TEMPE, Ariz. – The Arizona State women's soccer team scored a goal in the 81st minute to force overtime, but in the end the Sun Devils were not able to get the result they most desired in Thursday's 1-1 draw against Utah.
Coming off a 2-0 loss in last week's conference opener at No. 11 UCLA, the Sun Devils (5-3-2, 0-1-1 Pac-12) came into Thursday's game looking to build on a very encouraging second half against the Bruins in which they were able to create several dangerous scoring opportunities. As it turned out, ASU was not able to create those same dangerous chances against the Utes.
"The first 30 minutes of the game we played most of our starters and we had all of the ball," ASU head coach Kevin Boyd explained. "Four minutes into the game we had put together 26 passes, but the first pass that was trying to go behind the opponent was the 26th. So we had 25 passes where we played in front of them, backwards and sideways and we didn't even pose a danger to them and we're trying to be more dangerous.
"When we made subs at the end of the first half, the players that went in as a group just did not keep the ball at all. For the remaining 14 or 15 minutes of the first half, we didn't put together a pass string beyond two and that's not who we are at all. It's still a learning process. We're young. We've got a few players where when they go in they're so excited and they have to calm down and play the game that we want to play."
While the Sun Devils were having their struggles on offense, the Utes (6-2-2, 1-0-1) were having similar difficulties as they did not get their first shot until past the midway point of the first half and had only two shots as the half was approaching.
In a game that appeared would eventually be decided by which team could take advantage of the few opportunities it would be presented with, it was the Utes who came up with the game's first big play after a Sun Devil foul and subsequent yellow card in the 44th minute provided the Utes with an opportunity for a set piece from just inside their attacking half of the field. Katie Rogers would go up and get her head on the long-distance free kick and was able to score the first goal of the game with just 62 seconds left in the half.
"It seemed like a goal was coming because we were committing too many fouls in a space where they could serve it into our box," Boyd said. "My rule is eight: If you give up eight corners or sets like that then you are probably giving up a goal and it is hard to keep defending like that."
Entering the 80th minute of play and still facing the one-goal deficit the Sun Devils found themselves running out of time to get their first conference result of the season. Making the situation even more disconcerting was the lack of quality chances they had been able to generate up to that point. ASU's four shots over the course of the first 35-plus minutes of the second half were either not on frame or blocked.
Down, but not out, the Sun Devils would get the spark they were looking for when junior forward Jazmarie Mader, the team's top goal scorer, took a pass from Christina Edwards inside the box, made a spin move and calmly stuck the ball away for her seventh goal of the season to tie the game at 1-1.
"It took a while to get it. We were trying to figure out how to get the ball through and Kevin told us right at the beginning that we need to go from behind and we kept trying to do other things," Mader said. "As soon as we went behind, we got the result we needed."
Added Boyd, "I thought she did a great job there. She tried to get the shot and then she took a touch out and spun the player. It looked like she kicked it through the player's legs when she shot it, so I'm looking forward to seeing the video."
ASU would take the remaining two shots in regulation but both were saved.
The best chance either team had to win it in the two overtime periods came in the 107th minute when Larisa Staub sent a shot from the top of the 18 and just missed winning the game for the Sun Devils as the ball hit the post.
"[Natalie Stephens] played me a beautiful ball across and I wanted to place it top right," said Staub. "I hit a knuckleball, so it was wobbly and so I was like 'Oh my gosh it's going in,' but at the last second it went up a little bit and hit the post."
Mader led ASU with four shots while Kylie Miniefield, Jessica Raybe and Staub had two shots each. Emma Malsy, who had two saves, and Devyn Kelsey both played all 110 minutes of the game. Also playing more than 100 or more minutes were Mckenzie Grossman (103) and Miniefield (100).
For the second consecutive game the Sun Devils were missing an important contributor in their starting lineup. After playing without Grossman (the team's most experienced defender) in last week's loss at No. 11 UCLA, the Sun Devils were without junior forward Aly Moon, the team's current career leader in goals (15) and points (42), for Thursday's game against Utah.
Now seven weeks into the season, the Pac-12 has positioned itself as one of the nation's top conferences as nine teams were ranked in the top 50 of the most recent NCAA RPI (Sept. 26). The Utes came into Thursday's game ranked No. 22
The Sun Devils return to action on Sunday (3 p.m. PT) when they host Colorado in a game that will be shown live by Pac-12 Network.
