StatesmanSports Wednesday, Aug. 26, 2009 Page 19 SENIOR FORWARD ERIN SALMON, 8, battles with a Northern Arizona player Friday during the Aggies’ season-opening win over the Lumberjacks. USU brings high hopes into the 2009 season after heading into the conference tournament as the No. 1 seed in 2008. Thirteen returning players will anchor USU on the pitch as they seek a second undefeated WAC regular season in 2009. PATRICK ODEN photo Aggies picked to finish first in the WAC By LANDON HEMSLEY staff writer Utah State Aggie soccer has made clear its mission for this year: get to the NCAA tournament. After going undefeated in conference up until the championship game of the WAC tournament last fall, the Ags fell to Fresno State, and the elusive chance to get to the collegiate soccer’s “big dance” fluttered into the breeze. The Aggies are looking to turn that around this year with a fresh defense and 13 returning players. Aggie head coach Heather Cairns says she believes the team’s chances are pretty good, but also that they need to look for new definition. “We are looking forward, we’re not looking back,” Cairns said. “This team needs to define itself in a new way.” If nothing else, however, last year’s accomplishments, along with the number of returning players, garnered the No. 1 preseason ranking for the Aggies, but Cairns said she doesn’t put a whole lot of stock into the preseason hype and rankings. “Looking into the preseason No. 1, we really are trying our best to put that behind us,” she said. “It’s really not a good indicator of what our team is made up of this year. We are focusing on what we can accomplish this year and to get to that NCAA tournament. The way we’re going to get in is to win the conference tournament.” Following up last year’s incredible in-conference undefeated streak will be a tough order to fill, but USU certainly has the talent to give itself a shot. Leading the team onto the pitch week-in and week-out will be three returning players: Sidne Porter-Garner, Lindsey Smart and Lauren Hansen. Cairns was quick to point out these players are not the only leaders on the team. Molli Merrill of Bountiful High School has stepped in to fill the vacancy between the posts. “Molli Merrill is a sophomore taking over the starting duties as goalkeeper from our senior that graduated last year,” Cairns said. “She’s been doing a fantastic job in goal for us.” Merrill’s leadership this last week came in the form of a 2-0 shutout in the opening game of the season against Northern Arizona. Cairns said she was very impressed. “There’s always little things you want to pick, change and fine tune but to get a shut out, that’s great,” she said. “It’s been a seamless transition in her taking over the goal-keeping spot. The team has a lot of confidence in her and feels very comfortable with her.” Looking ahead to this weekend, the Aggies will face a Big XII opponent for the first time in a long time when they will take on the Red Raiders of Texas Tech. USU will also face Stephen F. Austin at the El Paso, Texas, tournament. Cairns said there’s little room for error. “I can’t remember the last time we played a Big XII team. They’re big and athletic. It’s more of a different style in the Central region than maybe the style out West,” she said. “We’re going to have to beat them. We’re not going to be able to play 60 minutes of soccer or play so-so soccer and come out with two wins. We’re going to have to put our best foot forward in order to beat them.” Beyond this weekend, the Aggies will play Wyoming and Oklahoma State, another Big XII team, at home this year and will play Washington and Brigham Young University on the road and Utah at Rio Tinto Stadium in Salt Lake City before beginning their conference schedule on Oct. 4 against the Nevada Wolf Pack in Reno. Most home games are played Friday and Sunday and admission is free. The field is located approximately at 1400 North and 1100 East, just west of the Plant Research Center and just north of the indoor football practice facility. Cairns said she hopes many Aggie fans will turn out to see the home team win, and that more often than not, the home team wins in Logan. “We have a pretty good track record at home,” she said, “and a lot of that has to do with the fan support we get at home, especially from the students.” –la.hem@aggiemail.usu.edu Experience: Ags return multiple starters -continued from page 17 “We always want to win the WAC and go to the NCAAs,” she said. “One of our huge goals this year is to beat Idaho and Nevada at their place.” USU has not won on the road in Reno or Moscow since joining the WAC. DuBose concurred. “It is a big one for us. If we’re going to be a good team we need to accomplish that,” he said. “Moscow is a tough place to play.” USU also brings in a class of six freshmen, including Smithfield, Utah, product Josselyn White, who was firstteam all-state as a junior and a senior. The season begins with a tournament at Weber State this weekend, where USU will face the Wildcats, as well as Gonzaga and Utah Valley University. The first game in the Dee Glen Smith Spectrum will be Sept. 1, when rival Brigham Young comes calling. This will be followed by back-to-back matches against Utah and Idaho State on Sept. 8 and 9. WAC play begins with a road trip to face New Mexico State and Louisiana Tech Sept. 24 and 26. –graham.terry@aggiemail.usu. edu FEeK AF@E FLI "8:<9FFB %= PFLeM< 9<<E ;I@EB@E> GC<8J< I@;< N@K? 8 JF9<I =I@<E; FI :8CC 8 :89