TEMPE, Ariz. – Sun Devil Athletics history was made on Thursday as Nicole Douglas became Sun Devil Soccer's all-time leader in career goals with her 11th career multi-goal game in ASU's 6-2 win over UAB on Thursday.
The 2021 NCAA leader in goals (19), goals per game (0.95) and points per game (2.25), Douglas came into the 2022 season needing five goals to surpass Sun Devil Hall of Famer Stacey Tullock's 21-year-old school record of 50 career goals.
After not finding the back of the net in ASU's 1-1 tie vs. South Dakota State – a contest in which ASU's attack was affected by gusty winds in the 48 minutes played on Aug. 18 before being halted by lightning and completed on Aug. 19 – it took Douglas relatively little time to claim the top spot in the Sun Devil record book, scoring five goals in the ensuing three games.
"(September 1) is Nicole Douglas day. I mean ASU soccer is almost going to have to make a date for it because she's so special to this program," ASU head coach Graham Winkworth said of Douglas' achievement. "She's not only a special individual talent, but she's an incredible teammate and incredible person.
"As a coach, she's one of those players that comes once in a career, not just because of talent, but because of her personality. She's so humble. She wants to celebrate everything with her teammates. And, you know, I wish her family could be here with her today. But she's got a second family here and I know she's really going to enjoy them. But she's a special talent and an incredible young woman."
On Thursday, Douglas also tied Tullock's school record with 16 game-winning goals after recording her second of the season vs. UAB.
NICOLE DOUGLAS RECORD BOOK WATCH
CAREER POINTS
CAREER GOALS
CAREER GAME-WINNING GOALS
"I came off a really, really good season last year and I prepared as well as I could for this year," Douglas explained when asked if there was anything special about her preparation for the season knowing how close she was to the career goals record. "I knew this was one of the most important years of my career so far. And I put myself in the best position possible to do that. And I had my team around me as well. And having amazing talent on this team just helps me and makes my job a lot easier. So credit to my teammates as well.
"Breaking (the school career goals record) is dedicated to my teammates, my family, my friends, my coaches, my mom, my dad, everybody who supported me on this journey," said Douglas, who came to Tempe from London, England. "Coming in as a freshman at 18 years old, I never thought this would be possible. Never thought about breaking records. And to hold that record now is just an unbelievable feeling. I'm speechless."
Douglas (120 career points/51 goals and 18 assists), who has scored 24 goals in ASU's last 24 games going back to last season, now needs six points to pass Tullock's career scoring record of 125 points.
DOUGLAS AMONG QUARTET OF 'SUPER SENIORS'
ASU returned a quartet of fifth-year players in the form of forwards Douglas (75 starts/75 games) and Olivia Nguyen (40 starts/65 games, including 39 starts in 41 games since start of her junior season) and midfielders Alexia Delgado (61 starts/68 games) and Eva van Deursen (70 starts/73 games).
In Thursday's win, the four players combined for four goals – Douglas (2), van Deursen (1), Delgado (1) – and each player also had an assist.
For van Deursen, her assist on Keri Matthews' goal was the 22nd of her career, tying her for second on ASU's career list for assists. She needs four assists to break Tullock's record of 25 career assists. Douglas is also tied for fifth on that list with 18 assists.
EVA VAN DEURSEN RECORD BOOK WATCH
CAREER ASSISTS
HOW IT HAPPENED
Other than ASU's 10-3 advantage in shots and 5-3 edge in shots on goal, there was little evidence to suggest the offensive explosion that took place in the second half, leading to ASU's highest goal total since last year's season opener, a 6-1 win over Central Arkansas.
Enasia Colon, who had her first career assist in Sunday's game at Denver, broke the tie with her first career goal in the 54th minute. Douglas followed with her second goal to break the career record in the 66th minute and then assisted on van Deursen's goal in the 71st minute to extend ASU's lead to 4-1.
