ASU wins double-OT nail biter

The ASU women’s soccer team captured a 2-1 double overtime victory over Colorado University on Sunday in a nail biting game at the Sun Devil Soccer Stadium.

With only 22 seconds left to play in overtime, Sun Devil freshman forward Cali Farquharson received a ball in the box and sent it past Colorado goal keeper Annie Bruner for the game winning goal.

“I saw space to run into and I ran diagonally into the ball, and I knew [the Colorado defender] was on me. I knew I could turn her, so I turned really quick, shot it, and it went in,” Farquharson said. “This win gives the extra confidence we need, especially going into the last game.”

The win helps the Sun Devils improve to 9-8-2 overall and 5-4-1 in the Pac-12, getting one step closer to their goal of making it to the NCAA tournament.

“[This win] guarantees that we’re at the table of discussion for getting into the playoffs. And I believe with our strength of schedule and with what we’ve done we should get in,” head coach Kevin Boyd said. “I believe that we’ve done what we need to do.”

The Sun Devils had Colorado on their heels in both overtime periods, out shooting them by a margin of 7-3. Boyd emphasized for the team to maintain a high level of intensity until the final whistle blew.

“Specifically in that last overtime, everybody is tired. But attacking is easy, you don’t have to think about it,” Boyd said. “I thought we did really well in that second overtime. I thought we were all over them. We gave them a corner and that was about it.”

The team got on the scoreboard first in the 19th minute when forward Devon Marshall sent a strong back header into the net from a free kick at midfield. With five minutes remaining in the first half, Colorado midfielder Amy Barczuk tied the game by shooting a loose ball in the penalty area into the right corner of the net.

In the second half, ASU outshot Colorado 11-7 but neither team was able to get a goal. ASU had five clear scoring opportunities but they were all saved by Bruner. Colorado had three clear scoring opportunities but they were warded aside by Sun Devil goal keeper Chandler Morris.

The Sun Devils will host rival University of Arizona next Friday at 4 p.m. for their season finale.

“Rivals can go either way and Arizona is a much improved side, so that’s going to be a challenge for us,” Boyd said. “Potentially with a win we could finish fourth in the Pac-12 and get in to the tournament.”

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