BACK IN ACTION
No. 25 Utah State soccer (15-1-4, 6-1-3 MW) wraps up the 2024 regular season this week as it hosts Boise State on Thursday, Oct. 31, at 3 p.m. (MT), at Chuck & Gloria Bell Field in Logan. 
 
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 one game remaining in the regular season, teams will soon prepare for the Mountain West Tournament, taking place from Nov. 3-9, in San Diego, California.
• The first round will be played on Sunday, Nov. 3, with the semifinals on Wednesday, Nov. 6, and the championship on Saturday, Nov. 9. 
• Utah State won last year's MW Tournament as a 2-seed.
 
WHAT'S THE SCENARIO?
• Utah State has clinched a spot in the Mountain West Tournament, and is guaranteed either the 2-seed or the 3-seed. The top two seeds get a first round bye.
• If Utah State beats Boise State, coupled with a Colorado State loss or draw versus Wyoming, USU will be the 2-seed. Otherwise, it will be the 3-seed. 
 
SENIOR SALUTE
• Prior to Thursday's match, Utah State will honor its nine graduating seniors as part of its Senior Day celebration. Those being honored include forward Bizzy Arevalo, midfielders Alex Day, Whitney Lopez and Rine Yonaha, defenders Alysia Butters, Kylie Olsen, Kaitlyn Richins and Addy Weichers and goalkeeper Cora Brendle. 
• This group, during one of the most successful eras in the history of Aggie soccer, has combined for 631 appearances and 457 starts. 
• Four-year seniors during their careers at USU have gone 50-20-16. 
 
A HEAVYWEIGHT BATTLE
Thursday's matchup will pit two of the top teams in the nation in terms of winning percentage against each other. Utah State is one of just 13 one-loss teams in the nation and ranks sixth with a 0.850 winning percentage. Boise State, currently 15-2-2, is just one spot back, ranked seventh nationally with a 0.842 winning percentage.
 
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 56 goals (previous record was 40 in 2007)
                • 1st all-time with 56 assists (previous record was 34 in 2021 and 2007)
                • 1st all-time with 168 points (previous record was 114 in 2007)
                • 1st all-time with 12 shutouts (record is 11 in 2011 and 2013)
                • 1st all-time with 169 shots on goal (record is 165 in 2002)
                • T-1st all-time with 15 wins (other instance was in 2011)
                • 2nd all-time with a 0.65 GAA (record is 0.55 in 2012) 
 
KAYLIE 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 eight assists this year, to go along with three goals. 
• Her eight assists lead the Mountain West and rank 19th in the NCAA.
• She also now ranks third in program history for assists in a single season (8) and tied for fifth for assists in a career (15). 
 
THAT'S WERTS UP
• Utah State junior forward Tess Werts is also having a dominant statistical season, currently leading the team and ranking second in the conference in total points with 23, coming on eight goals and seven assists.
• Her eight goals rank third in the MW, while her eight assists rank fourth. 
• Prior to this season, Werts had totaled four total goals and five assists in two seasons.
 
IN THE POLLS
• Utah State returned to the United Soccer Coaches Poll this week after a two-week hiatus. 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 checks in at No. 25 with 19 points in the poll.  
• 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. 
 
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 56. 
 
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 50-20-16 (.674) record, including a 25-10-8 (.674) mark in conference games. In the three years prior to his arrival, the team won just 16 total games. 
• Martins' career winning percentage of .674 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 15-1-4 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 56-13. This ranks as the second-best scoring differential in the nation. 
• Utah State's scoring differential this season (+43) is greater than the previous program record for goals in a season (40).
 
SHUT 'EM DOWN
• While allowing just 13 total goals this season, the Aggie defense has posted 12 shutouts. Going back to last season, USU has held 20 of its past 32 opponents scoreless. 
• Going back to the 2022 season, 21 of the past 35 games against Mountain West opponents have been shutouts as well. 
 
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 95 games, while graduate defender Alysia Butters now ranks second all-time with 92 games played. 
 
WELCOME TO BELL
• In the past four years under Manny Martins, Utah State holds a 29-5-5 home record at Chuck and Gloria Bell Field. During those games, the Aggies have out-scored opponents by a combined 83-28.
• Dating back to 2022, 14 of the past 22 USU opponents at Bell Field have been shut out.
• This year, USU is 6-0-1 at home and has out-scored opponents by a combined 27-4.
• All-time, Utah State is 124-49-29 at home.  
 
AGGIES VS BRONCOS
• Thursday's contest will be the 26th all-time between Utah State and Boise State, with the Aggies leading in the series 15-6-4. 
• USU has won three-straight and five of the past six over the Broncos, including two wins last season. 
• In the regular season meeting in Boise, a goal by Kate Christian with just seconds remaining in the first half was the difference in a 1-0 win. The teams then met in the MW Tournament semifinals, where Whitney Lopez scored a 94th minute game-winner on a set piece opportunity to send the Aggies to the championship match. 
• In Logan, Utah State is 4-2-3 against Boise State.