Nov. 2, 2009

LOGAN, Utah - KICKING OFF - For the third-straight season, the Utah State soccer team will play in the semifinals of the Western Athletic Conference Soccer Tournament. On Friday, Nov. 6, the second-seeded Aggies will take on third-seeded Boise State at 3 p.m. (MT) at the Boas Tennis/Soccer Complex in Boise, Idaho.

This is the fifth-straight season that USU has advanced to the WAC Tournament. Last season, as the top seed, Utah State reached the championship match for the first time, losing a heartbreaking double overtime match to second-seeded Fresno State in Reno, Nev. Jessie Malaska and Sydne (Porter) Garner and Lauren Hansen earned all-tournament honors.

WAC Bracket in PDF Format

Complete Release in PDF Format

FOLLOWING THE AGGIES - The WAC, in conjunction with its Web site partner JumpTV Sports, has announced it will stream all of the matches of the 2009 WAC Soccer Tournament. Viewers can sign up by visiting WAC.tv. USU fans can also follow the Aggies with live audio and live stats.

ON THE PITCH - This week, the Aggies head to Boise, Idaho for the WAC Tournament. This is the fifth-straight season that USU has advanced to the WAC Tournament. Last season, as the top seed, Utah State reached the championship match for the first time, losing a heartbreaking double overtime match to second-seeded Fresno State in Reno, Nev. Jessie Malaska and Sydne (Porter) Garner and Lauren Hansen earned all-tournament honors.

TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE:
November 5 (Thursday) - First Round
Match 1: #4 Nevada vs. #5 New Mexico State, 12:30 p.m.
Match 2: #3 Boise State vs. #6 Fresno State, 3:00 p.m.
November 6 (Friday) - Semifinals
Match 3: #1 San Jose State vs. Match 1 Winner, 12:30 p.m.
Match 4: #2 Utah State vs. Match 2 Winner, 3:00 p.m.
November 8 (Sunday) - Championship
Match 3 winner vs. Match 4 winner, 1:00 p.m.

THE OPPONENTS - Six teams advanced to the 14th WAC Tournament. The only team in the field to have beaten Utah State this season is fourth seeded Nevada. Here is a look at the five possible opponents for Utah State.

#1 San Jose State won its first WAC regular-season title with a 5-1-2 record in league play. When the Spartans fell to Boise State, 1-0, on Nov. 1 it was San Jose State's first loss since Sept. 6. On Oct. 18, the Aggies and the Spartans tied 1-1 in Logan. It was the end of a four-match unbeaten streak for Utah State. SJSU is led by Roxy Kamal who has seven goals and nine assists for 23 points and Emmy Belding who has 10 goals and one assist fro 21 points. Utah State is 3-1-2 against San Jose State. The Spartans only win against the Aggies came in 2005. USU is 1-0 against the Spartans in the WAC Tournament.

#3 Boise State is 10-6-4 overall and 5-3 in league play. The Broncos handed the Spartans their first loss in WAC play with a 1-0 win on Nov. 1. Boise State is led by a pair of offensive threats in Shannon Saxton and Erica Parks, who both have six goals and two assists for 14 points. Last season, Utah State defeated Boise State, 1-0, in the semifinals. That is the only time that Utah State and Boise State have met in the WAC Tournament. Overall, USU leads the series 9-2-0.

#4 Nevada is 8-11-0 overall and ended WAC play 5-3-0. The Wolf Pack are the only team in the field that has beaten Utah State this season. Nevada topped USU, 3-1, in Reno, handing the Aggies their first ever loss in a WAC opener. Nevada is led by Natalie Ratnavira who has five goals and one assist for 11 points this season. Jill Erickson has four goals and one assist for nine points. In goal, the Wolf Pack are led by Marie Cove who has started 14 matches this season and has a 1.96 GAA. Nevada is 1-0 against Utah State in the tournament, but the Aggies hold the overall series lead 7-2.

#5 New Mexico State is 9-8-1 overall and 4-3-1 in the WAC in just its first season. The Aggies were only one win away from taking the second seed in the WAC. Utah State had one of its biggest offensive outputs against NMSU on Nov. 1 with a 3-0 win. This is NMSU's first WAC Tournament. The Aggies are led by Jazmin Cardoso who has six goals for 12 points this season. Crystal Boyd is second with four goals and three assists for 11 points. Katie Graul has played in all 18 matches in goal, she has allowed 23 goals for a GAA of 1.24.

