TEMPE – Lightning struck for Arizona State soccer after its 2-1 victory against No. 10 BYU on a rainy Thursday night.
The Sun Devils and Cougars traded the ball from end to end for the first couple of minutes. But the hosts quickly found their rhythm at the top line.
In the eighth minute, sophomore forward Sierra Bergen passed the ball to freshman defender/midfielder/forward Addison Baltodano, who crossed the ball in front of BYU’s sophomore goalkeeper Paiton Collins for a short tap-in goal by senior forward Cameron Valladares.
Throughout the night, quick and accurate passes allowed ASU to excel offensively.
However, ASU soccer head coach Graham Winkworth emphasized defending No. 33, BYU sophomore midfielder Lucy Kesler, going into the match.
“We needed to prevent number 33 from controlling the game,” Winkworth said.
Kesler had five shots and none on target, due to Winkworth’s strong back line.
When BYU advanced the ball in the attacking third, they failed to make most shots tough on senior ASU goalkeeper Pauline Nelles in the first half.
BYU had six shots, but only one on goal in the first half. Sun Devil captain and senior defender Grace Gillard anchored the defense with blocked shots and long clearances wide for the counterattack.
“We stayed patient,” Gillard said. “When we got the ball, we kept it, and if we lost it, we reset and stayed disciplined.”
Sophomore forward and 2024 Big 12 Freshman of the Year Kierra Blundell saw the field again for 26 minutes tonight after an injury had sidelined her for previous games.
“She’s been working her socks off, and I’m so delighted to see her out on the pitch again,” Winkworth said.
ASU scored early in both halves by sharing the ball.
They led 1-0 at halftime, and they quickly scored in the 49th minute to take a 2-0 lead.
Kesler missed clearing the ball near midfield, which led to an ASU counterattack. Bergen snatched the ball and led Baltodano with a pass at the top left corner of the 18 yard box. Baltodano finished past Collins, placing the ball in the side netting.
YOU CAN’T STOP ADDI B 💪
— Sun Devil Soccer (@SunDevilSoccer) September 19, 2025
49’ ASU 2 | BYU 0 pic.twitter.com/7IvXVQp9YQ
“I know that my teammates will be able to play me great balls, so I can run onto them,” Baltodano said.
During most of the second half, both teams fought for the ball in the midfield until the final ten minutes.
The Cougars put pressure from both wingers crossing the ball into the box and attempting shots on goal. In the 84th minute, BYU sophomore midfielder Mika Krommenhoek assisted sophomore defender Presley Freeman for a short left side goal that went below Nelles’ dive.
The 2,207-person sold-out home crowd, with roughly 40% as BYU fans, raised the energy levels after the late goal. It erased Nelles’s clean sheet for the night and put pressure on the ASU back line. Despite the cheers and last-minute goal, ASU prevailed for its first victory against a top-10 opponent since February 2021.
Baltodano was named Big 12 Freshman of the Week coming into this game. Her performance matches the accolade. With many crosses into the box, an assist and a goal, she is a highlight to the 2025 Sun Devil soccer team.
Winkworth said BYU’s ranking added fuel for the team to win. ASU is now 8-0-1 overall and 1-0 in Big 12 conference play.
The Maroon and Gold’s next matchup is Thursday, Sept. 25, against Oklahoma State at Sun Devil Soccer Stadium in Tempe. While it will be difficult to replicate the 2,000+ in attendance against the Cougars, they will look to keep momentum in their favor.
“You have to be behind us all the way throughout the season,” junior defender Lucy Fazackerley. “It’s going to be a great game again. Look what happens when we have that support behind us.”
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