TEMPE – Sun Devil Soccer used goals from Keri Matthews and Cameron Valladares to take a 2-0 win over Kansas State on Thursday night at Sun Devil Soccer Stadium to snap the team's three-game losing streak.
"I was very pleased with the girl's efforts tonight," ASU head coach Graham Winkworth shared. "They worked hard and covered a lot of grass. K-State plays a slightly different way from what we are used to seeing, and I felt that the girls did a great job taking on the information this week and adapting their game."
It took a while for the teams to settle in, and neither side got a shot off until the ninth minute. Arizona State (8-5-3, 3-5-1 Big 12) broke through in the 20th minute when Matthews put home her fourth goal of the season on the team's fourth shot attempt. After forcing a turnover in the midfield, Kierra Blundell played the ball forward to Enasia Colon, where she quickly crossed to a streaking Matthews for the lead.
Each team's keeper was forced to make one save for the remainder of the first half as the game hit the break with a 1-0 scoreline. ASU had a couple of early shots to begin the second half before Kansas State (3-10-3, 0-7-2) began to create some pressure. The Wildcats' best chance at scoring came in the 53rd minute on a shot from Jo Sees that was turned aside by a diving Pauline Nelles guarding the ASU goal.
The Sun Devils nearly doubled their advantage in the 73rd minute, as a shot from Addison Haws was turned aside, and Megan Sofield's rebound attempt was also pushed wide of the target.
The home side did make it 2-0 in the 85th minute as Valladares hit a shot from the top of the penalty area that took a slight deflection off the defender and found its way into the goal for her seventh goal of the season. Ella Kettles started the scoring chance with a takeaway in the midfield and the service to Valladares for the shot.
Winkworth added, "We scored two beautiful goals, and I was delighted to get a clean sheet, which means we have now gone three halves of soccer without conceding. This is great confidence for us defensively. We didn't play too much pretty stuff tonight, but we had our moments and were clinical. I felt the girls that came off the bench impacted the game positively also."
ASU ended the night with 15 total shots, including six from Valladares, and seven of those attempts on goal. They held K-State to seven shots with just two on target while also defending six corner kicks to keep the visitors off the scoreboard.
Pauline Nelles came up with a pair of saves for her sixth shutout of the season and 18th of her career.
"This week has all been about taking a good look at ourselves and I was delighted with the work rate shown tonight. The key now is for us to make this level of work the expectation every game," Winkworth concluded.
Now 10th in the Big 12 table with two games remaining in the regular season, the Sun Devils will host Kansas on Sunday at 1 p.m. with another three points at stake as they look to clinch a spot in the Big 12 Tournament.
"I was very pleased with the girl's efforts tonight," ASU head coach Graham Winkworth shared. "They worked hard and covered a lot of grass. K-State plays a slightly different way from what we are used to seeing, and I felt that the girls did a great job taking on the information this week and adapting their game."
It took a while for the teams to settle in, and neither side got a shot off until the ninth minute. Arizona State (8-5-3, 3-5-1 Big 12) broke through in the 20th minute when Matthews put home her fourth goal of the season on the team's fourth shot attempt. After forcing a turnover in the midfield, Kierra Blundell played the ball forward to Enasia Colon, where she quickly crossed to a streaking Matthews for the lead.
Each team's keeper was forced to make one save for the remainder of the first half as the game hit the break with a 1-0 scoreline. ASU had a couple of early shots to begin the second half before Kansas State (3-10-3, 0-7-2) began to create some pressure. The Wildcats' best chance at scoring came in the 53rd minute on a shot from Jo Sees that was turned aside by a diving Pauline Nelles guarding the ASU goal.
The Sun Devils nearly doubled their advantage in the 73rd minute, as a shot from Addison Haws was turned aside, and Megan Sofield's rebound attempt was also pushed wide of the target.
The home side did make it 2-0 in the 85th minute as Valladares hit a shot from the top of the penalty area that took a slight deflection off the defender and found its way into the goal for her seventh goal of the season. Ella Kettles started the scoring chance with a takeaway in the midfield and the service to Valladares for the shot.
Winkworth added, "We scored two beautiful goals, and I was delighted to get a clean sheet, which means we have now gone three halves of soccer without conceding. This is great confidence for us defensively. We didn't play too much pretty stuff tonight, but we had our moments and were clinical. I felt the girls that came off the bench impacted the game positively also."
ASU ended the night with 15 total shots, including six from Valladares, and seven of those attempts on goal. They held K-State to seven shots with just two on target while also defending six corner kicks to keep the visitors off the scoreboard.
Pauline Nelles came up with a pair of saves for her sixth shutout of the season and 18th of her career.
"This week has all been about taking a good look at ourselves and I was delighted with the work rate shown tonight. The key now is for us to make this level of work the expectation every game," Winkworth concluded.
Now 10th in the Big 12 table with two games remaining in the regular season, the Sun Devils will host Kansas on Sunday at 1 p.m. with another three points at stake as they look to clinch a spot in the Big 12 Tournament.