By Jonathan Canas (@jonathancanas_) – Spear Reporter
Junior Bella Flocchini dribbles the ball at the Spartan Soccer Complex. | Photo by Titus Wilkinson
SJSU women’s soccer (3-6-6, 1-3-3) face off against the third best team in the Mountain West at Utah State (8-7-1, 5-2-0) tomorrow.
Utah State is in the middle of a four-game homestead and has won five of its last six games.
The Aggies scored both their goals on crosses against the Bulldogs, which the Spartans had trouble defending against in Idaho.
To add to that, the Aggie offense had 25 shots with nine being on target.
The Spartans’ defense has their work cut out for them yet again after allowing 25 shots against the Broncos.
SJSU goalkeeper and freshman Bente Pernot had her second-most saves on the season with nine last time out against the Boise State.
Pernot is chasing history by being one shutout away from tying the third most career clean sheets in Spartan history. She sits at 10.
The Aggies aren’t strangers to shutouts themselves.
On the other side of the net, graduate student Diera Walton is a big reason the Aggies are tied for first in the conference in shutouts on the year and have the fewest goals allowed with five.
The Spartans will look to expel their first-half troubles by being the aggressors early on.
The Spartans put in five shots against the Broncos in the first half and were forced to play defense a majority of the game.
“I thought there were some key moments were we could’ve put it away,” said Head Coach Tina Estrada. “Two key chances we need to get on frame on Sunday.”
SJSU currently sits in ninth place with 6 points.
The offense can’t afford to waste any more time with only four games remaining on the year.
Luckily for this Spartan squad there is only one more game on the road after the trip to Utah.
The match will kick off at 11:00 a.m in Logan, Utah at Chuck and Gloria Bell soccer field.