Estimated read time: 1-2 minutes
This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.
SALT LAKE CITY — In a women's soccer showdown, Utah triumphed over Arizona State in a 2-0 win, keeping the team's hopes alive for a postseason bid.
In the first minute of play, Katie O'Kane of Utah made a promising attempt, but Pauline Nelles, Arizona State's goalkeeper, came up with a remarkable save. The early action set the tone for a match filled with intensity.
Just seconds after O'Kane's shot, Utah was awarded a corner kick, providing them with an opportunity to capitalize on their offensive prowess. Nonetheless, the Arizona State defense stood strong, denying any scoring opportunities.
The seventh minute marked a breakthrough when Kelly Bullock of Utah scored a goal where she expertly placed the ball into the top right corner of the net. Maryn Granger and Ryann Cull were credited with an assist, giving Utah a 1-0 lead.
The match proceeded with both teams relentlessly pursuing goals. Nelles made a total of five crucial saves, including an impressive one in the 26th minute when the Utes' Kennedy Schoennauer launched a powerful shot toward the top center of the net.
The second half featured Utah's Taliana Kaufusi making her mark in the 48th minute, doubling up Utah's lead with a shot into the top left corner of the net. Kelly Bullock and Ryann Cull were credited with assists for the impressive play.
Utah's goalkeeper, Kacey Wardle, displayed her goalkeeping prowess, also, with crucial saves, thwarting Arizona State's attempts to reduce the deficit.
With the final whistle, Utah secured a well-deserved 2-0 victory over Arizona State, improving their season record to 6-6-6. The Utes will remain at home to face the Arizona Wildcats on Oct. 29 at 12 p.m. MDT, while the Sun Devils will head to Boulder to take on the Colorado Buffaloes.
