TUCSON, Ariz. – Having been a head coach in the Pac-12 since 1997, Sun Devil soccer head coach Kevin Boyd has seen several hat-tricks in his career. But had he ever seen one happen as quickly as the one Cali Farquharson had on Sunday?
“I’m not sure I’ve ever seen that,” said Boyd. “Scoring three goals that quick was unbelievable.”
Farquharson, a junior forward and ASU’s leader in goals and points each of the last two seasons, scored three goals in the span of 5:46 in the first half of ASU’s 5-0 win over Nevada on Sunday at the Cats Classic hosted by the University of Arizona.
It was the fifth consecutive win for the Sun Devils (6-1-1), who recorded a pair of 5-0, shutout wins over the weekend (also defeated New Mexico State 5-0 on Friday).
It was the second career hat-trick for Farquharson, who scored five goals and assisted on another in the weekend’s two wins.
“We were teasing (Cali) when she came out. I said, ‘good hat-trick’ and (assistant coach) Blair (Quinn) jokingly told her, ‘you should have had four,’” said Boyd.
With the three goals on Sunday, Farquharson is now tied with teammate and freshman forward/midfielder Aly Moon for the team lead with seven on the year. Both players also have two assists.
Moon, who has ASU’s other hat-trick this season, started off ASU’s barrage of goals on Sunday when she cleaned up a loose ball that was sitting just inside the six to give ASU a 1-0 lead in the sixth minute of the game.
Moon set up ASU’s second goal when she found Farquharson within a short distance of the Nevada goal. Farquharson was able to elude a save attempt by Nevada’s charging keeper, which in the process took out the one defender who was trailing Farquharson, then while to the left of the six, sent her angled shot into the net for the goal.
Ninety-three seconds later, Farquharson scored her second of the game to extend ASU’s lead to 3-0. After taking a pass from Mackenzie Semerad, Farquharson turned inside at the top of the 18 to spin her defender, which set her up for an open shot.
Farquharson would complete the rapid succession of goals a little more than four minutes later when she took another ball from Semerad and fired another precisely accurate shot from just outside the 18 to make it 4-0.
Junior defender Rachel Ometer, who hadn’t scored a goal prior to this season, would conclude ASU’s flurry of goals with her third goal of the season in the 42nd minute, which she chipped just underneath the crossbar.
The Sun Devils dominated every phase of Sunday’s game as they had overwhelming advantages in shots (34-4), shots on goal (15-2) and corner kicks (5-0).
What pleased Boyd as much as coming away with the two wins, was the style in which the team did it.
“I thought we did very well,” said Boyd. “On paper they looked like two games we should win, but anything can happen in the game of soccer and that’s why we play them. Good teams find ways to win those games. We are proving that we are a good team.”
Boyd said one of the biggest factors in the scoring success enjoyed by Farquharson and Moon over the weekend was the play of the team’s midfield, which has continually improved from week to week.
“Cali and Aly together are spectacular, but I also want to credit our midfield for their support, especially the way they played today,” said Boyd. “I thought our midfield did really well. They moved the ball around and found different ways to go at them, which is what allowed both Cali and Aly the space to do what they do.”
Sunday’s result was the third time in ASU’s last four games in which it also came away with a shutout. Goalkeeper Chandler Morris logged all but 30 minutes of those contests and Boyd credited the senior for the recent performances she has turned in.
“She’s stepped up and taken the spot,” explained Boyd. “She’s showing presence, she looks powerful, she is handling balls really clean, she is coming out and taking crosses and handling air balls coming into the box in a very comfortable fashion.
Farquharson, Moon and Morris were all named to the Cats Classic All-Tournament Team.
The Sun Devils close out their stretch of playing seven of their first nine games away from home this Friday (7 p.m. PT) when they play at Cal State Northridge.