Coming off a 2-0 loss in last week's conference opener at No. 11 UCLA, the Sun Devils (5-3-2, 0-1-1 Pac-12) came into Thursday's game looking to build on a very encouraging second half against the Bruins in which they were able to create several dangerous scoring opportunities. As it turned out, ASU was not able to create those same dangerous chances against the Utes.
"The first 30 minutes of the game we played most of our starters and we had all of the ball," ASU head coach Kevin Boyd explained. "Four minutes into the game we had put together 26 passes, but the first pass that was trying to go behind the opponent was the 26th. So we had 25 passes where we played in front of them, backwards and sideways and we didn't even pose a danger to them and we're trying to be more dangerous.
"When we made subs at the end of the first half, the players that went in as a group just did not keep the ball at all. For the remaining 14 or 15 minutes of the first half, we didn't put together a pass string beyond two and that's not who we are at all. It's still a learning process. We're young. We've got a few players where when they go in they're so excited and they have to calm down and play the game that we want to play."
While the Sun Devils were having their struggles on offense, the Utes (6-2-2, 1-0-1) were having similar difficulties as they did not get their first shot until past the midway point of the first half and had only two shots as the half was approaching.
In a game that appeared would eventually be decided by which team could take advantage of the few opportunities it would be presented with, it was the Utes who came up with the game's first big play after a Sun Devil foul and subsequent yellow card in the 44th minute provided the Utes with an opportunity for a set piece from just inside their attacking half of the field. Katie Rogers would go up and get her head on the long-distance free kick and was able to score the first goal of the game with just 62 seconds left in the half.
"It seemed like a goal was coming because we were committing too many fouls in a space where they could serve it into our box," Boyd said. "My rule is eight: If you give up eight corners or sets like that then you are probably giving up a goal and it is hard to keep defending like that."
Entering the 80th minute of play and still facing the one-goal deficit the Sun Devils found themselves running out of time to get their first conference result of the season. Making the situation even more disconcerting was the lack of quality chances they had been able to generate up to that point. ASU's four shots over the course of the first 35-plus minutes of the second half were either not on frame or blocked.
Down, but not out, the Sun Devils would get the spark they were looking for when junior forward Jazmarie Mader, the team's top goal scorer, took a pass from Christina Edwards inside the box, made a spin move and calmly stuck the ball away for her seventh goal of the season to tie the game at 1-1.
"It took a while to get it. We were trying to figure out how to get the ball through and Kevin told us right at the beginning that we need to go from behind and we kept trying to do other things," Mader said. "As soon as we went behind, we got the result we needed."
Added Boyd, "I thought she did a great job there. She tried to get the shot and then she took a touch out and spun the player. It looked like she kicked it through the player's legs when she shot it, so I'm looking forward to seeing the video."
ASU would take the remaining two shots in regulation but both were saved.
The best chance either team had to win it in the two overtime periods came in the 107th minute when Larisa Staub sent a shot from the top of the 18 and just missed winning the game for the Sun Devils as the ball hit the post.
"[Natalie Stephens] played me a beautiful ball across and I wanted to place it top right," said Staub. "I hit a knuckleball, so it was wobbly and so I was like 'Oh my gosh it's going in,' but at the last second it went up a little bit and hit the post."
Mader led ASU with four shots while Kylie Miniefield, Jessica Raybe and Staub had two shots each. Emma Malsy, who had two saves, and Devyn Kelsey both played all 110 minutes of the game. Also playing more than 100 or more minutes were Mckenzie Grossman (103) and Miniefield (100).
For the second consecutive game the Sun Devils were missing an important contributor in their starting lineup. After playing without Grossman (the team's most experienced defender) in last week's loss at No. 11 UCLA, the Sun Devils were without junior forward Aly Moon, the team's current career leader in goals (15) and points (42), for Thursday's game against Utah.
Now seven weeks into the season, the Pac-12 has positioned itself as one of the nation's top conferences as nine teams were ranked in the top 50 of the most recent NCAA RPI (Sept. 26). The Utes came into Thursday's game ranked No. 22
The Sun Devils return to action on Sunday (3 p.m. PT) when they host Colorado in a game that will be shown live by Pac-12 Network.