(Photo: Nicholas Badders/WCSN)
Coming off an overtime loss Friday night, the Arizona State Sun Devils played their final non-conference game against Weber State Sunday afternoon, earning themselves a 4-0 win.
Throughout the first half, the Sun Devils dominated the Wildcats in all parts of the field. The only player who did not touch the ball very much for ASU was goalkeeper Nikki Panas.
ASU kept composure against Weber State, especially offensively. The team wasn’t forcing anything that shouldn’t be. At the same time. the Devils still could not finish their opportunities.
Freshman Olive Jones and senior Jazmarie Mader had multiple chances to finish the ball in the back of the net. Jemma Purfield was a part of starting the offensive runs along the left side of the field, sending in multiple crosses to Jones and Mader.
Besides being strong offensively, Purfield was the glue to communication for her teammates. Unlike the previous games, the Sun Devils were abnormally talkative.
The change in communication lead to cohesion and success in the midfield.
At the 32nd minute, there was a dog pile inside the six-yard box, causing a Weber State player to lay on top of the ball. The referee blew his whistle and called an indirect free kick for the Sun Devils. This chance incredibly rare inside the box because usually the referee calls for a penalty kick. Instead the ball was placed on the five-yard line and ready for a blast by Purfield. All the Wildcats lined up on the goal line to protect the net from Purfield.
Purfield took the indirect kick, nailing a Weber State player, popping the ball back out into the scrum. The ball bounced around a few times before Weber State goalkeeper Sydnie Brough landed on the ball. Minutes later, Weber State forward Madison Garlock shoved Jessica Raybe, earning herself a yellow card.
A free kick was earned from the call against Garlock and Angela Boyle took the free kick right behind the half line. Her kick went all the way to the far side of the field hitting the head of Madison Stark. Stark’s header hit the post and went out, but was a decent chance for the Sun Devils to take the lead in the game.
The rest of the first half was uneventful, but ASU continued to press the backline of Weber State.
Coming quick out of halftime, the Sun Devils earned a corner kick. Boyle capitalized on the opportunity from Purfield’s corner putting the Devils up 1-0. Boyle had been noticeable during the game on corners, but finally found her sweet spot.
After giving up a handful of corners against their opponents this season, ASU did not give up a corner kick to Weber State until the 52 minute of the game.
In the 75th minute, Devyn Kelsey was wide-open in the midfield and took her shot at goal. She had plenty of time to get her head up and take a strike towards Brough. Kesley’s shot ended up in the top right corner of the net, extending the Sun Devil lead to 2-0.
Only two minutes later, Kelsey was back again, serving the ball into the back post hitting the foot of Natalie Stephens. Stephens volleyed the ball into the far corner of the net. The Sun Devils then took a 3-0 lead against Weber State.
Stephens wasn’t finished in the match. Moments later after the kick off she continued to be aggressive along the right line, beating Wildcat players. She then came to end line and crossed the ball into the box and Jones headed the ball in. This put the Sun Devils up 4-0 against Weber State, their first time scoring four goals since their exhibition game against Beijing Normal University.
ASU did not waste the final ten minutes of the game as their opportunities continued to fly around net. The team will take this win into their first Pac-12 match on Friday, September 22 against Oregon State back in Sun Devil Stadium.
