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Thursday, August 24
Logan , UT
4:00 PM
University of Utah
at
Utah State
Photo by: Hunter Dyke/Utah Athletics
Utah Soccer Visits Utah State for Thursday Night Throwdown
8/22/2023 2:17 PM | Soccer
Utes’ third consecutive road match pits them against in-state rivals in Logan
SALT LAKE CITY – The University of Utah women's soccer team's season opening road swing started with a draw and a victory and Hideki Nakada's bunch will complete their stretch of three straight road fixtures to begin the year on Thursday, when they'll square off with the Utah State Aggies at 5 p.m. at Chuck and Gloria Bell Soccer Field in Logan, Utah.
Scouting Utah State
The Aggies started their season with a 5-1 trouncing of Weber State, but they'll be entering Thursday's contest trying to bounce back from a Sunday defeat at the hands of the No. 21 Saint Louis Billikens. USU outshot their guests in Sunday's loss despite suffering a 2-0 setback.
Summer Diamond and Kelsey Kaufusi were two of the stars of the Aggies' season-opening triumph, with Diamond netting two goals and Kaufusi nabbing a pair of assists. For Kaufusi, who was an all-conference performer in 2022, those helpers matched her total from all of 2022, while Diamond's scores were the first two of the freshman's collegiate career.
USU is coming off a season in which it posted an 8-5-8 record and earned fourth-place in the Mountain West Conference. Along with Kaufusi, the squad's all-conference returners include midfielders Alex Day and Kaylie Chambers, who combined for 13 points a season ago. They also added 10 new faces to a roster that boasted one of their conference's toughest defenses in 2022, allowing only 0.85 goals per game and registering 10 shutouts.
All Time Against Utah State
The Utes and the Aggies have locked horns 24 times, with the first meeting taking place in 1996 and ending in a 7-1 Utah triumph. The Utes own a 19-5 edge in the all-time series and that mark includes victories in the last six matchups. USU's last win over their rivals from Salt Lake City came at Ute Field in 2015, when they recorded a 2-0 shutout.
Last Time Against Utah State
Ute Field was the site when these programs met in 2022 and a 60th minute goal courtesy of Taliana Kaufusi was the only score in a 1-0 decision in Utah's favor. The Aggies piled up 10 shots, five of which were on goal, but Evelyn Vitali stopped each try to earn a clean sheet.
Ring the Bella
Bella Woods tallied Utah's first goal of the season in the team's Aug. 17 meeting with N.C. State. That made her the first Utah freshman to register the program's season-opener score since Erin Dalley in 2007. Woods also picked up an assist in the Utes' win over College of Charleston.
Courtney Contributes Three Points
Courtney Brown had a busy day against College of Charleston, contributing a goal and an assist in a 2-0 Utah triumph. This marked the second time in her career she filled both columns in a single match and the third time she tallied at leas three points. If Brown can pick up four more assists in 2023, she'll break into the program's all-time top-five in that statistic.
Keeping the Net Clean
Utah goalkeepers Kasey Wardle and Evelyn Vitali combined to make 10 saves across 2023's first two matches, including six in Sunday's clean. Those 10 stops are the most by Utah's keepers over the season's first two matches since the Utes were credited with 14 saves in 2019's first two tilts.
NCAA Tournament History
The Utes are aiming to reach the NCAA Tournament for the ninth time in school history and the first time since 2019. Utah put together its best postseason finish in 2016, when they forged a path all the way to the Sweet 16.
By The Numbers
The list of players back in the fold for Hideki Nakada's club includes just about all of the team's statistical leaders from 2022. Taliana Kaufusi, who piled up a team-high six goals, is back for her senior campaign, while assist leader Ryann Cull has returned after collecting four helpers a season ago. Kaufusi also led the squad in shots in 2022 with 41, followed by fellow returners Katie O'Kane, who racked up 28, and Courtney Brown, who posted 26.
In goal, all four of Utah's keepers, Evelyn Vitali, Kasey Wardle, Megan Quiggle and Taylor Prigge, are back for another season. No one on the roster collected more saves than Vitali's 48 in 2022, while Wardle crafted a 0.70 goals against average. Utah's keepers combined to record seven shutouts a season ago.
