Sun Devil Soccer Remains Unbeaten Following 2-0 Win at UTEP

EL PASO, Texas – The Sun Devil soccer team remained unbeaten this season (3-0-1) and extended its unbeaten streak in regular season, non-conference games to 10 as Suzuka Yosue and Gabi Rennie both found the back of the net in ASU's 2-0 win at UTEP on Sunday.

"It was a difficult game in that UTEP did an excellent job getting large numbers behind the ball. I never felt like we were ever going to concede a goal today, but it was just a question on if we could break down the 10 players behind the ball," head coach Graham Winkworth said.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
 
FIRST HALF

• The Sun Devils did everything but score a goal in the first half as half of their eight shots were on frame, while not allowing UTEP to attempt a shot, the second straight half ASU did not give up a shot including the second half of Thursday's win at New Mexico State.
• Ella Opkvitne and Allison Carabin tied for the team lead in shots (2). Opkvitne, who scored her first career goal on Thursday, led ASU with two shots on goal. Enasia Colon, who posted her second two-goal outing of the season vs. NMSU and Gabi Rennie also had shots on goal.  

"In the first half I was frustrated with our tempo," Winkworth said. "We had control of the ball but failed to move our opponents enough. I felt we did a better job of this in the second half and managed to get in behind them a few more times."

SECOND HALF

• Although it did not score in the first half, the Sun Devils were once again able to download the data they needed to be more effective on the attack in the second half. Yosue, who came into the game with a team-high four assists, scored on a rebound off a shot by Colon to give ASU the game's all-important first goal in the 53rd minute. It was Yosue's first goal as a Sun Devil and the 27th of her career, after collecting 26 goals in four seasons playing for The Citadel.
• Rennie increased ASU's scoring advantage in the second half of games this season to 10-0 after teammates Lieske Carleer and Savannah Maley teamed up to assist on Rennie's goal in the 84th minute. It was Rennie's first goal as a Sun Devil and the second of her career. Rennie, who scored her first goal as a freshman at Indiana in 2020, had three assists in her first season as a Sun Devil in 2022.
• Pauline Nelles kept UTEP off the board with a pair of saves in the second half to collect her third shutout of the season and the sixth complete-game shutout of her career. 

"I was happy for both Su and Gabi to get off the mark with their first goals as Sun Devils as it is important for attacking players to be able to do this. I felt both the build up and finish were top quality for our second."

NOTEWORTHY

• With the win, the Sun Devils are now 31-7-3 in regular season, non-conference games going back to 2018, including a 17-1-3 mark since 2020. After going 4-0-2 in regular-season, non-conference contests last season, the Sun Devils are now unbeaten in their last 10 such games.
• With an assist on Sunday, Colon has now accounted for at least one point in three of ASU's four contests. She also had a pair of career-high, two-goal performances in ASU's wins vs. Wright State and at New Mexico State.
• Six Sun Devils have now scored goals this season: Colon (4), Keri Matthews (2), Maley (1), Opkvitne (1), Yosue (1), Rennie (1).
• Three Sun Devils have multiple assists: Yosue (4), Maley (3), Mya Wheeler (2).

"Overall I am happy with the results we have managed to grind out so far but we have many areas to improve as the season continues," Winkworth said.

UP NEXT
The Sun Devils return home to host a pair 10 a.m. games, starting with Boise State on Thursday and Kent State on Sunday. Click here for ticket information.