UAB answered 90 seconds later to cut ASU's lead to 4-2. Goals by Matthews (83rd minute) and Delgado (87th minute) put the game out of reach. Jazmine Wilkinson and Lucy Johnson assisted on Delgado's goal. For Johnson, it was her third assist of the afternoon.
"In the last three games, we've had chances for other players, and it's not fallen for them," Winkworth said of ASU's offensive outburst. "But it was really nice for Enasia to score. And then it was really nice for [Keri Matthews] to score because she played in the front line. Having Eva Van Deursen running from midfield and scoring as well. It's nice when you work on certain things in practice, and then it comes to fruition in the games and that second half offensively showed that."
MORE NEWS
Prior to Thursday's game, it was announced Sun Devil Soccer agreed to play a non-conference game against Grambling State on Wed., Sept. 14 at 7 p.m. in Tempe.
The Sun Devils' game vs. Hawaii on August 21 was canceled due to lightning that continued to remain in the area more than 30 minutes beyond the originally scheduled game time.
"I am delighted to add another game to our 2022 schedule," Winkworth said. "To have the weather cancel our match against Hawaii was so disappointing. The coaches, the players and our fans wait so long for our short season to arrive so we want to have a full set of fixtures.
UP NEXT
ASU plays the second of five straight home games on Sunday (7 p.m. MST) when it hosts Georgia Southern. Tickets for Sunday's contest can be purchased by clicking here.
The 2021 NCAA leader in goals (19), goals per game (0.95) and points per game (2.25), Douglas came into the 2022 season needing five goals to surpass Sun Devil Hall of Famer Stacey Tullock's 21-year-old school record of 50 career goals.
One of one??????
— Sun Devil Soccer (@SunDevilSoccer) September 1, 2022
Nicole Douglas is the new career leader in goals for Sun Devil Soccer!
ASU 3 /// UAB 1#ForksUp /// #O2V /// @NCAASoccer pic.twitter.com/KtL3nd83Df
After not finding the back of the net in ASU's 1-1 tie vs. South Dakota State – a contest in which ASU's attack was affected by gusty winds in the 48 minutes played on Aug. 18 before being halted by lightning and completed on Aug. 19 – it took Douglas relatively little time to claim the top spot in the Sun Devil record book, scoring five goals in the ensuing three games.
"(September 1) is Nicole Douglas day. I mean ASU soccer is almost going to have to make a date for it because she's so special to this program," ASU head coach Graham Winkworth said of Douglas' achievement. "She's not only a special individual talent, but she's an incredible teammate and incredible person.
"As a coach, she's one of those players that comes once in a career, not just because of talent, but because of her personality. She's so humble. She wants to celebrate everything with her teammates. And, you know, I wish her family could be here with her today. But she's got a second family here and I know she's really going to enjoy them. But she's a special talent and an incredible young woman."
Postgame with @CoachWinkworth ??????#ForksUp /// #O2V pic.twitter.com/EexJznRSwU
— Sun Devil Soccer (@SunDevilSoccer) September 1, 2022
On Thursday, Douglas also tied Tullock's school record with 16 game-winning goals after recording her second of the season vs. UAB.
NICOLE DOUGLAS RECORD BOOK WATCH
CAREER POINTS
| GOALS-ASSISTS POINTS | |
|---|---|
| 1. Stacey Tullock (1998-01) 50-25 125 2. Nicole Douglas (2018-present) 51-18 120 |
CAREER GOALS
| GOALS | |
|---|---|
| 1. Nicole Douglas (2018-present) 51 2. Stacey Tullock (1998-01) 50 |
CAREER GAME-WINNING GOALS
| GW GOALS | |
|---|---|
| 1. Stacey Tullock (1998-01) 16 Nicole Douglas (2018-present) 16 |
"I came off a really, really good season last year and I prepared as well as I could for this year," Douglas explained when asked if there was anything special about her preparation for the season knowing how close she was to the career goals record. "I knew this was one of the most important years of my career so far. And I put myself in the best position possible to do that. And I had my team around me as well. And having amazing talent on this team just helps me and makes my job a lot easier. So credit to my teammates as well.
