LAS CRUCES, N.M. - The NM State soccer team (2-3) will look to continue one of its best WAC starts in school history when they head to Herriman, Utah, for a matchup against Utah Valley (2-2-1) on Thursday (6 p.m.) and Saturday (2 p.m.). Thursday's game will be played at Zions Bank Stadium with Saturday's matchup being played at the RSL Zions Bank Indoor Training Field. Both games can be seen live on the WAC Digital Network. 

Quick Kicks

• The Aggies 2-0 WAC start is the best start since 2009 when they started WAC play with 4-0-1 record.
• The six goals scored by the Aggies in Monday's matchup against Chicago State was the most goals scored in a game under head coach Rob Baarts
• Senior Shea O'Connor and sophomore Xitlaly Hernandez were the first Aggie duo to record back-to-back hat tricks in a single season. O'Connor picked up the fifth hat trick in Aggie history in Saturday's game while Hernandez added the program's sixth hat trick on Monday.
• O'Connor was awarded the WAC Offensive Player of the Week last week. O'Connor was the first Aggie to win the award since Devin Hart in 2017.

Last Time Out
The Aggies were able to get its first two wins of the season with a 5-0 win against Chicago State last Saturday and a 6-1 win over the Cougars on Monday. After scoring just one goal in its previous three games, the Aggie offense exploded for 11 goals in two matches with O'Connor and Hernandez each recording a hat trick in the two games against the Cougars. On Saturday, junior Corey Kizer and Hernandez joined O'Connor in the scoring while junior Grace Olson, sophomore Hannah Leitner and freshman Loma McNeese added goals for the Aggies on Monday.

Scouting the Wolverines 
Utah Valley will come into their matches against the Aggies 2-2-1 overall and 1-1 in the conference. The Wolverines split two games against Grand Canyon last week, as they came up with a 1-0 win on Thursday but fell 0-1 on Saturday. The Wolverines will be led by redshirt junior Sadie Brockbank. Brockbank has scored two goals for the Wolverines and has one assist on the year. She also leads the teams in shots (24) and shot-on-goals (12).

Sophomore Heather Stainbrook is also a key piece for the Wolverines, as she scored one goal in their season opener against Florida Atlantic and has two assists on the year.

In the net, redshirt senior Isabel Jones-Dawe has started all five games for the Wolverines, as she has recorded 10 saves and allowed just two goals. 

The Series
The Aggies will look to make some more history this week, as the Aggies have never defeated the Wolverines. However, the Aggies have tied Utah Valley twice in 2016 and 2013. In 2019, the Wolverines squeaked by the Aggies in a 1-0 win. 

For any updates throughout the season, follow the Aggies on Twitter (NMStateWSOC), Instagram (nmstatewsoc) and Facebook (NM State WSOC).

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