had another opportunity from the middle of the box in the 88th minute, but had her shot blocked by an Arizona defender.
VOLLEYBALL
Contact: Ashley Springer - (435) 797-5547
This Week
Thur., Sept. 14--- at Utah Valley, 6 p.m. (ESPN+)
Sat., Sept. 16 --- No. 8 BYU, 7 p.m. (MWN)
• Utah State volleyball (6-3, 0-0 MW) wraps up non-conference play this week by facing a pair of in-state rivals. First, USU plays at Utah Valley (3-5) on Thursday, Sept. 14, at 6 p.m., in game broadcast on ESPN+. USU then hosts No. 8 BYU (8-1) on Saturday, Sept. 16, at 7 p.m., in a game broadcast via the Mountain West Network and available at www.utahstateaggies.com.
Last Week
L, 0-3 --- at Texas A&M
L, 0-3 --- vs. TCU, College Station, Texas
W, 3-0 --- vs. UNI, College Station, Texas
• Utah State went 1-2 last week at the Texas A&M Invitational with a pair 3-0 losses to Texas A&M and TCU, before logging a 3-0 victory against UNI. Against the College Station Aggies, USU hit .040 (31-27-101), while Texas A&M hit .256 (32-12-78). Junior opposite side hitter Adna Mehmedovic led USU with eight kills, while both junior setter Beatriz Rodrigues and sophomore setter Leah Wilton-LaBoy logged 12 assists each. Defensively, Rodrigues led USU with eight digs, while Mehmedovic led with four blocks. Against the Horned Frogs, USU hit .094 (36-24-128), while TCU hit .182 (38-18-110). Graduate outside hitter Shelby Capllonch led USU with eight kills. Both Aggie setters logged 13 assists each in Rodrigues and Wilton-LaBoy. Defensively, USU was led by freshman libero Kambree Rodriguez with 10 digs and graduate middle blocker Kennedi Boyd with five blocks. And against the Panthers, USU hit .293 (37-10-92), while UNI hit .045 (32-27-111). Capllonch and sophomore opposite side hitter Kaylie Ray led USU with seven kills each. Two Aggies hit above .600 in the match as Ray hit a career-high .636 (7-0-11), while senior middle blocker Kelsey Watson hit a career-best .750 (6-0-8). Wilton-LaBoy logged her ninth career double-double with 15 assists and a match-best 12 digs. Rodrigues also recorded double-digit assists with 14. Defensively, two more Aggies had double-digit digs as Capllonch had 11 and Rodriguez had 10. Watson led USU with a match-high six blocks.
CROSS COUNTRY
Contact: Jake Ellis - (435) 797-8584
Next Week
Mon., Sept. 18 --- at NCAA Mountain Regional Preview, Reno, Nevada, 10 a.m. (MT)
• Utah State's cross country teams will hit the road for the first time on Monday, Sept. 18, when they travel to Reno, Nevada, for the 2024 NCAA Mountain Regional Preview. The races will be held at the Washoe County Golf Course.
Last Competition
M: 1/2; W: 1/2 --- UTAH STATE SAGEBRUSH INVITATIONAL
• Utah State's cross country programs each opened the season with a victory two weekends ago at the USU-hosted Sagebrush Invitational. The Aggies swept the team competitions in both the men's and women's races. On the men's side, junior Brennan Benson led the way by placing first overall with a time of 21:25. The Aggies claimed four of the top-five places as freshman Drew Hogan placed third with a time of 21:31 and sophomores Caleb Armstrong and LJ Floyd took fourth and fifth, respectively, with times of 21:32 and 21:34. On the women's side, freshman Natalie Swain led the Aggies by placing third with a time of 18:33. Sophomore Sarah Ellis placed fifth with a time of 18:43 and freshman Shelby Jensen finished sixth with a time of 18:46.
GOLF
Contact: Wade Denniston - (435) 797-1361
This Week
Sun.-Tues., Sept. 10-12 --- at Air Force Invite, 8:30 a.m.
• Utah State's golf team continues its 2023 fall season Sunday through Tuesday, Sept. 10-12, at the Air Force-hosted Gene Miranda Falcon Invitational. The 54-hole tournament will be played on the Eisenhower Blue Course.
Last Competition
W, 9-6 --- WEBER STATE
• Utah State opened the fall portion of its schedule two weekends ago with a 9-6 victory over Weber State in a Ryder Cup-style match play event at the Logan Country Club. Leading 6-2 heading into the final day of competition, the Aggies did what they needed to in order to record the victory over the Wildcats. Junior Esteban Jaramillo's 2-up victory over Isaac Burger in singles play on Sunday cemented Utah State's win. Jaramillo found himself 2-down with eight holes to play, but managed to make up the deficit and help the Aggies beat the Wildcats.
WOMEN'S TENNIS
Contact: Adalee Randall - (435) 797-8584
This Week
Fri.-Sun., Sept. 15-17 --- at Air Force Invite, All Day
• Utah State women's tennis continues its fall season this weekend at the Air Force-hosted Bedford Cup in the Mountains on Thursday through Sunday, Sept. 14-17.
Last Week
NTS --- at Texas A&M-Corpus Christi Invite
• Utah State women's tennis participated in the Texas A&M-Corpus Christi-hosted Jake Frederick Memorial Islander Open last weekend and two pairs of Aggies played in the final round of doubles play in their consolation draws. Fifth-year senior Zeynep Naz Ozturk and freshman Niyati Kukreti won their consolation bracket in Flight A by retirement. Following doubles play, seven Aggies competed in the final singles rounds of draw play. Kukreti recorded a 6-0, 6-2 straight-set win over LU's Marika Mueller in Flight B to take the consolation title. In another Flight B draw, Nunez Pureco had a three-set victory over Texas A&M-Kingsville's Manuela Turolo, 6-2, 5-7, (10-8). In Flight C and D, respectively, Hilario and Nespor each won in three-set victories. Hilario defeated Texas State's Sofia Fortuno, 6-2, 7-6 (9-7), while Nespor defeated Texas A&M-Corpus Christi's Victoire Delattre, 5-7, 6-2 (10-6). Freshman Savannah Johnson competed in the Flight X draw, which included three other players in a round-robin style play. Johnson defeated Texas A&M Kingsville's Ella Hester in a 6-4, 6-3 straight-set victory to take second in her flight.
MEN'S TENNIS
Contact: Adalee Randall - (435) 797-8584
This Week
Fri.-Sun., Sept. 15-17 --- at Boise State Invite, All Day
• Utah State's men's tennis team begins its 2023 fall season at the Boise State-hosted Bronco Invitational from Friday through Sunday, Sept. 15-17.
Preseason Notes
• Utah State returns four letterwinners from last year's team that went 12-13 overall and finished fourth in the Mountain West during the regular season with a 3-3 league record. Highlighting USU's returners is fifth-year Bodin Zarkovic, who was named MW all-conference for singles and doubles play. Zarkovic played at the Nos. 1 and 2 positions and tabbed a 21-9 singles record last season, which earned him the second ranking for dual match singles wins in USU history. Other returners include senior Stijn Paardekooper, junior Sergi Micó Fenollar, and sophomore Nuno
