TEMPE Ariz.-- The Arizona State soccer team closed out the 2018 preseason in dominant fashion with a 10-0 win over the Federation of University Sports of China, Saturday at Sun Devil Soccer Stadium.
"I told the girls no matter how the game goes you're not necessarily competing against just Beijing today, but you're competing against each other, and your own personal bests," head coach Graham Winkworth said of Saturday's exhibition. "They didn't take their foot off the pedal. What I take away from today is we have obviously got a lot of depth in this squad. I'm six days away from the season, and I feel like six months away from picking my starting 11."
The Sun Devils wasted little time finding the back of the net. Freshman midfielder Marleen Schimmer capitalized on free kick opportunity just outside 18-yard box, scoring the game's first goal in just the sixth minute.
Olivia Nguyen made it a 2-0 ASU lead with a beautiful shot from inside the six yard box, before senior captain, Jemma Purfield, found freshman midfielder Julia Koharko who buried a shot to put ASU out front 3-0.
"It was fantastic," Purfield said of her team's win on Saturday. "Big thank you to the visitors for coming here and playing us today. It was great exposure and a great experience, I'm sure for them as well for us. It was nice to bring in a different opponent that brings a variety of styles. They were very technically gifted. So thank you to them for coming out and we really enjoyed the experience."
Nicole Douglas made it a 4-0 ASU lead when she completed a long run from a blocked shot attempt from FUSC, beating the keeper in a one-on-one situation at the other end.
In the closing minutes of the first half freshman midfielder Hikaru Minami delivered a corner kick to junior midfielder Christina Edwards who scored on a beautifully headed ball, extending ASUs lead to 5-0 at the halftime break.
"It was very reassuring. I had a tough start to the season with a family member passing away," Edwards said. "To get two goals today, and to remember that I can score was great. As a team, it was reassuring getting our feet underneath us. Although the tempo was kind of slow, we wanted to increase our game and try to push the tempo. As a team we saw those instances of us playing our game and that was really reassuring overall."
Edwards finished the day with a team leading two goals on three shots.
"She didn't play all that many minutes today," Winkworth said of the junior midfielder's day. "But every time she goes in, whether she's played 90 minutes or nine minutes, she goes in with the same level of energy. She puts in her shift and she went in, and scored on one of her first touches she made and she works hard. The last goal was obviously a great delivery to get on the end of it when you score from one winger to another crossing over into the other winger so that's a bonus."
Defensively, ASU took a team approach, with goalkeepers Sydney Day and Amanda Green having a quiet day in net and not having to make a save.
The Sun Devils displayed their depth and impressed offensively with nine different goal scorers on the day, including six freshmen with a goal.
"It's fantastic when all of these freshmen are getting their first goal under their belt, it breeds confidence for them," Winkworth said. "If it weren't for the older players making it a friendly environment, I don't know if they would be settling in quite as quickly. It's a credit to the older girls that the younger girls are performing so well."
"It's exciting to have this much talent and so much potential," Purfield said of the freshman goal scorers. "A lot of young players got on the score sheet today and the returners as well played a big part in the goals that were scored. It's great to have such talented players around."
ASU will hit the road to begin the 2018 regular season at Hawaii this Friday evening, marking the Sun Devils' first official game of the 2018 season. First kick in Friday's match is scheduled for 10 p.m. AZT.
"I told the girls no matter how the game goes you're not necessarily competing against just Beijing today, but you're competing against each other, and your own personal bests," head coach Graham Winkworth said of Saturday's exhibition. "They didn't take their foot off the pedal. What I take away from today is we have obviously got a lot of depth in this squad. I'm six days away from the season, and I feel like six months away from picking my starting 11."
The Sun Devils wasted little time finding the back of the net. Freshman midfielder Marleen Schimmer capitalized on free kick opportunity just outside 18-yard box, scoring the game's first goal in just the sixth minute.
Olivia Nguyen made it a 2-0 ASU lead with a beautiful shot from inside the six yard box, before senior captain, Jemma Purfield, found freshman midfielder Julia Koharko who buried a shot to put ASU out front 3-0.
"It was fantastic," Purfield said of her team's win on Saturday. "Big thank you to the visitors for coming here and playing us today. It was great exposure and a great experience, I'm sure for them as well for us. It was nice to bring in a different opponent that brings a variety of styles. They were very technically gifted. So thank you to them for coming out and we really enjoyed the experience."
Nicole Douglas made it a 4-0 ASU lead when she completed a long run from a blocked shot attempt from FUSC, beating the keeper in a one-on-one situation at the other end.
In the closing minutes of the first half freshman midfielder Hikaru Minami delivered a corner kick to junior midfielder Christina Edwards who scored on a beautifully headed ball, extending ASUs lead to 5-0 at the halftime break.
"It was very reassuring. I had a tough start to the season with a family member passing away," Edwards said. "To get two goals today, and to remember that I can score was great. As a team, it was reassuring getting our feet underneath us. Although the tempo was kind of slow, we wanted to increase our game and try to push the tempo. As a team we saw those instances of us playing our game and that was really reassuring overall."
Edwards finished the day with a team leading two goals on three shots.
"She didn't play all that many minutes today," Winkworth said of the junior midfielder's day. "But every time she goes in, whether she's played 90 minutes or nine minutes, she goes in with the same level of energy. She puts in her shift and she went in, and scored on one of her first touches she made and she works hard. The last goal was obviously a great delivery to get on the end of it when you score from one winger to another crossing over into the other winger so that's a bonus."
Defensively, ASU took a team approach, with goalkeepers Sydney Day and Amanda Green having a quiet day in net and not having to make a save.
The Sun Devils displayed their depth and impressed offensively with nine different goal scorers on the day, including six freshmen with a goal.
"It's fantastic when all of these freshmen are getting their first goal under their belt, it breeds confidence for them," Winkworth said. "If it weren't for the older players making it a friendly environment, I don't know if they would be settling in quite as quickly. It's a credit to the older girls that the younger girls are performing so well."
"It's exciting to have this much talent and so much potential," Purfield said of the freshman goal scorers. "A lot of young players got on the score sheet today and the returners as well played a big part in the goals that were scored. It's great to have such talented players around."
ASU will hit the road to begin the 2018 regular season at Hawaii this Friday evening, marking the Sun Devils' first official game of the 2018 season. First kick in Friday's match is scheduled for 10 p.m. AZT.