ASU women's soccer defeats Oregon State 2-1 in double overtime

CORVALLIS, Ore. - Freshman Alexandra Elston scored two goals, including the game-winner a little more than three minutes into double overtime, as the Arizona State women's soccer team captured its ninth victory of the season with a 2-1 win at Oregon State on Sunday.

For Elston, who starred at Mountain Pointe High School prior to joining the Sun Devils this season, Sunday's game-winning goal was her second overtime goal in two weeks. Last Sunday against Washington State, Elston deflected a free kick in the extra session off a Cougar defender and into the back of the net to give the Sun Devils a 1-0 win.

The Sun Devils (9-6-0, 3-1-0 Pac-10) were able to take Sunday's contest against Oregon State (7-7-1, 0-4-0 Pac-10) despite being at less than 100 percent. Regular starters Courtney Crane, Alissa Oldenkamp and Karin Volpe were affected by food poisoning and did not start. Crane would sit out the entire contest while Oldenkamp and Volpe would enter in the second half.

"Oregon State is a good team and they played us very well in the first half," said ASU head coach Kevin Boyd. "When Karin and Alissa were inserted in the second half is when the game started getting back to normal. We started attacking much better and doing the things that we do well and that is how we generated the (first) goal."

Down 1-0, ASU got on the board in the 65th minute when Elston's rebound got past Oregon State goalkeeper Caitlin Seeley to tie the game at 1-1.

Neither team could generate offense in the remaining 25 minutes of regulation. In the first extra period, both teams had good chances to end the contest but were unable to take advantage of their respective opportunities. ASU sophomore goalkeeper Briana Silvestri came through with what Boyd called a "terrific save" to thwart Oregon State's opportunity. It was one of Silvestri's four saves on the afternoon.

The game would finally come to an end a little more than three minutes into the second overtime session, when junior Kylla Sjoman's corner kick was crossed by senior Lauren Niblett to Elston, who headed the ball into the net and ended the game.

"I did not feel like we had our best weekend of soccer, but I think we showed a lot of character in terms of coming from behind and then getting the win," said Boyd of Sunday's win.

The Sun Devils return to action on Friday night (7 p.m.) when they take on the California Golden Bears at Sun Devil Soccer Stadium in Tempe. The game will be televised live by FSN Arizona.