Sept. 26, 2008
TEMPE, Ariz. - Alexandra Elston's second goal in the last two games proved to be the game winner as the Arizona State women's soccer team extended its unbeaten streak to six (4-0-2) with a 1-0 win over UC Santa Barbara on Friday night. With the win ASU improved to 5-2-3 on the season while UCSB fell to 6-4-0.
"I thought we were very disciplined in our organization and so credit to a young team to be able to do that," said ASU head coach Kevin Boyd. "It's a nice win for us because that's a good team we played tonight."
Elston, who on Sunday scored a goal in the 86th minute to help ASU salvage an eventual 1-1 tie against Michigan, broke a scoreless tie in the 58th minute on Friday when she took a pass from teammate Carla Scanniello and found the near corner of the net for her third goal of the season.
"[Alexandra] has a great shot," said Boyd. "She had a couple chances in the first half as well that she did not hit clean and so I figured if she got another chance in the second half that she would put it away and she did."
Junior goalkeeper Briana Silvestri made four of her five saves in the second half to pick up her fourth shutout of the season.
The Sun Devils are now 1-0-1 against ranked teams this season. Earlier this month ASU played No. 7 Texas to a scoreless tie in Austin, Texas.
"[UCSB] is a ranked team and that is a critical piece for us," said Boyd. "For us, we had to beat someone in the Top 25 to get our own recognition and start developing a reputation as a talented team."
The Sun Devils return to action on Sunday when they host Long Beach State at 1 p.m.