#6 Fresno State is 6-12 overall and 4-4 in WAC action. Utah State defeated Fresno State, 1-0, on Oct. 16 in Logan. The defensive-minded Bulldogs have only scored 13 goals this season. Fresno State is led by Claudia Cardenas who has five goals for 10 points. Goalkeeper Kaitlyn Revel is fifth in goals against average in WAC matches with a 1.14 GAA. The last time USU and Fresno State met in the WAC Tournament the Bulldogs won their second WAC Tournament with a 2-1 double overtime win over Utah State. Fresno State has been in the finals the last four seasons winning in 2005 and 2008. USU is now 2-4-2 against Fresno State.

THREE AMIGOS - Utah State honored its three seniors on Nov. 1 in its regular-season finale against New Mexico State, seniors Lindsey Smart, Erin Salmon and Sydne Garner. Smart has started every match since arriving in Logan (83). She is also the all-time leader in assists with 15. Salmon has played in 76 matches and scored 25 points in her time as an Aggie. Sydne Garner, formerly Porter, has been a force in the backfield since her sophomore season. Porter has played in 62 matches missing only one match since her second season with the Aggies.

THE BIG 100 - After being stuck on 99 for three matches, the Aggies finally won its 100th match as a program against Houston Baptist on Sept. 13. Utah State captured win 99 Stephen F. Austin on Aug. 30. USU had to wait until four matches later to get win 100 after two losses and a tie to start Sept. to finally get win 100.

SMART BECOMES ALL-TIME LEADER IN STARTS AND MATCHES PLAYED - After starting matches Utah and BYU in late September, senior Lindsey Smart became the Utah State all-time leader in matches started with 76. Sierra Smith (2003-06) was the leader with 73 starts as an Aggie. Smart has started every match of her career at USU. Smart has now started 83 matches for USU which passes former Aggie Jessie Malaska (2005-08). The senior is also the all-time leader in assists with 15.

AGGIES TOP NEW MEXICO STATE ON NOV. 1 - Utah State soccer sent its seniors out in style with an impressive, 3-0, win over New Mexico State Sunday at Chuck and Gloria Bell Soccer Field. The Aggies honored seniors Lindsey Smart, Erin Salmon and Sydne Garner by scoring two goals in the first three minutes of play.

With the win, Utah State clinched the second seed in the upcoming Western Athletic Conference Tournament in Boise, Idaho Nov. 5-8. The Aggies end the regular season 10-8-2 and 5-2-1 in WAC action. USU has now won at least 10 matches four-straight seasons and advanced to the WAC Tournament all five seasons it has been in the league. New Mexico State dropped to 9-8-1 overall and 4-3-1 in the league and awaits its seed in the tournament.

Utah State wasted no time getting on the board, scoring its fastest goal of the season. Sophomore forward Shantel Flanary headed in a goal to the far post off the pass from fellow sophomore Allie Maduell just 18 seconds into the match to give USU the early 1-0 lead. The goal was Flanary's team-leading 10th goal of the season and ties Lauren Hansen's 2007 mark for fifth all-time in goals in a season. She now has 10 goals and three assists for 23 points which is also fifth for most points in a season.

Junior Heather Pond gave the Aggies a 2-0 advantage in the third minute of the match, scoring her first goal of the season. Pond took a Lauren Hansen pass and blasted in a shot from 20 yards out. Hansen now has three assists this season.

The USU defense, led by seniors Lindsey Smart and Sydne Garner, kept NMSU off the scoreboard in the first half, as USU took a 2-0 lead into the locker room.

Utah State kept its tenacity entering the second period. USU added one more goal in the 57th minute when Hansen scored her sixth goal of the season. Hansen scored from 12 yards out off the pass from Pond who almost matched her total point count from last season in one match. Pond had four points last season and three Sunday.

ENDING THE SEASON STRONG - Utah State ended the season strong only losing one of its final seven matches, a road match against Hawai`i. The Aggies went 3-0-1 at home in its final four WAC matches at Chuck and Gloria Bell Soccer Field.

MERRILL IN WAC STATS - Sophomore goalkeeper Molli Merrill has been playing very solid soccer in WAC action. Merrill is third in the WAC in conference matches in with a 0.86 goals against average. She is also tied for fifth in save percentage (.788). The sophomore is tied for second in shutout in league games with two.

SUPER SOPHOMORES - The Aggie sophomore class has been leading the way this season. Shantel Flanary leads the team in points scored with 23 on 10 goals and three assists. Fellow sophomore Summer Tillotson has started 17 of the Aggies 20 matches in the back field. Second-year goalkeeper Molli Merrill has started all 20 matches in goal. Midfielder Chandra Salmon has played in all 20 matches starting 18.

