Back in Action
Utah State soccer (2-5-1, 0-0 MW) returns home to wrap up the non-conference portion of its 2023 slate this weekend as the Aggies host No. 1 BYU (7-0-1, 0-0 Big 12) on Saturday, Sept. 16, at 3 p.m., at Chuck and Gloria Bell Field.
Follow Along
Saturday's match will be streamed free on Mountain West Network. Fans can follow along with the contest via live stats online, with stream and stat links available at www.utahstateaggies.com.
Series History
• Utah State and BYU have met up 15 times in a series which dates back to 1998.
• The Cougars hold a 13-1-1 advantage in the series, but have come away winless in the past two meetings.
• Last season, the teams played to a 1-1 draw in Logan after an 83rd minute equalizer was scored by USU's Whitney Lopez. In 2021, USU earned a 2-1 overtime win over the Cougars in Provo on a 99th minute golden goal by Tenzi Knowles.
Scouting the Cougars
• BYU enters Saturday's contest undefeated with a 7-0-1 record, having earned seven-straight wins before playing TCU to a 1-1 draw in its most recent contest on Thursday.
• The Cougars have been led in scoring this season by sophomore forward Erin Bailey, who has six goals on the year. Senior defender Kendell Petersen leads the squad with seven assists.
•In 2022, BYU posted an 11-3-7 overall record, going 6-0-1 in conference play before making a run to the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament.
A First for Everything
This will be the first time Utah State has ever faced off against a No. 1-ranked opponent, as BYU currently sits atop the United Soccer Coaches poll. USU's current highest-ranked win came against the Cougars in Provo in 2021, when BYU ranked No. 18.
Reppin' the Beehive State
• Saturday's match will feature 45 players from the state of Utah, as Utah State and BYU rank first and second, respectively, in rostered players from the Beehive State.
• There will be 25 Utah high schools represented between the two sides, while American Fork HS (9) and Lone Peak HS (4) have the most alumni in the match.
Cornering the Competition
Utah State is averaging 4.75 corner kicks per game this season, up from 4.0 in 2022. Against South Dakota on Sept. 3, the Aggies took 14 corners, a mark which ranks third-most in program history and was the most by a USU team since 2002.
Putting it to the Test
Utah State's non-conference schedule this season is one of its toughest in recent history. Entering this week, the Aggies' nine non-conference opponents hold a combined record of 38-15-15, while eight of those teams currently have a winning record.
Home Field Advantage
Chuck and Gloria Bell Field has been one of the Mountain West's most consistent home field advantages in recent years. Under coach Manny Martins, the Aggies have lost just five home games, posting a 16-5-5 record.
At the Peak
• Following Saturday's matchup against BYU, the Aggies jump into Mountain West play for the remainder of the season. The team's conference slate begins with a road trip to face Air Force on Sept. 21, followed by Colorado College on Sept. 24.
• The Aggies went 5-3-3 in league play last season, finishing tied for fourth.
Making History
• Utah State graduate goalie Diera Walton continues to etch her name in the program record books. Against South Dakota, Walton moved into a tie atop USU's all-time shutouts leaderboard with her 22nd career clean sheet. She needs just one more to hold the record outright.
• Against Utah on Aug. 24, Walton became the program's all-time saves leader with her 274th career save. She also recently took over the top spot on the program's goalie minutes played list, and has now logged over 6,000 minutes in net.
Keeping Bizzy
Utah State junior attacker Bizzy Arevalo played an integral role in USU's win over South Dakota State on Sept. 1, posting the first three-point performance of her career. Arevalo set the tone early with a goal in the ninth minute. She then beat out a defender in the 28th minute to find Nicole Hadlock-Hardy in front of the net for a goal to put the Aggies up 2-0.
