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Show Monday, Oct. 17, 2011 Page 7 MondaySp0 Utah State University • Logan, Utah • www.utahstatesman.com Touch Base Aggies can't score in second half, lose WACStandings BY TAVIN STUCKI sports editor Football WAC Fresno 2-0 Nevada 1-0 2-1 SJSU Hawaii 1-1 1-1 NMSU La. Tech 1-1 0-1 USU Idaho 0-3 Overall 3-4 3-3 3-4 3-3 3-3 2-4 2-4 1-6 Top 25 1 LSU (41) 7-0 2 Alabama (11) 7-0 3 Oklahoma (6) 6-0 4 Wisconsin 6-0 5 Boise State (1) 6-0 6 Oklahoma State 6-0 7 Stanford 6-0 8 Clemson 7-0 9 Oregon 5-1 10 Arkansas 5-1 11 West Virginia 5-1 12 Kansas State 6-0 13 Nebraska 5-1 14 South Carolina 6-1 15 Michigan State 5-1 16 Virginia Tech 6-1 4-2 17 Texas A&M 18 Michigan 6-1 19 Auburn 5-2 20 Georgia Tech 6-1 21 Houston 6-0 22 Washington 5-1 23 Illinois 6-1 24 Georgia 5-2 24 Arizona State 5-2 Indie car driver dies in 15-car pileup LAS VEGAS (AP) — Dan Wheldon, who moved to the United States from his native England with hopes of winning the Indianapolis 500 and went on to twice prevail at his sport's most famed race, died Sunday after a massive, fiery wreck at the Las Vegas Indy 300. He was 33. Wheldon, who won the Indy 500 for the second time this May, won 16 times in his IndyCar career and was the series champion in 2005. He was airlifted from the Las Vegas track at 1:19 p.m. local time Sunday and taken to a nearby hospital, becoming the first IndyCar driver to die after an on-track crash since rookie Paul Dana was killed in practice on the morning of race day at Homestead-Miami Speedway in 2006. As word began to spread that his injuries were fatal, those at the track could not control their tears. Television cameras captured Ashley Judd, the wife of IndyCar champion Dario Franchitti, dabbing at her eyes shortly before the official word came. The remainder of the race was canceled. Drivers solemnly returned to the track for a five-lap tribute to Wheldon, almost all of them hiding their eyes behind dark sunglasses after being told their colleague was gone. As Roger Penske met with his team trackside and other drivers simply hugged those around them, IndyCar CEO Randy Bernard made the announcement of Wheldon's death. "Our thoughts and prayers are with his family today," Bernard said. When drivers returned to the track, Wheldon's No. 77 was the only one on the towering scoreboard. Franchitti sobbed uncontrollably as he got back into his car for the tribute laps. Over speakers at the track, the song "Danny Boy" blared, followed by "Amazing Grace" as hundreds of crew workers from each team stood solemnly. The good news for Aggie fans is their team hasn't been beaten by more than 10 this season. The bad news is that Fresno State handed the USU Aggies their biggest loss this year, 31-21, Saturday night in Bulldog Stadium. Utah State failed to score in the second half, giving up a 21-14 halftime lead. "Fresno State finished the game, and we didn't," said USU head coach Gary Andersen. The Aggies drew first blood on the opening drive. Freshman quarterback Chuckie Keeton hit running back Michael Smith on a 47-yard screen pass for the touchdown. After a successful Josh Thompson extra point attempt, USU was on top 7-0. Keeton completed 15 of 31 passes for 194 yards and one touchdown in the game. The Cypress Creek High School graduate added only eight yards on the ground but still has not thrown an interception. The Bulldogs responded, going 68 yards on the next drive before quarterback Derek Carr fumbled the snap and USU safety McKade Brady recovered on the Aggie 6-yard line. Utah State scored on each of its first two possessions, this time going 94 yards in four plays and taking 1:44 off the clock. Keeton hit tight end Travis Van Leeuwen for a 36 yarder, to put the Aggies to the USU 43. Star running back Robert Turbin took the ball the rest of the way, two plays later, as he powered through a couple would-be tacklers up the right sideline and in for the score, 14-0 Utah State, with just over six minutes to go in the first quarter. Turbin ended with 155 yards and a touchdown on 16 carries. On the ensuing drive, USU cornerback Jumanne Robertson committed two personal fouls — a pass interference on Bulldog receiver Jalen Saunders and a facemask on Josh Harper — giving Fresno State 30 free yards of the 84-yard touchdown drive. Fresno put its first touchdown on the board with a 23-yard pass from Carr to Isaiah Burse, 14-7. Utah State again marched down the field after the kickoff, this time getting stood up on third down and six yards to go on the Fresno State 17. Thompson put the 35-yard field goal attempt wide left, and the Aggies were stopped inside the red zone for the first time all season. Carr drove the Bulldogs from the 20 and eventually jumped over the pile at the goal line to tie the game up at 14, four and a half minutes into the second quarter. On the ensuing kickoff, the FRESNO STATE'S ISAIAH BURSE catches a touchdown pass with Aggie cornerback Nevin Lawson on the coverage in the first half of the game Saturday, Oct. 15. The Aggies lost 31-21.AP photo Aggie kick returner took the ball two yards past midfield. After a two-yard run by Turbin, running back Smith ate up the remaining 46 yards to put Utah State back on top, 21-14, where the score stayed until halftime. Smith ended with 124 offensive yards and two touchdowns, but the Aggies did not score again. "I thought that Fresno came in with a good plan on offense," Andersen said. "I thought we came in with a good plan on offense, both units adjusted, their defense adjusted, our defense adjusted and the ability to execute in key situations for them were better than ours. Example: third