USU Loses Heartbreaker to Fresno State in WAC Tournament Final 2-1
Nov. 9, 2008
RENO, Nev. - In the third WAC Tournament to end in overtime, top-seeded Utah State fell to second-seeded Fresno State, 2-1 in double overtime on Sunday. With the tough loss, the Aggies end the season 13-8-1, while the Bulldogs improve to 11-8-2 and advance to the NCAA Tournament for the second time in four years. The loss stops the Aggies winning streak at a school-record eight matches. This match also ends the USU careers of six seniors, Ali Griffin, Lisa Willardson, Jessie Malaska, Alyssa Lowry, Candice Clark and Kiersten Nilsson. The Aggies had their first opportunity early in the first half. After a Sydne Porter free kick, senior forward Candice Clark headed the ball just to the left of the Bulldog goal. USU had another shot in the 28th minute. Sophomore Stefani Shiozaki delivered the ball to Clark whose shot was was saved by all-WAC goalkeeper Kaitlyn Revel. The Aggies got on the board first in the 20th minute off a left-footed goal by sophomore striker Lauren Hansen off the pass from Clark. The goal was Hansen's ninth of the season. Revel had not allowed a goal since junior Andrea Seledee scored in the 40th minute in USU's win over the Bulldogs on Oct. 19. Fresno State tied the score 1-1 two minutes later in the 22nd minute when WAC Tournament MVP Ali Sill got the rebound and delivered a close range shot past senior goalkeeper Ali Griffin and senior defender Jessie Malaska.
The half would end with a 1-1 tie even though the Aggies outshot the Bulldogs, 7-3. Senior defender Alyssa Lowry, who was injured in the semifinal match against Boise State, recovered to make the start for USU. The Aggies were led in the first half by Clark who had three shots. Three players had shots on goal in the first half, Shiozaki, Hansen and junior Erin Salmon. "It was good soccer all around either team had a chance to win it," USU head coach Heather Cairns said. "Fresno State is going to represent our conference well. That goal that they ended it on; it was a great goal. While we don't like to be in this position, we'd rather be in the other position. We can't take away some of the great things our team has accomplished this season." Fresno State continued to put the pressure on the Aggies in the second half. In the 22nd minute, senior Nicole Gutierrez blasted a shot that Griffin made a kick save to stop. Gutierrez then took another shot just wide of the goal to end the Bulldog threat. Fresno State ended the match in the 105th minute when Elora Martinez struck a long-range shot from the right side that eluded Ali Griffin to give the Bulldogs the overtime win. This is the Bulldogs second WAC Tournament title also winning in 2005.. Utah State ended the match outshooting the Bulldogs 18-9. Three Utah State players made the WAC all-tournament team, senior defender Jessie Malaska, junior defender Sydne Porter and sophomore forward Lauren Hansen. 2008 WAC All-Tournament Team F Lauren Hansen, Utah State F Randi Baker, Boise State MF Cristen Drummond, Nevada MF Miranda Montejo, Nevada MF Elora Martinez, Fresno State MF Ali Sill, Fresno State D Lindsay Roberts, Boise State D Sydne Porter, Utah State D Jessie Malaska, Utah State D Allison Ventura, Fresno State GK Kaitlyn Revel, Fresno State MVP: Ali Sill, Fresno State Shots by period 1 2 OT O2 Total Fresno State 3 5 0 1 9 Utah State 7 10 1 0 18
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