Eugene, Ore. -- Two early goals by the Ducks proved to be too much to overcome as the Arizona State soccer team fell on the road, 3-0, to Oregon Friday afternoon.
"I thought we started a little sluggish," head coach Graham Winkworth, "I did a poor job today preparing the girls to start the game well. We tried to play an attractive style of soccer, a style we are capable of playing, but today we didn't do the things we needed to. We were not completing passes, we were not winning the 50/50 balls, and all credit to Oregon. They just wanted it more than we did today, and that is on me."
The Sun Devils, fresh off a four game stretch that featured matches against four-teams ranked inside the top-15, found themselves chasing the Ducks early as Marissa Everett was able to break onto the scoreboard in the third minute of play.
Everett would strike again in the 26th- minute of play to put the Ducks up 2-0 midway through the first half. Following the second goal, the Sun Devils seemed to settle down and create opportunities, but the stifling Oregon defense would hold, sending the game to the break with the Ducks up by a pair.
The Sun Devil offense got off to a hot start in the second half, creating their first real goal scoring opportunity two minutes into the period as Jazmarie Mader created separation and fired in a shot that was just saved by the Oregon keeper.
"I am not the type of coach to keep things the same," added Winkworth. "We tried some things that did not work today. Sometimes those changes work and sometimes they don't. It wasn't our second half that cost us the game, it was the poor first half performance that really did cost us today."
Unfortunately for the Sun Devils, the Oregon offense would not go quietly in the second half, as the Ducks found the back of the net for the third time in the 74th- minute of the game.
The Sun Devils would combine for 10 shots, five on goal, in the effort, while keeper Megan Delaney provided eight saves.
ASU will be back in action on Thursday evening with a trip to face Colorado in Boulder, before taking on Utah Sunday. Fans can follow all of the action from the 2017 soccer season by following @SunDevilSoccer on Twitter.
"I thought we started a little sluggish," head coach Graham Winkworth, "I did a poor job today preparing the girls to start the game well. We tried to play an attractive style of soccer, a style we are capable of playing, but today we didn't do the things we needed to. We were not completing passes, we were not winning the 50/50 balls, and all credit to Oregon. They just wanted it more than we did today, and that is on me."
The Sun Devils, fresh off a four game stretch that featured matches against four-teams ranked inside the top-15, found themselves chasing the Ducks early as Marissa Everett was able to break onto the scoreboard in the third minute of play.
Everett would strike again in the 26th- minute of play to put the Ducks up 2-0 midway through the first half. Following the second goal, the Sun Devils seemed to settle down and create opportunities, but the stifling Oregon defense would hold, sending the game to the break with the Ducks up by a pair.
The Sun Devil offense got off to a hot start in the second half, creating their first real goal scoring opportunity two minutes into the period as Jazmarie Mader created separation and fired in a shot that was just saved by the Oregon keeper.
"I am not the type of coach to keep things the same," added Winkworth. "We tried some things that did not work today. Sometimes those changes work and sometimes they don't. It wasn't our second half that cost us the game, it was the poor first half performance that really did cost us today."
Unfortunately for the Sun Devils, the Oregon offense would not go quietly in the second half, as the Ducks found the back of the net for the third time in the 74th- minute of the game.
The Sun Devils would combine for 10 shots, five on goal, in the effort, while keeper Megan Delaney provided eight saves.
ASU will be back in action on Thursday evening with a trip to face Colorado in Boulder, before taking on Utah Sunday. Fans can follow all of the action from the 2017 soccer season by following @SunDevilSoccer on Twitter.