TEMPE – Sun Devil Soccer would have preferred to earn Sunday night’s 2-0 victory over Cal Poly in a regular 90-minute fashion, but Mother Nature had an early curfew as the match was called in the 87’ due to approaching weather patterns in and around the Phoenix metropolitan area during the 9 o’clock hour.
By the time the match’s public address announcer came over the sound system to alert fans of the match’s fate, Arizona State has already done enough - on both ends of the pitch – to feel like victors regardless of the match’s duration.
The Sun Devil defense – especially the backline of Mya Angus, Gator DeMark, Lucy Fazackerley, Natalie Drotzmann – limited a Cal Poly (2-2-1) squad that entered the match averaging 10.2 shots per game to just five. And of those five, only one was on target and required a save from the reigning Big 12 Conference Goalkeeper of the Week in Kennedy Zorn.
Offensively, Arizona State wasted little time getting ahead on the scoreboard as Sierra Bergen, who is coming off a three-assist performance against Buffalo last Sunday, found the back of the net – for the first time this season – when she sent a Bella Puccinelli pass past the Mustang goalkeeper Shannon Porubski. The goal was the 17th fastest in program history. Ironically, the fastest goal scored in program history – 0:18 by Katie Mahoney – also occurred against Cal Poly on Nov. 14, 2003.
Bergen’s goal was registered as one of six shots on goal – and one of 14 total shot attempts – for the Sun Devils on the night, marking the third consecutive match – and fourth in five matches this season – that Arizona State has been credited with 10-or-more shot attempts in a match.
And those 14 shot attempt by Arizona State on Sunday night were bookmarked by goals as Bergen’s was the first attempt and Mya Angus’ first career collegiate goal in the 82’ was the final attempt on the evening.
Scoring Summary
4’, 1-0, ASU, Goal by Sierra Bergen, Assist by Bella Puccinelli
82’, 2-0, ASU, Goal by Mya Angus, Assist by Emmie Ennis
From Head Coach Graham Winkworth
“I am delighted with the girls tonight. I was concerned after a big win on Thursday against LSU that the team would get too comfortable. But I could not be prouder of the effort on display tonight. There were a lot of solid performers out there tonight, but I must single out (Sierra Bergen). She is one of the hardest workers I know and runs all day for this team. I am so happy that her work was rewarded with a really well taken goal. She deserved that. I also want to give praise to our captain, Peyton Marcisz. She is part of an extremely talented and deep midfield group and tonight I wanted to go with Maja Madon to provide us a little more attacking threat in that part of the pitch. Maja did a wonder job, but Peyton’s leadership and demonstrating that we put the team first was remarkable. We talk all the time about having 18 starters and tonight, that was on show. I have spoken to the team about a group of our alumni, who faced tons of adversity one season. We were given a bunch of lemons. That season, we turned those lemons into lemonade. Tonight, we were a little short on numbers, so we faced a little adversity. But this group loves lemonade, too, and I could not be prouder to be their coach.”
From freshman defender Mya Angus
“Our team began the match with the mindset that we were winners, and we would fight for every ball. I think we did a great job pushing for another goal throughout the entire match. We had the momentum, so I know the goal was bound to happen. After the goal, our team wanted to maintain control of the match. When I saw how hard everyone was fighting in the box to win the ball, I knew I had to put in the same effort. Ending the match with my first collegiate goal is a surreal feeling, ultimately, demonstrating all the hard work I’ve put in over the past few years.”
Match Notes
- With the victory, Arizona State has now won 4-or-more matches in all 31 seasons in the program’s history, one that dates back to 1996.
- The result also extended a streak of consecutive seasons unbeaten through the first five matches of a new campaign to eight in a row.
- With Kennedy Zorn’s second consecutive clean sheet – and the team’s third in a row – the Sun Devils will enter Thursday’s match against Dartmouth looking for the program’s fourth consecutive clean sheet, which hasn’t been accomplished since Aug. 21 to Sept. 11, 2015.
- As a result of the Sun Devil defense holding Cal Poly scoreless for the match’s 86 minutes, 13 seconds, Arizona State has now not allowed a goal in 337 minutes, which is the ninth-longest consecutive shutout minutes streak in program history.
- With a 90-minute clean sheet against Dartmouth on Thursday afternoon, the streak would move to 427, which would be the longest since the 2002 season.
Up Next
Having now concluded a four-match home stand without dropping a result, Arizona State (4-0-1) will now take to the road in search of its fifth win on Thursday Sept. 3, when the Sun Devils travel down I-10 to Tucson to square off against Dartmouth with kickoff scheduled for 4 p.m. MST at Arizona’s Mulcahy Stadium.
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