ASU closed out their non-conference schedule with a convincing 3-0 win over Colorado College, bouncing back nicely from their first loss of the season to Texas Tech last weekend.
“I think tonight was great to build on going into (Pac-12 play), of course in (Pac-12 play) the opponents level up once again,” graduate student defender and captain Lieske Carleer said.
The Lady Devils started the game with a bang, scoring their first goal in the sixth minute. Junior defender Lauren Kirberg crossed in a corner kick to junior forward Keri Matthews who nailed it into the top left corner to put ASU up 1-0.
“I think that’s the first header I’ve ever scored in my life,” Matthews said.
That was Matthews’ third goal of the season and sixth of her career. The assist for Kirberg was her first of the season and fourth of her career.
ASU led 1-0 at halftime but was in complete control throughout. Just 10 minutes into the second half, sophomore midfielder/forward Enasia Colon shot a rocket into the top left corner of the goal that deflected off the fist of Colorado State freshman goalkeeper Regan Wallace right to ASU senior forward Gabi Rennie, who put it in the back of the net to give ASU a 2-0 lead.
“(Enasia) gets a look in her eye when she looks at that goal, so I saw her take a look, and I knew I was gonna just be ready for the rebound,” Rennie said. “Luckily I was in the right place at the right time and got a poach goal.”
Colon added to her team-leading nine points on the season coming into the game with her first of two assists, and Rennie’s goal was her second of the season.
“I felt like (Gabi) and (Savannah) ran their socks off all evening long, along the outside of their back three,” head coach Graham Winkworth said. “(Gabi) in particular was really dangerous.”
Despite just one shot in the stat sheet, freshman forward Savannah Maley was making plays all night. Whether it be hustling to the ball or creating space and shot opportunities for her teammates, she was always around the ball.
“When (Savannah) came off, I praised the way she played. I said, ‘there’s so much more to a striker than just scoring goals,” Winkworth said.
ASU capped off the night in the seventy-sixth minute when Colon delivered a free kick into the box and Carleer put it in the back of the net for her first goal of the season, and the finishing touch on ASU’s 3-0 victory.
“We’ve had some offensive struggles and it was nice to solve some of those problems today,” Winkworth said.
On top of the offensive performance, the Lady Devils continued their defensive excellence, holding a shutout for the sixth time this season.
“I’m really proud of them defensively, I mean we’ve got twice as many clean sheets as we had all last season,” Winkworth said. “When we go one nil up, I’m a lot more confident this season than I’ve been in the past.”
ASU now shifts gears into conference play, opening at home against Oregon State next Friday, September 22. The Beavers came to Tempe and beat ASU 3-1 last season, now with some confidence off the non-conference closer, the Sun Devils will look for revenge when they kickoff at 7 p.m. AZT on Friday.
“I want them to enjoy these moments, so they want them more and focus on coming back to practice all energized for that next game,” Winkworth said.
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