Jan. 26, 2011
TEMPE – Wednesday night’s scrimmage between Arizona State University and the Canadian National Team marked the end of three days of training for the two teams in Tempe with the visitors taking the final contest, 12-5, at Mona Plummer Aquatic Center on campus. The Sun Devils played well throughout the scrimmage used to gain experience for the team as they head into their regular season opener next weekend.
Shannon Haas led the way offensively as she scored four goals for the Sun Devils, bringing her three-game total to five and equaling the scoring total of Sarah Harris, who also scored in the finale. Canada’s Christine Robinson led the way with three goals of her own while both Sophie Baron La Salle and Jenna Crook each netted two.
In the first quarter, the Sun Devils struck first as Harris connected on a 5-meter penalty shot with 6:47 remaining for a 1-0 lead. ASU extended that lead at the 3:47 mark as Haas scored on a quick restart after Canada had a player excluded. The Canadians, however, stormed back in the final 3:15 of the quarter as they scored three times, including two by Robinson and one by Baron La Salle.
The Sun Devils opened the second with Haas finding the back of the net once again to tie the game at 3-3 before Baron La Salle put Canada ahead once again with her goal at 5:18. But, just under 30 seconds later, the Sun Devils struck again, this time with Haas tipping in a pass in front of the goal to make it 4-4. Canada responded, however, by scoring three goals in a row as Dominique Perreault, Crook and Rosanna Tomiuk found the back of the net to make it 7-4 Canada at halftime.
In the third, ASU again opened the scoring first as Haas tipped in her second close attempt on the advantage to draw the hosts to within two goals (7-5), but Canada scored twice more to extend the lead to 9-5. In the final quarter, ASU was unable to find the back of the net while the visitors scored three more times to bring the score to its 12-5 final.
Defensively, Ianeta Hutchinson halted nine shots in the game with back-up Amanda Young recording one save in her three minutes of action at the end of the contest. Rachel Riddell also recorded nine saves in the win for Canada.
Overall, Canada won the first game, 12-6, and the second, 15-4, before tonight’s contest.
The Sun Devils will out of action for 10 days before opening their regular season slate next Saturday and Sunday (February 5-6) a the Stanford Invitational in Palo Alto, Calif. Ranked No. 8 nationally, ASU will open with No. 1 Stanford at 8:30 a.m. PT and No. 9 San Jose State at 2:45 p.m. on Saturday before taking on No. 3 California at 8 a.m. on Sunday. Those three games will be used to determine what placement the Sun Devils play for Sunday afternoon.
Canada def. Arizona State, 12-5
CAN - 3 - 4 - 2 - 3 = 12
ASU - 2 - 2 - 1 - 0 = 5
Goals
CAN: Robinson 3, Baron La Salle 2, Crook 2, Perreault, Radu, Steenkamer, Tomiuk, Valin
ASU: Haas 4, Harris 1
Saves
CAN: Riddell 9
ASU: Hutchinson 9, Young 1