Tournament loss ends season for Eagles
The Eagles pose for a team photo during a match this season. USU Eastern fell in a conference tournament, ending their season with nine wins, four losses, and two draws. Photo by: Dallin Grant
Utah State Eastern women’s soccer team emerged victorious on Thursday afternoon in a closely fought match against Snow College. The final score read 2-1 in favor of the Lady Eagles.
Utah State Eastern drew first blood in the 17th minute when Abigail Wiggins, a talented midfielder, scored an unassisted goal. This gave Eastern an early 1-0 lead.
However, Snow College was not to be outdone, and they retaliated in the second half. The Badger’s Megan Hanson made her presence felt with a goal courtesy of an assist by Ali Spencer. The game was now level at 1-1.
But Utah State Eastern had their sights set on the win. In the 52nd minute, Victoria Kalista made a remarkable play, capitalizing on a pass from Lauren Maxfield, to net the game-winning goal for the Lady Eagles. Kalista’s goal gave Utah State Eastern a 2-1 lead, and they managed to hold on to secure the victory.
The match was marked by intense competition from both teams. Utah State Eastern managed to get 15 shots on goal, while Snow College wasn’t far behind with 13. USU Eastern’s goalkeeper, Macy Clements, made seven crucial saves to keep her team in contention.
In their final regular-season matchup, Utah State Eastern women’s soccer team faced a tough SWAC opponent in the fifth-ranked Salt Lake Bruins on Saturday. Despite their best efforts, USU Eastern ended the game with a 4-1 loss.
The first half of the game saw SLCC taking an early lead, with Lexi Vernsey scoring twice, both goals coming at the 8:24 mark. The first was assisted by Anna Pinegar, while the second had Caitlyn Parry providing the assist. USU Eastern fought back, with Lauren Maxfield scoring an unassisted goal at 10:10 to narrow the gap. However, Salt Lake added another goal at the 20:19 mark when Anna Pinegar found the back of the net, resulting in a 3-1 score at halftime.
Despite the uphill battle, USU Eastern battled in the second half. However, Salt Lake extended their lead with a goal by Abbit Sanford at the 50-minute mark with the final score standing at 4-1 in favor of Salt Lake.
The Lady Eagles tallied 12 shots to the Bruins twenty. USU Eastern’s goalkeeper, Macy Clements, made a valiant effort with eight saves, trying to keep her team in the game.
In the conference tournament, the Eagles fought hard, but lost a 3-1 battle against Snow College. With the season ending loss, USU Eastern finished the season with a 9-4-2 record, and a 7-3-2 mark in conference play.
