Top-ranked BYU women’s soccer loses to Utah State to finish tough week

The top-ranked BYU Cougars women’s soccer team has hit some adversity on the field this week, capped by suffering its first loss of the season Saturday on the road against the Utah State Aggies.

Summer Diamond scored in the 50th minute for the Aggies, and Diera Walton didn’t allow any goals to become Utah State’s all-time leader in shutouts as the home team won 1-0.

“I mean, we couldn’t be any more excited,” Diamond said after the game. “Like, this is what we wanted, No. 1 team, and we’ve always known we could beat them. This is what we wanted to do. The team worked so hard today.”

Added Aggies head coach Manny Martins: “What can I say? Proud of the girls, proud of the staff...I mean listen, it’s a collective effort.”

On the day, BYU outshot Utah State 12-11, including a 6-4 advantage in shots on goal, but Walton turned away six shots from the Cougars.

BYU goalkeepers Lynette Hernaez and Savanna Mason combined for four saves.

“I feel like our team worked so hard throughout the entire game ... it was a really good game,” Walton said.

As for the Cougars, the loss comes less than 48 hours after a 3-3 draw at home on Thursday night against the TCU Horned Frogs in BYU’s first Big 12 Conference game.

That draw snapped a seven-game win streak the Cougars had put together to open the 2023 season, one of which included a victory over then-No. 1 UCLA on August 31 when BYU was ranked No. 7 in the country.

The Cougars will look to bounce back on the road next Thursday against Baylor in a return to Big 12 action, while the Aggies will next face Air Force on the road that same day in their 2023 Mountain West Conference opener.