Courtesy of Utah State Athletics
LOGAN, Utah – No. 11 Utah State soccer (7-0, 0-0 MW) used an offensive explosion to remain perfect with a 9-3 win over Pacific Sunday afternoon at Chuck & Gloria Bell Field. Eight different players scored for the Aggies, while the team matched a program record with 41 shots in the contest.
Utah State struck first just under four minutes in as junior midfielder Kaylie Chambers scored her first of two goals for the afternoon. The Tigers responded in the 14th minute to make it 1-1, but the next four goals belonged to USU. Graduate defender Kylie Olsen scored in the 17th minute, followed by a 23rd minute goal from graduate defender Alysia Butters, a 24th minute goal from Chambers and a 29th minute goal from sophomore forward Kate Christian. With a 5-1 lead in hand, the Aggies then allowed a pair of goals to close out the half, including one with 15 seconds left in the half, as their lead shrunk to 5-3.
Highlights from No. 11 @USUSoccer‘s 9-3 win over Pacific!#AggiesAllTheWay pic.twitter.com/V3asT5qWTE
— Mountain West (@MountainWest) September 8, 2024
The second half was all Utah State, as it tacked on four more goals. First, it was freshman forward Ellie Hendrix in the 51st minute, followed by sophomore forward Solena Sellers in the 63rd minute. A penalty in the box in the 77th minute set up fifth year midfielder Whitney Lopez for a penalty kick, which she sent down the middle to make it 8-1. The scoring concluded in the 82nd minute with a goal from freshman forward Mia Mullenmeister.
SCORING SUMMARY
3:43 – Kaylie Chambers (USU)
Assist: None
13:32 – Laila Saravia (PAC)
Assist: Allie Jones
16:26 – Kylie Olsen (USU)
Assist: Kaylie Chambers
22:05 – Alysia Butters (USU)
Assist: Summer Diamond
23:28 – Kaylie Chambers (USU)
Assist: Rine Yonaha
28:22 – Kate Christian (USU)
Assist: Austin Miller
33:03 – Ariana Gronauer (PAC)
Assist: Aly Milford
44:45 – Sierah McCallum (PAC)
Assist: None
50:03 – Ellie Hendrix (USU)
Assist: Kylie Olsen
62:06 – Solena Sellers (USU)
Assist: Bizzy Arevalo
76:56 – Whitney Lopez (USU)
Penalty Kick
81:53 – Mia Mullenmeister (USU)
Assist: Alex Day
UTAH STATE HEAD COACH MANNY MARTINS
“In the first half, our mindset just wasn’t right. That’s not what we expect it to be. That’s a part of sports. This is a team that came here trying to get a result, as they should, and maybe we looked at their record and overlooked them a bit, but they challenged us. Sometimes you need a game where you’re challenged in a way where it helps you stay grounded and refocus. This is only the second time we’ve given up three goals in a game and the first time we’ve given up three goals in a half since I’ve been here. But the most important thing is how the team responded to it and I thought we responded well and finished the game strong.”
MATCH NOTES
- Utah State out-shot Pacific 41-5 in the match. This ties a program record for most shots in a game, accomplished twice before vs Youngstown State in 2000 and vs Green Bay in 1999.
- Utah State had 29 shots on goal to Pacific’s four.
- Utah State’s nine goals fell just one shy of the program record of 10 against Louisiana Tech in 2007. The only other nine-goal game came in 1999 against Green Bay.
- Utah State’s seven assists are just one shy of the program record of eight against Louisiana Tech in 2007. The team also had seven against Sam Houston State in 2016.
- This is the first time in program history Utah State has had eight different goal scorers in a game.
- Three different players led the team with five shots, each recording four on goal – Kaylie Chambers, Kate Christian and Whitney Lopez.
- Kaylie Chambers was the lone scorer with two goals, the first multi-goal game of her career. She now has 12 career goals and leads the team with five goals this season.
- 28 different Utah State players saw time in the match.
- Sophomore Shay Kercher-Pratt played the first 45 minutes in goal, making one save. Graduate Cora Brendle played the final 45 minutes and did not face any shots on goal.
- Utah State improves to 7-0 for the second time in program history. The previous occasion was in 2011, when the team opened the year 8-0.
- The Aggies have outscored opponents by a combined 25-4 this season. This is the most goals in non-conference play ever by a USU team.
- This is just the second time in the past four years under head coach Manny Martins that Utah State has allowed three goals in a game.
- With the win, Utah State improves to 4-5-1 all-time against Pacific. This was the first match between the sides since 2004.
- With the win, Utah State improves to 9-14-2 all-time against WCC competition.
UP NEXT
Utah State (7-0, 0-0 MW) will return to the road to play its final in-state game of the year, taking on Weber State on Sunday, Sept. 15, in Ogden, Utah. The match will kick off at 4 p.m.
TICKETS
Fans can purchase season tickets now here. Adult season tickets are available for $45, while youth can gain access to all games by joining the Junior Aggie Kids Club for $25. All seating at Chuck and Gloria Bell Field is general admission. Seating in the stadium bleachers is first come, first served. Fans are encouraged to bring lawn chairs or blankets for grass and berm seating.
FOLLOW
Fans can follow the Aggie soccer program on Twitter, @USUSoccer, on Facebook at /USUSoccer and on Instagram, @USUSoccer. Aggie fans can also follow the Utah State athletic program on Twitter, @USUAthletics, Facebook at /USUAthletics and on Instagram, @USUAthletics.
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