This article was originally published on March 4, 2023.
The Arizona State Sun Devils (1-3) lost 10-9 in overtime in a very tight, back-and-forth matchup against the No. 24 Jacksonville Dolphins (2-3) Friday afternoon.
Both teams had their fair share of offensive production throughout the game, as well as solid structure in the defensive zone. Goals were hard to come by in the third and fourth quarters, and the quick responses from the Dolphins offense allowed them to walk away victorious.
Right off the bat, the Sun Devils got to work in the offensive zone. Great ball movement, passing, and cycling around the perimeter led to two free position attempts for ASU in the first two minutes of the game but they couldn’t convert. The Dolphins senior goalkeeper Addy Tysdal made a remarkable save on ASU’s second free position to keep the game scoreless.
ASU continued to attack and at 11:48 in the first quarter, sophomore midfielder Annie Haley was able to get the job done on another free position attempt scoring her first of the season and giving the Sun Devils a 1-0 lead.
The Sun Devils kept the pressure on as a successful clearing attempt courtesy of junior defender Bella Gaspar allowed them to turn up the field and set up the attack once more.
Sophomore midfielder Berit Brookfield picked up her fourth goal of the year with 7:16 left to play in the first quarter, allowing the Sun Devils to go up by two.
Just 29 seconds after, Jacksonville got within one as senior midfielder Lauren Ellis found the back of the net.
The Dolphins didn’t stop there as they went right back into the offensive zone off the draw. Not even a minute after the Dolphins got on the scoreboard the first time, they converted again. Graduate attacker Sarah Elms found herself with one as Jacksonville tied things up 2-2.
Before the end of the first quarter, the Sun Devils showcased an offensive surge. ASU managed to pot three more giving them a 5-2 lead. Sophomore midfielder Bella Ingrao, junior attacker Mina Scott, and an offensive threat in graduate midfielder Kaylon Buckner all tallied a goal. Ingrao’s and Scott’s goals both came off of free position attempts.
It was all Jacksonville to start the second quarter. Less than three minutes in, the Dolphins were rewarded a free position. Elms scored her second of the game to stop the bleeding and shift the momentum in the Dolphins’ direction.
Jacksonville built off of that, scoring just over two minutes later as graduate attacker Lauren Craft made it a 5-4 game.
What seemed to be a remarkable pushback from the Dolphins to try and tie this game back up was cut short by a great passing play which led to Ingrao’s second goal of the game and a 6-4 lead in favor of the Sun Devils.
Jacksonville native and ASU freshman midfielder Keeley Cleland threw a check to the head with 9:01 left in the second quarter and was given a yellow card forcing ASU to be down a man for two minutes.
Jacksonville’s Ellis took a shot right down the middle, but it was robbed by sophomore goalkeeper Katie Vahle. Unfortunately for Vahle, that save wasn’t enough to stop the Dolphins from scoring on the man advantage as Elms picked up the rebound and collected her second of the game cutting ASU’s lead to one.
Buckner’s second turnover of the game lead to a quick transition into the offensive zone by the Dolphins which eventually resulted in a goal. Junior attacker Brianna Samuels wrapped around the net and ripped it home, tying the game for Jacksonville. For the second time, ASU had given up a two-goal lead.
A last-second scoring attempt from Sun Devil star freshman attacker Teagan Ng came up just a couple of inches off as the shot rang off the pipe as time expired. The first half felt like a shootout, with both teams trading goals back and forth the entire time.
The Dolphins took their first lead of the game less than two minutes into the third quarter.
That would be the only scoring that took place in the third quarter. Both clubs locked down and tightened up their defensive game not allowing many high-danger chances to occur in their own end. Vahle held down the fort and kept the game from getting out of control for the Sun Devils, making six saves in just the third quarter.
It was ASU’s turn to get a quick one less than a minute into the fourth quarter as Buckner scored her eighth of the season. The Sun Devils’ offense was buzzing to start the fourth, sophomore attacker McKenna Riley finished another one 1:06 after Buckner’s goal, giving the Sun Devils an 8-7 lead.
The Sun Devils had two one-goal leads in the fourth quarter but couldn’t stop the constant response from Jacksonville. Things were all tied up at nine after four quarters and extra time was needed.
Not even a minute into overtime, Ellis played hero and served the Sun Devils a heartbreaking loss as she scored her second of the game and fifth of the year.
This was the first of two games ASU will play this weekend. They will look to put an end to a three-game losing streak and try and find some positivity on this struggling road trip. It will be anything but an easy task as they take on the No. 7 Gators in Gainesville on Sunday.
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