Griffin Collects Pair of Awards for Performance Last Week

Oct. 23, 2006

LOGAN, Utah — Sophomore goalkeeper Ali Griffin was honored with a pair of honors for her performance this past week in leading the Utah State soccer team to two wins and a tie as the Aggies clinched a berth in the Western Athletic Conference Tournament. Griffin was acknowledged with WAC Defensive Player of the Week honors as well as being named to Top Drawer Soccer's National Team of the Week after she posted two shutouts and allowed one goal for the week.

 

After yielding the lone goal of the week in Utah State's 2-1 win at Hawai'i on Monday [Oct. 16], Griffin blanked Nevada on Friday [Oct. 20], posting a career-high nine saves as the Aggies dropped the Wolf Pack, 2-0. Griffin then posted her second shutout in a row and seventh of the season on Sunday [Oct. 22] as Utah State battled preseason WAC favorite Fresno State to a 0-0 (2OT) draw.

 

Griffin, a native of South Jordan, Utah, (Bingham HS) has made 75 saves on the year, ranking second in the WAC statistics for saves, as well as second with her seven shutouts, third with a .833 save percentage and fourth in goals against average (0.84). Her 0.84 gaa currently ranks second on the USU single-season gaa list behind the 0.81 set by Megan Mills in 2003, while Griffin's 75 saves is fifth on the single-season saves list.

 

Earlier this season Griffin topped the 1,000 minutes mark for her career, becoming eligible for USU's career lists and climbing to the top of the Aggies' career goals against average chart. Griffin presently has a 0.81 gaa for her career, taking over the previous high mark held by Megan Mills' 1.18 gaa from 2001-04.

 

Griffin's honor is the first WAC Player of the Week honor for the Aggie soccer team this season, and is the first award since former defender Liz Masson earned the WAC Defensive Player of the Week on Oct. 31 of last season.

 

With Sunday's tie, Utah State remains unbeaten in Western Athletic Conference play with a 3-0-2 record, and clinched a berth in the WAC Tournament, Nov. 2-5 at Reno, Nev. Utah State currently holds the longest conference regular-season unbeaten streak in the league, as the Aggies have not lost in their last seven WAC games, winning the last two of last season and going 3-0-2 so far this season.

 

The Aggies have an 8-7-2 overall record, and are unbeaten in seven of their last 10 matches.

 

Utah State became the league-leader in OT matches with five after Sunday's extra-time match. The Aggies now have a 2-1-2 record in OT matches.

 

Sunday was the final home match of the season for the Aggies, who concluded home action with a 4-2-2 mark this season, moving to 9-2-3 against conference foes at Bell Field and unbeaten in 14 of their last 17 home contests in improving to 20-14-9 all-time at Bell Field.

 

Utah State concludes regular-season action with a trip to the state of Idaho for two matches. The first stop is Boise, Idaho on Friday, Oct. 27, to take on Boise State at 4 p.m. (MST). The Aggies then continue on to Moscow, Idaho to face Idaho on Sunday, Oct. 29, at 2 p.m. (MST) in the regular-season finale.