The Arizona soccer team beat Utah State University 1-0 for the seventh game of the 2023 season on Sunday, Sept. 10, at 11:30 a.m. at Murphy Field at Mulcahy Soccer Stadium. The last time the Wildcats played the Aggies back in 2006, it resulted in a 3-0 win for Arizona. 

Going into the game, Nicole Dallin was a player to watch, having scored a goal in almost every game in the season. 

First period

Arizona started with possession of the ball and took it all the way to the Aggies’ net. A corner kick was taken in the 2nd minute by the Wildcats, but nothing came of it. Utah State returned the favor and passed the ball down to the opposing net and took a shot on Arizona goalie Hope Hisey. Both teams demonstrated good ball control, but everything was slower due to the extreme heat. 

“When it’s hot like this, [and] when the ball is rolling fast, we want to play into our bodies more instead of breaking lines with through balls,” Dallin said. “I think we had the advantage with the heat today. They were dying today, so we were able to use that to our advantage.” 

Multiple substitutions were made by both teams in the 21st minute. The Arizona heat hitting 106 degrees mid-game took a toll on both teams. In order to not overheat, Arizona head coach Becca Moros made an effort to rotate players out. 

Arizona did a great job spreading the ball and switching the field with crisp passes, causing Utah State to run back and forth.

The half ended 0-0. 

Second period

The second half started with low energy, but both teams still went back and forth with opportunities on each other’s goals. 

There was a corner kick in the 69th minute on the Aggies’ net. Megan Chelf ran in full speed trying to head the ball into the back of Utah State’s net, but it wasn’t successful.

In the 70th minute, a foul was called on Utah State, resulting in a yellow card, but the penalty kick went directly to the goalkeeper. The referee called a water break in efforts to help both teams cool down in the second half. After the water break, the Aggies dominated possession in the 74th minute. 

Laissa Mbiene was all over the attack, beating players up the middle with pure grit and taking a shot in the 75th minute. Dallin received the ball in the middle of a penalty kick in the 76th minute, and then turned and beat the defender while taking a left foot shot outside the box in the top right corner of the net, making the score 1-0 Wildcats. 

Ella Hatteberg had a fantastic cross on goal and then followed it up with great defense in the 80th minute, and Jordan Hall gave a last effort attempt with a left foot shot also in the 80th minute, but it went too far off to the left.

Hisey put it all on the line with a body save from a Utah State shot outside the box that resulted in a corner kick. Arizona was saved again by Hisey in the 84th minute. 

Extreme pressure fell on Arizona‘s back line in the last couple of minutes. One of the shots hit the top post, really close to becoming a goal and risking Arizona’s lead. 

Aranda Hurge went down from a hard collision in the final four minutes of the game, and the game was stopped while medical staff rushed onto the field. Hurge appeared to be okay, but she seemed in pain and unsure of what happened. 

Arizona’s defense was barely holding on towards the end, and multiple fouls were committed, but Hisey did what needed to be done in order to protect the net. 

“Hope [Hisey] is one of the biggest organizers on the field; she sees everything, so she can give us a lot of really good information,” senior defender Sarah Rice said. “I think every game we are getting better – and there are obviously some holes we have to fill – but I think a lot of people are stepping up and doing really well.”

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