PHOENIX, Ariz. -- The first away game of the season for the Sun Devil soccer team showcased the scoring depth and their fighting spirit, as they battled back from being down late in the game to collect an overtime stunner to remain undefeated. Olivia Nguyen scored the game-winning goal for ASU to tally two goals in the last three games.
For the first time this season, the Sun Devils (3-0-0) competed while being down in a game and Coach Winkworth praised the team's patience.
"It is commendable how well the girls responded to going into overtime," Winkworth said. "It is important now that we replenish our bodies and rest, and look forward to playing in Sun Devil Stadium on Sunday."
The Sun Devils return home to Tempe where they will return the hosting favor against GCU (0-3-0) on Sunday, Feb 14 at 7 p.m. MST in Sun Devil Stadium. Per Pac-12 Conference guidelines, no fans are permitted to attend.
HOW IT HAPPENED:
"I'm very excited to get our first away trip in. I know it's just across town. It's just different playing on a different field, and this field was extremely large, and so it's a different match when you play on a field that's 75 by 120, so I thought the girls did a great job early in the match adapting to that and controlling the game, and to be honest if we were a little more clinical we should have probably been more goals ahead earlier in the match, and that could have potentially made the game different. After going down 2-1, we could have then quit, but our character I was really proud of the way the girls responded and they didn't panic. What a lot of teams do when they're losing they start going long, and sending long balls and getting impatient, and I thought we showed a lot of patience and continued to create chances, a lot of chances. Eventually, we were rewarded for our patience and the soccer that we've been trying to play, so we're very happy that our wide players managed to get on the score sheet, all three of them today. That took a little bit of the pressure off Dougie, which is something that needed to happen so I am really appreciative of that, and I am happy to get a positive result because it is never easy when you're playing in a rivalry match across town."
For the first time this season, the Sun Devils (3-0-0) competed while being down in a game and Coach Winkworth praised the team's patience.
"It is commendable how well the girls responded to going into overtime," Winkworth said. "It is important now that we replenish our bodies and rest, and look forward to playing in Sun Devil Stadium on Sunday."
The Sun Devils return home to Tempe where they will return the hosting favor against GCU (0-3-0) on Sunday, Feb 14 at 7 p.m. MST in Sun Devil Stadium. Per Pac-12 Conference guidelines, no fans are permitted to attend.
HOW IT HAPPENED:
- ASU battled throughout the game, with 17 SOG out of 29 shots.
- Holding GCU to only 4 shots, and 4 SOG.
- An early goal from Olive Jones put ASU up 1-0
- GCU tied it at the 27 minute mark
- GCO took a quick lead 3 minutes later, with a goal to put them up 2-1
- ASU kept battling, and tied the game 2-2 at the 75 minute mark with a goal from Vildan Kardesler.
- A back a forth battle for the last 15 minutes of play, as teams traded shots. Neither team was able to get one in the goal, so an overtime period was underway.
- Battle in overtime up until the 6 minute mark, where Olivia Nguyen scored a goal off of a rebound from Vildan Kardesler's shot off the right woodwork.
- Olivia's goal tonight was her second in three games this season.
"I'm very excited to get our first away trip in. I know it's just across town. It's just different playing on a different field, and this field was extremely large, and so it's a different match when you play on a field that's 75 by 120, so I thought the girls did a great job early in the match adapting to that and controlling the game, and to be honest if we were a little more clinical we should have probably been more goals ahead earlier in the match, and that could have potentially made the game different. After going down 2-1, we could have then quit, but our character I was really proud of the way the girls responded and they didn't panic. What a lot of teams do when they're losing they start going long, and sending long balls and getting impatient, and I thought we showed a lot of patience and continued to create chances, a lot of chances. Eventually, we were rewarded for our patience and the soccer that we've been trying to play, so we're very happy that our wide players managed to get on the score sheet, all three of them today. That took a little bit of the pressure off Dougie, which is something that needed to happen so I am really appreciative of that, and I am happy to get a positive result because it is never easy when you're playing in a rivalry match across town."