Senior Six
Utah's six-person senior class is comprised of Courtney Brown, Brooke Hale, Katie O'Kane, Taliana Kaufusi, Megan Quiggle and Ragan Vanschalkwyk. This group has combined to take the field in over 200 matches for the Utes and Brown is the one player remaining from the 2019 squad that reached the NCAA Tournament.
New Utes
Utah's 2023 roster includes seven new faces and that list of newcomers is comprised of freshmen Kennedy Schoennauer, Lilliah Blum, Bella Woods, Rylan Park, Mia Becarevic and Izzy Smith and sophomore transfer Alex Schoenstadt.
Woods, Becarevic and Smith were all part of an Alta High School squad that made a run to the state playoffs in 2022, while Schoennauer helped her squad reach capture the CCA Division II Championship, Blum was named her conference's player of the year and Park was an all-league selection.
Schoenstadt played her freshman season with Ole Miss and helped the Rebels achieve a winning record, as well as record nine clean sheets.
Scanning the Schedule
The Utes started the season on the road for the third time in the last four campaigns and their road clashes with the Wolfpack and Cougars will be followed by a visit to Utah State. The Utes will begin their home slate on Aug. 27, when they host the Clemson Tigers at 1 p.m. Utah will be at home nine times in 2023, including their Pac-12 opener against USC on Sept. 22 and a closing-day matchup with Colorado on Nov. 3.
Pac-12 Preseason Coaches Poll
The Pac-12 released its preseason coaches poll on Aug. 14 and the UCLA Bruins garnered nine first place votes and landed in the top spot in the poll. The Utes were ranked 10th.
2023 Season Tickets
Season tickets for the 2023 season are now available. Fans can purchase season tickets for $35.00 by calling the Utah ticket office at 801-581-UTIX or visit www.utahtickets.com. Utah soccer team scarfs available as a $10.00 add-on.
Up Next
The first home match of Utah's 2023 season will take place on Sunday, when the Utes will host the Clemson Tigers for a 12 p.m. tilt.
FOLLOW THE UTES!
Fans can follow along on social media (Twitter: @UtahWSoccer | Instagram: @UtahWSoccer | Facebook: Facebook.com/Utahwsoccer).
| THURSDAY'S MATCHUP Date | Time: Thursday, Aug. 24 | 5:00 p.m. (MT) Utah (1-0-1) vs. Utah State (1-1-0) Location: Logan, Utah | Chuck and Gloria Bell Soccer Field Live Stats: Click Here Live Stream: Click Here Twitter Updates: @UtahWSoccer |
Scouting Utah State
The Aggies started their season with a 5-1 trouncing of Weber State, but they'll be entering Thursday's contest trying to bounce back from a Sunday defeat at the hands of the No. 21 Saint Louis Billikens. USU outshot their guests in Sunday's loss despite suffering a 2-0 setback.
Summer Diamond and Kelsey Kaufusi were two of the stars of the Aggies' season-opening triumph, with Diamond netting two goals and Kaufusi nabbing a pair of assists. For Kaufusi, who was an all-conference performer in 2022, those helpers matched her total from all of 2022, while Diamond's scores were the first two of the freshman's collegiate career.
USU is coming off a season in which it posted an 8-5-8 record and earned fourth-place in the Mountain West Conference. Along with Kaufusi, the squad's all-conference returners include midfielders Alex Day and Kaylie Chambers, who combined for 13 points a season ago. They also added 10 new faces to a roster that boasted one of their conference's toughest defenses in 2022, allowing only 0.85 goals per game and registering 10 shutouts.
All Time Against Utah State
The Utes and the Aggies have locked horns 24 times, with the first meeting taking place in 1996 and ending in a 7-1 Utah triumph. The Utes own a 19-5 edge in the all-time series and that mark includes victories in the last six matchups. USU's last win over their rivals from Salt Lake City came at Ute Field in 2015, when they recorded a 2-0 shutout.
Last Time Against Utah State
Ute Field was the site when these programs met in 2022 and a 60th minute goal courtesy of Taliana Kaufusi was the only score in a 1-0 decision in Utah's favor. The Aggies piled up 10 shots, five of which were on goal, but Evelyn Vitali stopped each try to earn a clean sheet.