"Breaking (the school career goals record) is dedicated to my teammates, my family, my friends, my coaches, my mom, my dad, everybody who supported me on this journey," said Douglas, who came to Tempe from London, England. "Coming in as a freshman at 18 years old, I never thought this would be possible. Never thought about breaking records. And to hold that record now is just an unbelievable feeling. I'm speechless."
Douglas (120 career points/51 goals and 18 assists), who has scored 24 goals in ASU's last 24 games going back to last season, now needs six points to pass Tullock's career scoring record of 125 points.
DOUGLAS AMONG QUARTET OF 'SUPER SENIORS'
ASU returned a quartet of fifth-year players in the form of forwards Douglas (75 starts/75 games) and Olivia Nguyen (40 starts/65 games, including 39 starts in 41 games since start of her junior season) and midfielders Alexia Delgado (61 starts/68 games) and Eva van Deursen (70 starts/73 games).
In Thursday's win, the four players combined for four goals – Douglas (2), van Deursen (1), Delgado (1) – and each player also had an assist.
For van Deursen, her assist on Keri Matthews' goal was the 22nd of her career, tying her for second on ASU's career list for assists. She needs four assists to break Tullock's record of 25 career assists. Douglas is also tied for fifth on that list with 18 assists.
EVA VAN DEURSEN RECORD BOOK WATCH
CAREER ASSISTS
| ASSISTS | |
|---|---|
| 1. Stacey Tullock (1998-01) 25 2. Manya Makoski (2002-05) 22 Eva van Deursen (2018-present) 22 |
HOW IT HAPPENED
Other than ASU's 10-3 advantage in shots and 5-3 edge in shots on goal, there was little evidence to suggest the offensive explosion that took place in the second half, leading to ASU's highest goal total since last year's season opener, a 6-1 win over Central Arkansas.
Enasia Colon, who had her first career assist in Sunday's game at Denver, broke the tie with her first career goal in the 54th minute. Douglas followed with her second goal to break the career record in the 66th minute and then assisted on van Deursen's goal in the 71st minute to extend ASU's lead to 4-1.
'53 @enasiacolon puts in her first career goal to give us the lead!
— Sun Devil Soccer (@SunDevilSoccer) September 1, 2022
Colon's first career goal deserves a drawing!
ASU 2 /// UAB 1#ForksUp /// #O2V pic.twitter.com/GBMfl6IBf2
UAB answered 90 seconds later to cut ASU's lead to 4-2. Goals by Matthews (83rd minute) and Delgado (87th minute) put the game out of reach. Jazmine Wilkinson and Lucy Johnson assisted on Delgado's goal. For Johnson, it was her third assist of the afternoon.
"In the last three games, we've had chances for other players, and it's not fallen for them," Winkworth said of ASU's offensive outburst. "But it was really nice for Enasia to score. And then it was really nice for [Keri Matthews] to score because she played in the front line. Having Eva Van Deursen running from midfield and scoring as well. It's nice when you work on certain things in practice, and then it comes to fruition in the games and that second half offensively showed that."
MORE NEWS
Prior to Thursday's game, it was announced Sun Devil Soccer agreed to play a non-conference game against Grambling State on Wed., Sept. 14 at 7 p.m. in Tempe.
The Sun Devils' game vs. Hawaii on August 21 was canceled due to lightning that continued to remain in the area more than 30 minutes beyond the originally scheduled game time.
"I am delighted to add another game to our 2022 schedule," Winkworth said. "To have the weather cancel our match against Hawaii was so disappointing. The coaches, the players and our fans wait so long for our short season to arrive so we want to have a full set of fixtures.
UP NEXT
ASU plays the second of five straight home games on Sunday (7 p.m. MST) when it hosts Georgia Southern. Tickets for Sunday's contest can be purchased by clicking here.