Sept. 25, 2009
Final Stats ASU-Pepperdine Slideshow
TEMPE, Ariz. -- Jill Shoquist's first goal of the season proved to be enough offense for the Arizona State women's soccer team on Friday night as the Sun Devils defeated Pepperdine 1-0.
With the win the Sun Devils (6-1-2) extended their unbeaten streak to six games (4-0-2) while also improving their home record this season to 4-0-1.
“I’m thrilled with the win against a good team,” ASU head coach Kevin Boyd said following the win. “Our first half wasn’t great but our second half was very good… I thought we did very well. We held the ball better, our forwards responded, our midfield responded, Jill got her first goal of the year and it was a good one that came on a second ball off a set piece."
Following a non-descript first half in which both teams took five shots, the Sun Devils came out and started to establish control in the second half. Shoquist broke the scoreless tie less than five minutes into the second half after she knocked in a ball that came her way on a deflection off a free kick.
“We had numerous (free kicks) and knew we had to put one away,” Shoquist explained. “I think [the ball] came off [teammate Alexandra Elston] off a defender and I just happened to be there and put it in the back of the net."
With the goal, which was only the second goal allowed by Pepperdine (5-3-0) in the second half of a game this season, Shoquist became the eighth different Sun Devil to find the back of the net in 2009 while freshman Sierra Joseph collected her second assist of the season.
For the game the Sun Devils held a slight 7-6 edge in shots and a 4-1 advantage in corner kicks. Elston and fellow junior Karin Volpe tied for the team lead with two shots. Senior goalkeeper Briana Silvestri made one save in securing her third shoutout of the season and the 15th of her career.
Friday’s game was a ‘Pink Out’ in which the ASU soccer program encouraged fans to wear pink to support breast cancer awareness. Both teams wore pink wristbands and the lines on the field of Sun Devil Soccer Stadium were painted pink.
The Sun Devils wrap up the non-conference portion of their on Sunday at 1 p.m. when they host Northern Arizona.