TEMPE, Ariz.-- The Arizona State soccer team (6-2-3) suffered their first Pac-12 loss of the season falling, 2-1, to fifth-ranked USC in the final seconds of Thursday's match at the Sun Devil Soccer Stadium.
The Trojans would get things started early in the match, earning a set piece in just the sixth minute of play, leading to an early, 1-0, USC lead.
After spending much of the opening frame on the defensive end of the pitch, the Sun Devils would stand firm and begin to open the game up and create chances of their own.
In the 26th- minute, sophomore forward Marleen Schimmer found herself behind the Southern Cal defense and unleashed a shot that rolled just past the far-post.
With neither team able to find the back of the net, the Sun Devils would go into the halftime break trailing, 1-0.
In the 62nd- minute, Schimmer took on the USC defense again, this time striking from distance on a stunner from outside the box to tie the match, 1-1, and send the Sun Devil crowd into a frenzy.
With thirty seconds remaining in the match, USC would finally breakthrough with a goal from Kaylin Martin, to give the Trojans a 2-1 advantage.
Seconds later, ASU would earn a penalty kick on a foul inside the box, but USC keeper Anna Smith would make an incredible play on a perfectly struck ball to help the fifth-ranked Trojans escape Tempe with a 2-1 win.
The Sun Devils will be back in action Sunday afternoon when the team hosts No. 16 UCLA. Kickoff is scheduled for 1:00 p.m. PT. Fans can also follow all of the action from the 2019 season by following @SunDevilSoccer on Twitter and Instagram.
A Word With The Team...
Head coach Graham Winkworth on the team's effort against the Trojans;
"Outside of one chance in the first five or six minutes, they didn't create too many chances for themselves in open play. That one early was on me because of a tactical decision. I thought we defended so well for all 90 minutes. Defensively I really thought we were fantastic from top to bottom. In that last minute, that was crazy. Really we lost from two corner kicks. That is a little disappointing to lose like that. Schimmer had another goal for the collection of wonder-goals this season. I want to give credit to Nicole Douglas. Stepping up with eight seconds to go against the number-five team in the nation to take a penalty kick is an immense amount of pressure. She made the keeper save it. She blasted it hard and the keeper did a fantastic job there. I think rather than being disappointed that the ball hasn't gone in the back of the net, from our standpoint, I think credit needs to go to the USC goalkeeper for pulling off a fantastic save. All credit to Douglas for being brave enough to take it because that is a tense moment."
Sophomore forward Marleen Schimmer on the team's effort in Thursday's game;
"Last year we played a good game against USC, but this year it was an incredible game. I am so proud of the team. We really fought and everyone gave 110 percent. I am just so proud of the team and the progress we are making. I am always very happy to be on the field with this team."
Match Notes:
- With the goal in the 62nd- minute of play, ASU has now scored at least one goal in every match this season.
- With her strike, Schimmer has now scored five goals on the year and has helped ASU to a season total of 29 goals.
- With the loss, ASU snapped their three-game unbeaten streak that dated back to Sept. 15.
The Trojans would get things started early in the match, earning a set piece in just the sixth minute of play, leading to an early, 1-0, USC lead.
After spending much of the opening frame on the defensive end of the pitch, the Sun Devils would stand firm and begin to open the game up and create chances of their own.
In the 26th- minute, sophomore forward Marleen Schimmer found herself behind the Southern Cal defense and unleashed a shot that rolled just past the far-post.
With neither team able to find the back of the net, the Sun Devils would go into the halftime break trailing, 1-0.
In the 62nd- minute, Schimmer took on the USC defense again, this time striking from distance on a stunner from outside the box to tie the match, 1-1, and send the Sun Devil crowd into a frenzy.
With the score knotted at 1-1, the Sun Devils found themselves back on the defensive end of the pitch, as the visitors poured number forward looking for the game-winner.We gotta watch this one again ?? pic.twitter.com/anUy9Hvh0h
— Sun Devil Soccer (@SunDevilSoccer) October 4, 2019
With thirty seconds remaining in the match, USC would finally breakthrough with a goal from Kaylin Martin, to give the Trojans a 2-1 advantage.
Seconds later, ASU would earn a penalty kick on a foul inside the box, but USC keeper Anna Smith would make an incredible play on a perfectly struck ball to help the fifth-ranked Trojans escape Tempe with a 2-1 win.
The Sun Devils will be back in action Sunday afternoon when the team hosts No. 16 UCLA. Kickoff is scheduled for 1:00 p.m. PT. Fans can also follow all of the action from the 2019 season by following @SunDevilSoccer on Twitter and Instagram.
A Word With The Team...
Head coach Graham Winkworth on the team's effort against the Trojans;
"Outside of one chance in the first five or six minutes, they didn't create too many chances for themselves in open play. That one early was on me because of a tactical decision. I thought we defended so well for all 90 minutes. Defensively I really thought we were fantastic from top to bottom. In that last minute, that was crazy. Really we lost from two corner kicks. That is a little disappointing to lose like that. Schimmer had another goal for the collection of wonder-goals this season. I want to give credit to Nicole Douglas. Stepping up with eight seconds to go against the number-five team in the nation to take a penalty kick is an immense amount of pressure. She made the keeper save it. She blasted it hard and the keeper did a fantastic job there. I think rather than being disappointed that the ball hasn't gone in the back of the net, from our standpoint, I think credit needs to go to the USC goalkeeper for pulling off a fantastic save. All credit to Douglas for being brave enough to take it because that is a tense moment."
Sophomore forward Marleen Schimmer on the team's effort in Thursday's game;
"Last year we played a good game against USC, but this year it was an incredible game. I am so proud of the team. We really fought and everyone gave 110 percent. I am just so proud of the team and the progress we are making. I am always very happy to be on the field with this team."
Match Notes:
- With the goal in the 62nd- minute of play, ASU has now scored at least one goal in every match this season.
- With her strike, Schimmer has now scored five goals on the year and has helped ASU to a season total of 29 goals.
- With the loss, ASU snapped their three-game unbeaten streak that dated back to Sept. 15.