(Photo: Nicholas Badders/WCSN)
With four goals from four different players, Arizona State women’s soccer shutout Southeast Missouri State University 4-0 to close out the Sun Devil Desert Classic.
The first goal of the afternoon came from the senior leader, Casey Martinez. The goal came exactly one minute after she was subbed in for Marleen Schimmer. After missing all of last season at Duke due to a knee injury, Martinez scored her first goal in maroon and gold to give the Sun Devils a 1-0 lead at the 24th minute and took a team-high seven shots.
While Martinez was the only non-starter to score, there were more than a handful of substitutions throughout the game that helped keep the pace going in favor of ASU.
“We were able to sub on and off the field because we knew we could continue to keep our (energy) level high,” Martinez said. “And play at a high level, no matter who was on the field.”
Within about 10 minutes from the start of the second half, forward Cori Sullivan and midfielder Eva Van Deursen joined Martinez on the scoresheet to extend the Sun Devils advantage to 3-0.
It was not long after that freshman forward Nicole Douglas went to net her third of the season. Douglas has three goals on four shots this season and has proven to be a pivotal force in the midfield.
Along with the offense, goalkeeper Nikki Panas earned a clean sheet and a win with two saves on the two shots on goal.
Panas did not allow herself to take the credit as she praised the defense for minimizing the Redhawks to only two shots on target from their seven total shots.
“That’s a major key going into this season and kind of continuing,” Panas said. “Saves can win, but the defense wins us championships.”
The Sun Devils also dominated the Redhawks’ defense with a total of 24 shots to seven. Out of those 24 shots, ten were on goal.
Despite the blowout, SEMO goaltender Maddie Gleeson held her own for the first half of the match by allowing just one goal and having four saves.
Even though the Sun Devils outplayed the Redhawks, Southeast Missouri State had more than double the number of fouls that Arizona State committed.
When asked if the physicality from opponents this weekend would call for a change in playing style, Coach Winkworth explained, “We want the ball. We are sold on being an aesthetically pleasing, attacking team… We are not going to become a dirty team.”
The Lady Sun Devils will travel down south to Tucson to face off against Baylor on Friday, September 7th at 4 p.m. MST.
