Aggies Set for Final Road Trip of Regular Season

Full Notes (PDF)

Women's Soccer 10/23/2024 12:10:00 PM

BACK IN ACTION
Utah State soccer (14-1-3, 5-1-2 MW) heads out for its final road trip of the 2024 regular season as it travels to the Silver State, first playing at UNLV on Thursday, Oct. 24, at 8 p.m. (MT), then playing at Nevada on Sunday, Oct. 27, at 2 p.m. (MT).

FOLLOW ALONG
Both of this week's matches can be streamed for free on the Mountain West Network. Fans can also follow along with statistics via Statbroadcast, with stream and stat links available at www.utahstateaggies.com.

ALMOST TOURNAMENT TIME
• With just three games remaining in the regular season, teams will soon prepare for the Mountain West Tournament, taking place from Nov. 3-9, in San Diego, California.
• Entering the week, Utah State has not yet clinched a spot in the tournament, but is close to doing so. Six teams will qualify for the tournament, while the top two teams will earn a first-round bye to automatically make it through to the semifinals.
• The first round will be played on Sunday, Nov. 3, with the semifinals on Wednesday, Nov. 6, and the championship on Saturday, Nov. 9.
• A spot in the tournament, a first-round bye and a regular season title are all still within reach for Utah State.

REWRITING THE RECORD BOOKS
With still three games left in the regular season, this year's Aggie squad has already etched its name in the record books in several different categories.
                • 1st all-time with 53 goals (previous record was 40 in 2007)
                • 1st all-time with 52 assists (previous record was 34 in 2021 and 2007)
                • 1st all-time with 158 points (previous record was 114 in 2007)
                • T-1st all-time with 11 shutouts (record is 11 in 2011 and 2013)
                • 2nd all-time with a 0.61 GAA (record is 0.55 in 2012)
                • 2nd all-time with 160 shots on goal (record is 165 in 2002)

CHAMBERS DOES IT ALL
• Utah State junior forward Kaylie Chambers, a two-time all-Mountain West selection, is having the best statistical season of her career this year.
• After leading the team in both goals (4) and assists (5) last season, Chambers has once again been the team's top passer with seven assists this year, to go along with three goals.
• Her seven assists lead the Mountain West and rank 27th in the NCAA.

IT'S TESS TIME
• Utah State junior forward Tess Werts is also having a dominant statistical season, currently leading both the team and the conference in goals scored with eight.
• Werts had scored four goals in two seasons prior to this year.
• She has also tallied five assists for a total of 21 points. This leads the Mountain West and ranks 50th nationally.

SPREADING THE WEALTH
• One major key to Utah State's high-powered offense is the number of players who can score. USU currently ranks second in the nation with 19 different players recording goals this year. 13 different players have scored at least twice and nine players have scored at least three times this year.
• Against San José State in what was just the 11th game of the season, Utah State set a new program record for most assists in a season with its 35th helper of the year.
• 17 USU players have recorded assists this year, as the team has totaled 52.

MANNY MARTINS MAGIC
• Utah State head coach Manny Martins, the 2023 Mountain West Coach of the Year, has built the Aggies into a powerhouse during his four years in Logan. As the head coach at USU, he has a 49-20-15 (.673) record, including a 24-10-7 (.671) mark in conference games. In the three years prior to his arrival, the team won just 16 total games.
• Martins' career winning percentage of .673 ranks second-best in Mountain West Conference history, behind only BYU's Jennifer Rockwood's .739 from 1999-2010.

AGGIE DOMINATION
• Along with a stellar 14-1-3 record this year, the Aggies have been one of the most dominant teams in the country. USU has out-scored opponents by a combined score of 53-11. This ranks as the second-best scoring differential in the nation.
• Utah State's scoring differential this season (+42) is greater than the previous program record for goals in a season (40).

SHUT 'EM DOWN
• While allowing just 11 total goals this season, the Aggie defense has posted 11 shutouts. Going back to last season, USU has held 19 of its past 30 opponents scoreless.
• Going back to the 2022 season, 20 of the past 33 games against Mountain West opponents have been shutouts as well.

IN THE POLLS
• After having never receiving a vote in the United Soccer Coaches Poll prior to the season, the Aggies spent seven-straight weeks ranked earlier this year. This week, Utah State ranks just outside of the top 25, receiving 17 votes as the second team out.
• USU's ranking of No. 7 on Sept. 17 was tied for the highest a USU team in any sport has ever been ranked, equaling the men's basketball team's No. 7 ranking in 1960. This is also the third-highest ranking ever by a Mountain West soccer team, and the highest since 2012.
• In the NCAA women's soccer RPI rankings, Utah State ranks No. 20 this week. Two other Mountain West teams (Boise State and Colorado State) are in the top 100.

CAN'T SCORE ON CORA
• Utah State graduate keeper Cora Brendle joined Utah State as a grad transfer after four extremely successful years at USC Upstate, and she is now making a legacy at USU as well.
• After missing a few games early with an injury, Brendle has now made 13 appearances and 11 starts with just six goals allowed. Her 0.500 GAA ranks 16th in the nation and first in the Mountain West.

AGGIE IRONWOMAN
With the 89th appearance of her career coming against New Mexico on Oct. 6, graduate defender Kylie Olsen became the most tenured Aggie of all time, breaking the program record for appearances in a career. The previous record was held by Kami Warner, who played 88 matches from 2017-21. Olsen has now played 93 games, while graduate defender Alysia Butters now ranks second all-time with 90 games played.

MEET THE CHALLENGE
According to Massey Ratings, Utah State played the 23rd toughest non-conference schedule in the nation this year, making it through that stretch without a loss. The non-conference slate this year included seven games away from home, four games against 2023 NCAA Tournament teams, four games against in-state opponents and three games against Big 12 foes.

BY THE NUMBERS
As a team, Utah State ranks nationally in the top 20 in several major statistical categories, including: goal differential (2nd, +42), scoring offense (5th - 2.94), winning percentage (6th - .861), points per game (6th - 8.78), assists per game (6th - 2.89), shots on goal per game (12th - 8.89) and shutout percentage (14th - .611)

AGGIES VS REBELS
Thursday's contest will be the 18th all-time between Utah State and UNLV, with the Aggies trailing in the series 7-10-0. USU has won four-straight over UNLV, including a 2-0 win last season in Logan with two goals just 80 seconds apart in the 66th and 67th minutes. In Las Vegas, Utah State is 4-4-0 against UNLV.

AGGIES VS WOLF PACK
Sunday's contest will be the 24th all-time meeting between Utah State and Nevada. The Aggies hold a 16-7-0 series advantage, with three-straight wins and wins in six of the past seven meetings, including a 2-1 win last season in Logan. In Reno, Utah State is 5-6-0 against the Wolf Pack.

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