Ring the Bella
Bella Woods tallied Utah's first goal of the season in the team's Aug. 17 meeting with N.C. State. That made her the first Utah freshman to register the program's season-opener score since Erin Dalley in 2007. Woods also picked up an assist in the Utes' win over College of Charleston.
Courtney Contributes Three Points
Courtney Brown had a busy day against College of Charleston, contributing a goal and an assist in a 2-0 Utah triumph. This marked the second time in her career she filled both columns in a single match and the third time she tallied at leas three points. If Brown can pick up four more assists in 2023, she'll break into the program's all-time top-five in that statistic.
Keeping the Net Clean
Utah goalkeepers Kasey Wardle and Evelyn Vitali combined to make 10 saves across 2023's first two matches, including six in Sunday's clean. Those 10 stops are the most by Utah's keepers over the season's first two matches since the Utes were credited with 14 saves in 2019's first two tilts.
NCAA Tournament History
The Utes are aiming to reach the NCAA Tournament for the ninth time in school history and the first time since 2019. Utah put together its best postseason finish in 2016, when they forged a path all the way to the Sweet 16.
By The Numbers
The list of players back in the fold for Hideki Nakada's club includes just about all of the team's statistical leaders from 2022. Taliana Kaufusi, who piled up a team-high six goals, is back for her senior campaign, while assist leader Ryann Cull has returned after collecting four helpers a season ago. Kaufusi also led the squad in shots in 2022 with 41, followed by fellow returners Katie O'Kane, who racked up 28, and Courtney Brown, who posted 26.
In goal, all four of Utah's keepers, Evelyn Vitali, Kasey Wardle, Megan Quiggle and Taylor Prigge, are back for another season. No one on the roster collected more saves than Vitali's 48 in 2022, while Wardle crafted a 0.70 goals against average. Utah's keepers combined to record seven shutouts a season ago.
Senior Six
Utah's six-person senior class is comprised of Courtney Brown, Brooke Hale, Katie O'Kane, Taliana Kaufusi, Megan Quiggle and Ragan Vanschalkwyk. This group has combined to take the field in over 200 matches for the Utes and Brown is the one player remaining from the 2019 squad that reached the NCAA Tournament.
New Utes
Utah's 2023 roster includes seven new faces and that list of newcomers is comprised of freshmen Kennedy Schoennauer, Lilliah Blum, Bella Woods, Rylan Park, Mia Becarevic and Izzy Smith and sophomore transfer Alex Schoenstadt.
Woods, Becarevic and Smith were all part of an Alta High School squad that made a run to the state playoffs in 2022, while Schoennauer helped her squad reach capture the CCA Division II Championship, Blum was named her conference's player of the year and Park was an all-league selection.
Schoenstadt played her freshman season with Ole Miss and helped the Rebels achieve a winning record, as well as record nine clean sheets.
Scanning the Schedule
The Utes started the season on the road for the third time in the last four campaigns and their road clashes with the Wolfpack and Cougars will be followed by a visit to Utah State. The Utes will begin their home slate on Aug. 27, when they host the Clemson Tigers at 1 p.m. Utah will be at home nine times in 2023, including their Pac-12 opener against USC on Sept. 22 and a closing-day matchup with Colorado on Nov. 3.
Pac-12 Preseason Coaches Poll
The Pac-12 released its preseason coaches poll on Aug. 14 and the UCLA Bruins garnered nine first place votes and landed in the top spot in the poll. The Utes were ranked 10th.
2023 Season Tickets
Season tickets for the 2023 season are now available. Fans can purchase season tickets for $35.00 by calling the Utah ticket office at 801-581-UTIX or visit www.utahtickets.com. Utah soccer team scarfs available as a $10.00 add-on.
Up Next
The first home match of Utah's 2023 season will take place on Sunday, when the Utes will host the Clemson Tigers for a 12 p.m. tilt.
FOLLOW THE UTES!
Fans can follow along on social media (Twitter: @UtahWSoccer | Instagram: @UtahWSoccer | Facebook: Facebook.com/Utahwsoccer).
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Players Mentioned
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