CORVALLIS, Ore. -- Scoreless through 90 minutes of regulation, need a golden goal, and have an undefeated streak to protect? Call in Nicole Douglas.
The junior scored the only goal of the match at 95:22 in overtime to personally deliver the Arizona State soccer team (6-0-2) its second conference win over Oregon State, and keep the Sun Devils undefeated.
Douglas boasts eight goals through as many games to continue her reign as the Pac-12 Conference's leading goal-scorer and point-scorer. Her 15 points places her in the top-15 nationally. Her 28 career goals puts her in the top-five of the program's record book, tied at No. 5 with Karin Volpe (2007-10) in all-time career goals.
The 6-0-2 start to the season is the best in program history since the 2010 team went 6-0-1.
UP NEXT: The team stays on the road through next weekend, March 19-21, with a game at Arizona on Friday and another match against UCLA on Sunday.
HOW IT HAPPENED:
A WORD WITH WINKWORTH
On performance against OSU:
"We didn't start the game very well and we had to withstand an immense amount of pressure from Oregon State. I think Coach Kagan did a fantastic job in preparing his team, but our defense and Giulia withstood all of that pressure and did a fantastic job of keeping us in the game. When we were able to get to halftime nil-nil, we had to make a couple of minor changes to give us a bit more possession and i thought we did a better job competing in the second half in our challenges and then when we won those challenges we maintained possession for long periods in the first half and therefore created a couple of very good opportunities for ourselves. Eva went close in the dying seconds of regulation and then Dougie did her thing in overtime. It was a great first touch and a great finish with her weak foot. Great finish and really excited for the team."
On Giulia's performance
"I told the players at halftime that leading up to today I thought we defended so well, that to be honest, Giulia didn't have to do as much work as she might have had to do in previous seasons. When she was called upon she did a fantastic job and kept us in the game. Ultimately, they were the better team in that first half and she kept us in the game. I told the team at halftime that Giulia has done her part, now the responsibility is on everyone else, we all need to do our part in the second half and I thought the team responded well to that and came out and put on a much better performance in the second half. Still had to withstand some pressure from OSU but also created strong opportunities of our own and ultimately took one of those in overtime."
On heading into rivalry week:
"It's always nice to have the momentum. We're on a high. The team has been working very hard, we've faced a lot of adversity with injuries and going through the challenges that the pandemic has brought but I think that this team is so together and such a strong group of characters that they're now thriving in this environment.
On two Pac-12 wins:
Winning in the Pac-12 - winning any game in the Pac-12 - is incredibly difficult because it's the strongest women's soccer conference in the country. Picking up four points over a weekend in this league is magical. I've watched some of the best teams in the country come to Oregon and Oregon State and not do as well as that over the weekend. I'm really really proud and happy and I know the players are in a good mental place going into a big week.
The junior scored the only goal of the match at 95:22 in overtime to personally deliver the Arizona State soccer team (6-0-2) its second conference win over Oregon State, and keep the Sun Devils undefeated.
The ASU defense battled so Douglas could score. Through regulation, the team fought off 15 shots and 11 corner kick opportunities from the Beavers. Giulia Cascapera stood in the net for the seventh consecutive game, saving a season-high six shots on goal.
OSU attempted to pressure the Sun Devil defense early in extra minutes but lost control of the ball in the box. Jazmine Wilkinson picked up the free ball and carried it to midfield where she kicked the give-and-go pass to Douglas, who sprinted to make the connection up top. Surrounded by OSU players, Douglas put one touch on it, faked out two defenders with a cut back, and made the shot on her weak foot to the far side post for the golden goal.NICOLE DOUGLAS CALLED GAME ???? pic.twitter.com/wYSBmiaLif
— Sun Devil Soccer (@SunDevilSoccer) March 14, 2021
Douglas boasts eight goals through as many games to continue her reign as the Pac-12 Conference's leading goal-scorer and point-scorer. Her 15 points places her in the top-15 nationally. Her 28 career goals puts her in the top-five of the program's record book, tied at No. 5 with Karin Volpe (2007-10) in all-time career goals.
The 6-0-2 start to the season is the best in program history since the 2010 team went 6-0-1.
UP NEXT: The team stays on the road through next weekend, March 19-21, with a game at Arizona on Friday and another match against UCLA on Sunday.
HOW IT HAPPENED:
- Giulia Cascapera started in goal for the seventh time this season.
- OSU got the jump on possession and pressure in the first half - shooting nine shots and forcing five Cascapera saves through 45 minutes
- The Sun Devils stopped six corner kick opportunities from the Beavers in the second half
- OSU held ASU to one shot in the first frame but ASU came back in the second half to notch four more shots
- The ASU defense walked so Nicole Douglas could run. The hustle of the ASU backline and Cascapera's backstop performance kept ASU in the game through 90 minutes
Giulia oh my goodness ??
— Sun Devil Soccer (@SunDevilSoccer) March 14, 2021
?? Pac-12 Network
?? https://t.co/4Jzcx1VTND pic.twitter.com/FUFWzUOivY
- In the final seconds of regulation, Eva van Deursen had a close opportunity to score the game-winner, but the ball eased just over the crossbar
For the 3rd straight game, we head to OT
— Sun Devil Soccer (@SunDevilSoccer) March 14, 2021
?? Pac-12 Oregon
?? https://t.co/4Jzcx1VTND pic.twitter.com/wEGNI10XRd
- Five minutes into the first overtime, Jazmine Wilkinson sent a beautiful pass up to Nicole Douglas who scored the golden goal.
A WORD WITH WINKWORTH
On performance against OSU:
"We didn't start the game very well and we had to withstand an immense amount of pressure from Oregon State. I think Coach Kagan did a fantastic job in preparing his team, but our defense and Giulia withstood all of that pressure and did a fantastic job of keeping us in the game. When we were able to get to halftime nil-nil, we had to make a couple of minor changes to give us a bit more possession and i thought we did a better job competing in the second half in our challenges and then when we won those challenges we maintained possession for long periods in the first half and therefore created a couple of very good opportunities for ourselves. Eva went close in the dying seconds of regulation and then Dougie did her thing in overtime. It was a great first touch and a great finish with her weak foot. Great finish and really excited for the team."
On Giulia's performance
"I told the players at halftime that leading up to today I thought we defended so well, that to be honest, Giulia didn't have to do as much work as she might have had to do in previous seasons. When she was called upon she did a fantastic job and kept us in the game. Ultimately, they were the better team in that first half and she kept us in the game. I told the team at halftime that Giulia has done her part, now the responsibility is on everyone else, we all need to do our part in the second half and I thought the team responded well to that and came out and put on a much better performance in the second half. Still had to withstand some pressure from OSU but also created strong opportunities of our own and ultimately took one of those in overtime."
On heading into rivalry week:
"It's always nice to have the momentum. We're on a high. The team has been working very hard, we've faced a lot of adversity with injuries and going through the challenges that the pandemic has brought but I think that this team is so together and such a strong group of characters that they're now thriving in this environment.
On two Pac-12 wins:
Winning in the Pac-12 - winning any game in the Pac-12 - is incredibly difficult because it's the strongest women's soccer conference in the country. Picking up four points over a weekend in this league is magical. I've watched some of the best teams in the country come to Oregon and Oregon State and not do as well as that over the weekend. I'm really really proud and happy and I know the players are in a good mental place going into a big week.