Sun Devil soccer works overtime to defeat Colorado

Cali Farquharson scored the game-winning goal with 22 seconds left in the second overtime to give the Arizona State women's soccer team a 2-1 win over Colorado on Sunday.

With the win, the Sun Devils (9-8-2, 5-4-1 Pac-12) moved over the .500 mark for the first time this season and in the process moved a step closer to securing the program's third NCAA Tournament berth in the last four seasons.

"I thought it was a really good game. Our two leading scorers were the ones with the goals today, which was very appropriate," ASU head coach Kevin Boyd said. "I thought Colorado battled hard the entire game and made it very difficult for us. I thought they possessed the ball pretty well coming at us. One of the reasons why so many Pac-12 teams have struggled against Colorado is because they are so organized behind the ball."

Although the Sun Devils had 11 more shots than the Buffaloes (29-18) and four more shots on goal (11-7), they were not able to generate more than a single goal for more than 100 minutes of play.

"I didn't think we created enough really good, clean chances and so I had been waiting for that," Boyd explained. "In the final third of the field we really just needed to settle down, move the ball a little bit, be quicker and cleaner. We have been so aggressive, which I love, but it's hard to go from being aggressive and intense to being calm and composed [inside the box]."

The Sun Devils scored the game's first goal in the 19th minute when junior Devin Marshall headed in a free kick by senior Sierra Joseph. It was Marshall's team-leading ninth goal of the season and also represented the second time in as many games that the pair collaborated to score a goal.

Colorado (8-8-3, 2-7-1 Pac-12) tied the game in the 40th minute when Amy Barcuzuk got a hold of a loose ball and put it away for her fourth goal of the season.

"They were getting chances through set pieces and services coming into our box," Boyd said. "It was a sloppy play that is going to happen with a service in the box. Every one is competing for it and it is kind of, `Where is the ball going to bounce loose and who is going to be the quickest to that ball?' There were a couple of those that bounced around like a pinball and one of their players found it and she stuck it away."

Both teams would have their chances over the last 50 minutes of the game and the two overtimes.

As the clock ticked under a minute in the second overtime it appeared the match was headed for a tie when Farquharson took a pass from senior Courtney Tinnin, spun away from her defender and slotted in the game winner for her eighth goal of the season.

"When Cali did that spin, I said, `This is it,'" Boyd said. "It was almost point blank and she stuck it away. It was a great goal. She just slotted it into the far post as calm as can be."

ASU is now 5-2 this season in one-goals games and 2-0-2 in overtime contests.

The Sun Devils return to action on Friday (4 p.m. PT) when they host Arizona in the regular season finale. Friday's game will be Senior Day as the Sun Devils will honor seniors Alyssa Freeman, Sierra Joseph, Mimi Kocela, Taylor McCarter, Miah Mollay, Aissa Sanchez, Nicki Stone, Courtney Tinnin and Kiara Williams. Friday's game against Arizona will be televised live by Pac-12 Networks.