and 15, five missed tackles for them changes the game. We can't protect the quarterback late, we can't rush the quarterback. In a nutshell that's what I see." Adding to kicking woes, Utah State failed to capitalize on each of three field goals attempted. Thompson was blocked by Fresno's Marcel Jenson at the start of the fourth quarter on a 31 yarder, which would have put the Aggies up by seven. Down 10 with just over a minute left in the game, Jake Haueter hit the crossbar on what would have been a 53 yarder. Fresno scored two touchdowns within four minutes after the blocked field goal to seal the game. — tavin.stucki@aggiemail.usu. edu Ags bite Pack in straight sets BY CURTIS LUNDSTROM staff writer USU SETTER PAIGE NEVES serves during the game against Nevada on Utah State's breast cancer awareness night. CODY GOCHNOUR photo Senior All-American Liz McArthur had a career night as she led the Utah State women's volleyball team past the University of Nevada, in straight sets Saturday night, 3-0. McArthur tallied 18 kills and recorded a career-high .680 hitting percentage, while committing only one error. The Aggies controlled from the start, and the Wolfpack was never able to bounce back. "Tonight setting Liz anytime was a good time," said head coach Grayson DuBose. "She was rolling right from the beginning." The Aggies got off to a fast start, jumping out to a 4-0 lead and forcing an early timeout by the Wolfpack. Nevada scored two quick points after the timeout, but USU was quick to respond and maintain control. Utah State comfortably executed its offensive sets, and Nevada struggled to put together any kind of offensive or defensive rhythm. Nevada was forced into another timeout as the USU lead swelled to seven and McArthur made sure the Wolfpack wasn't able to crawl back into it. After back-to-back kills from McArthur, junior opposite side hitter Shay Sorensen finished it off with a kill of her own to put the set away for the Aggies, 25-20. Sorensen, who was named to the pre-season All-WAC team, had a solid night for the Aggies, finishing in double digits in kills with 10, along with seven digs and three blocks. "It feels so good to be at home and play those two matches," Sorensen said. "I was just trying to really focus in that third game." Sorensen had a .381 hitting percentage on the night, and provided the dual threat the Aggies needed to keep the Wolfpack guessing. "Shay was rolling, and that allows that block to be spread," DuBose said. "We got our middles involved, and they'd key in on our middles and then we'd go back to the outside. We did a nice job tonight." The Aggies never trailed in the first two sets and McArthur wasn't the only Aggie with a 1.000 hitting percentage in the second set. Junior middle blocker Alyssa Everett also went perfect in the set, recording two kills on two attempts as the Aggie offense committed only two errors in set two. It was all McArthur in the second set, as she scored every time she attacked the net, going 8-8 and adding a dig. "Their block was giving me the shots I like to hit," McArthur said. "That is always nice, it makes it easy. Paige (Neves) really set well See VOLLEYBALL, Page 8 Utah State soccer wins 2-nil over Nevada Wolfpack in Reno BY CURTIS LUNDSTROM staff writer The Utah State women's soccer team toppled the University of Nevada, 2-0, Sunday. Junior defender Natalie Norris and sophomore midfielder Kendra Pemberton both tallied goals for the Aggies, while the Wolfpack was held scoreless on the day. "(Norris) did fantastic," said USU head coach Heather Cairns. "She was great. Anytime you earn a shutout it's a credit to the back line." Nevada seemed to be on the verge of breaking through for the lead early in the second half, as the Wolfpack took four shots in a 10-minute span, putting pressure on the Utah State defense and senior goal keeper Molli Merrill. Despite early chances for both teams, it wasn't until the 79th minute when Norris was able to break the scoreless tie and put the Aggies in front. Norris took a corner kick from senior defender Summer Tillotson and headed the ball home past Nevada goalkeeper Dana Moreno. It was Norris' third goal of the year and the breakthrough the Aggies were looking for. "The second half we focused on maintaining our composure," Cairns said. "We made a pact at halftime to finish the game and come away with the win, and we did that." Pemberton added her goal seven minutes later, as she fought through the Nevada defense after taking a centering pass from Tillotson, deflecting her shot off a defender and past the Nevada goalkeeper for her fifth goal of the year. The Aggies had nine shots on goal and the USU defense limited Nevada to only five shots total, three of them on goal. Utah State created opportunities early from a Pemberton corner kick in the third minute and two minutes later tested Nevada goalkeeper Dana Moreno, with a shot from senior midfielder Chandra Salmon-Christensen. The Aggies kept Moreno busy all afternoon, who finished with seven saves while giving up the two Aggie goals. Merrill was credited with the shutout for the Aggies — the seventh shutout on the season for Utah Sate. "Kendra had a good game for us as AGGIE MIDFIELDER KENDRA PEMBERTON battles off New Mexico State's Elise Nordin in a game Oct. 7, which USU won 2-0. CODY GOCHNOUR photo well," Cairns said. "She had a couple crosses that went through that we just couldn't quite get to, and then she added that insurance goal." Pemberton finished with three shots on the day, playing a total of 78 minutes for USU. Utah State held the Nevada offense in check most of the afternoon, not See SOCCER, Page 8 |