FLANARY ENTERS RECORD BOOKS - With a goal against Idaho on Oct. 11, sophomore forward Shantel Flanary passed her point and goal total from her fabulous freshman campaign. Flanary now has 10 goals and three assists for 23 points, passing her 12 points from 2008. She now has 15 career goals which is tied for fifth on the Aggies all-time goals scored list. Junior forward Lauren Hansen is third on the all-time goals scored list with 25. Flanary's 10 goals this season is tied for fifth on the single-season scoring list. She is tied Hansen who had 10 goals in 2007.

AGGIES IN THE WAC TOURNAMENT - Utah State is 2-4 in the WAC Tournament, having its best showing last season in Reno. Last season, the Aggies advanced to the championship, falling to Fresno State in double overtime.

Aggies in the WAC Tournament 2005-Boise, Idaho Quarterfinals: (5) Fresno State def. (4) Utah State, 2-1

2006-Reno, Nevada Semifinals: (3) Nevada def. (2) Utah State, 3-1

2007-Boise, Idaho Quarterfinals: (4) Utah State def. (5) San Jose State, 4-0 Semifinals: (1) Hawai`i def. (4) Utah State, 1-0 (2OT)

2008-Reno, Nev. Semifinals: (1) Utah State def. (4) Boise State, 1-0 Finals: (2) Fresno State def. (1) Utah State, 2-1 (2OT)

2009-Boise, Idaho Semifinals: (2) Utah State vs. (3) Boise State/(6) Fresno State, 3 p.m.

STREAK STOPPED - The Aggies had won 10-straight WAC matches before the 1-0 loss to Nevada on Oct. 4. Utah State ran through league competition with a perfect 7-0 record last season and ended the 2007 season winning its last three WAC contests.

GET ON THE BOARD FIRST - Utah State fairs much better when they get on the board first. USU has only one come-from-behind win this season. The Aggies are 1-8-1 when their opponent scores first. USU's one come-from-behind win came against Texas Tech on Aug. 28. The Red Raiders scored in the second minute, and USU tied the score in the 19th minute when junior Lauren Hansen scored her first goal of the season. In the Aggies tie against San Jose State, the Spartans scored first. A Shantel Flanary goal with less than three minutes left improved USU's record when the opponent scored first. Conversely, the Aggies are a solid 9-0-1 when they score first.

LEADERS OF THE PACK - Sophomore striker Shantel Flanary is first on the team in points scored with 23 off of 10 goals and three assists. Junior forward Lauren Hansen is second in points scored with six goals and three assist for 15 points. Flanary leads the team in game-winning goals with hree. Junior Stefani Shiozaki is third on the team in points scored with eight after having only one point her first two seasons. Shiozaki broke through with her first collegiate goal in the tie with Wyoming and an assist in the win against Stephen F. Austin.

O CAPTAIN! MY CAPTAIN! - The Utah State squad has voted on tri-captains for the 2009 season. Seniors Lindsey Smart and Sydne Garner and junior Lauren Hansen were all named captains by their peers.

THE COACH - Entering her seventh season at Utah State is Heather Cairns, who became the winningest coach in school history after recording her 27th career victory on Sept. 30, 2006, defeating Eastern Washington 1-0. In her five seasons at the helm of the Aggies, Cairns has compiled a 66-62-12 (.514) record passing former head coach Stacy Enos (1996-2000) who went 26-59 (.306) in five seasons with the Aggies.

Aggie Algebra

1 -The win against Utah on Sept. 24 was the first time that Utah State soccer had played a match in a Major League Soccer arena when the Aggies played in Rio Tinto Stadiums.

2 - The number of Big 12 Conference teams that USU has faced this season, splitting the matches with a win against Texas Tech and a loss against No. 20 Oklahoma State.

3- The Aggies are 0-3 against ranked teams with losses to BYU, Washington and Oklahoma State.

5 - The number of consecutive WAC Tournament that the Aggies have qualified for.

6 - States represented on the Utah State roster besides the Beehive State of Utah, including Arizona, California, Georgia, Idaho, North Carolina and Washington.

9 - The number of freshmen the young Aggie team has on the roster this season.

12 - The number of players who have seen time in all 20 matches this season, including five who have started every match Lindsey Smart, Sydne Garner, Shantel Flanary, Natalie Norris and Molli Merrill.

21 - Total number of players who have seen playing time this season.

23 - The total number of points scored by Shantel Flanary to lead the team.

26 - Head coach Heather Cairns' total number of WAC wins. She has a record of 26-6-2 (.794) to lead all current WAC coaches in winning percentage. This includes coaches that have complete one season in the WAC.

28 - The total number of goals that the Aggies have scored in the regular season.

83 - The number of matches that durable senior Lindsey Smart has played in her Aggie career. She needs to play in one more match this season to become the all-time leader in matches played, passing defender Jessie Malaska (2005-08).

1,862 - Number of minutes played by senior defender Sydne Garner the most on the team.