Sunday, October 7
Los Angeles, CA
12:00 PM
USC
11-1-1, 4-1-0
3
vs
1
Arizona State
6-5-1, 1-3-1
1
2
F
Arizona State
0
1
1
USC
1
2
3
Photo by: John McGillen
No. 2 USC Tops Arizona State 3-1 at McAlister Field
October 07, 2018 | Women's Soccer, Features
Samantha Bruder scores her first career goal to secure victory for the Trojans.
LOS ANGELES, Calif. – The No. 2 USC women's soccer team served up a decisive home victory with three different Trojans getting to the back of the net in a 3-1 win over visiting Arizona State on Sunday at McAlister Field.
Highlighting the balanced team effort was the capper on the day, as Samantha Bruder knocked in her first career goal to secure things for the Trojans in making it 3-1 in the 84th minute. The win improves USC to 11-1-1 overall and to 4-1-0 in Pac-12 play, while Arizona State goes to 6-5-1, 1-3-1.
The Trojans dominated out of the gates and peppered the Arizona State goal with 32 shots in the game. USC goalie Kaylie Collins was called into action early, though, and was up to the task. The sophomore made a beautiful leaping save in a 12-minute strike by the Sun Devils for her first – and arguably most treacherous – of her career-high-tying eight saves in the game.
After Leah Pruitt was taken down inside the area, Savannah DeMelo lined up to take the penalty kick. Her blast slammed the crossbar, and the Sun Devils were able to clear it away in the 32nd minute. Five minutes later, DeMelo made no mistake about her next good look. Off a USC corner, DeMelo launched the ball from just off the left touchline, tucking it into the side-net at the far post for an impressive finish that got USC a 1-0 lead. That would hold to halftime, and in the second half the Trojans would keep up their pressure.
After several close calls, USC broke through when Julia Bingham sailed in a cross that Penelope Hocking pounced on, stabbing it through at the far post for a 2-0 Trojan lead. An offside whistle put a stop to a dangerous USC chance soon after, and then momentum shifted for the Sun Devils. In the 68th minute, ASU broke its scoring silence to close the gap to 2-1.
The final stroke came from the foot of Samantha Bruder, who took a feed from DeMelo at the top of the area. She'd loft it in, clipping the underside of the crossbar to finally carom in off the post to take USC ahead 3-1 in the 84th minute.
GOALS
37' – USC: Savannah DeMelo (Madeline Vergura) – On a USC corner kick, Vergura touched the ball short to DeMelo, who launched the ball from the far left touchline, across the frame and into the side-netting at the far post.
63' – USC: Penelope Hocking (Julia Bingham) – Bingham laced in a cross from the left for Hocking, who stabbed it through at the right post.
67' – ASU: Casey Martinez (Cori Sullivan) – The ball was crossed in by Sullivan on the right, looping across the frame of the goal where Martinez collected it and slotted it to the far post.
84' – USC: Samantha Bruder (Savannah DeMelo) – DeMelo slipped the pass in to Bruder at the top of the area. She'd loft it on goal, off the crossbar, off the goalkeeper and off the post and in.
NOTABLE
USC visits Washington State next week for a 7 p.m. matchup on Saturday (Oct. 13) in Pullman, Wash.
Highlighting the balanced team effort was the capper on the day, as Samantha Bruder knocked in her first career goal to secure things for the Trojans in making it 3-1 in the 84th minute. The win improves USC to 11-1-1 overall and to 4-1-0 in Pac-12 play, while Arizona State goes to 6-5-1, 1-3-1.
The Trojans dominated out of the gates and peppered the Arizona State goal with 32 shots in the game. USC goalie Kaylie Collins was called into action early, though, and was up to the task. The sophomore made a beautiful leaping save in a 12-minute strike by the Sun Devils for her first – and arguably most treacherous – of her career-high-tying eight saves in the game.
After Leah Pruitt was taken down inside the area, Savannah DeMelo lined up to take the penalty kick. Her blast slammed the crossbar, and the Sun Devils were able to clear it away in the 32nd minute. Five minutes later, DeMelo made no mistake about her next good look. Off a USC corner, DeMelo launched the ball from just off the left touchline, tucking it into the side-net at the far post for an impressive finish that got USC a 1-0 lead. That would hold to halftime, and in the second half the Trojans would keep up their pressure.
After several close calls, USC broke through when Julia Bingham sailed in a cross that Penelope Hocking pounced on, stabbing it through at the far post for a 2-0 Trojan lead. An offside whistle put a stop to a dangerous USC chance soon after, and then momentum shifted for the Sun Devils. In the 68th minute, ASU broke its scoring silence to close the gap to 2-1.
The final stroke came from the foot of Samantha Bruder, who took a feed from DeMelo at the top of the area. She'd loft it in, clipping the underside of the crossbar to finally carom in off the post to take USC ahead 3-1 in the 84th minute.
GOALS
37' – USC: Savannah DeMelo (Madeline Vergura) – On a USC corner kick, Vergura touched the ball short to DeMelo, who launched the ball from the far left touchline, across the frame and into the side-netting at the far post.
63' – USC: Penelope Hocking (Julia Bingham) – Bingham laced in a cross from the left for Hocking, who stabbed it through at the right post.
67' – ASU: Casey Martinez (Cori Sullivan) – The ball was crossed in by Sullivan on the right, looping across the frame of the goal where Martinez collected it and slotted it to the far post.
84' – USC: Samantha Bruder (Savannah DeMelo) – DeMelo slipped the pass in to Bruder at the top of the area. She'd loft it on goal, off the crossbar, off the goalkeeper and off the post and in.
NOTABLE
- Samantha Bruder's 84th-minute goal was the redshirt sophomore's first career goal.
- Kaylie Collins had a season-high eight saves, tying her career high.
- For the second consecutive game, USC had 10 shots on goal — third most this season, and most in Pac-12 competition
- USC wore its pink kit today in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness month.
USC visits Washington State next week for a 7 p.m. matchup on Saturday (Oct. 13) in Pullman, Wash.
Keidane wraps up a meaningful team victory at McAlister. #TrUST | #FightOn pic.twitter.com/2xIbNKdhJa
— USC Women's Soccer (@USC_WSoccer) October 7, 2018
Team Stats
ASU
USC
Goals
1
3
Shots
12
32
Shots on Goal
9
10
Saves
7
8
Corners
1
11
Fouls
7
12
Scoring Plays
DeMelo, Savannah (5)
Assisted By: Vergura, Madeline
short corner, long shot to far post
36:42
Hocking, Penelope (6)
Assisted By: Bingham, Julia
ball finished to near post off low cross
62:16
Martinez, Casey (2)
Assisted By: Sullivan, Cori
shot to far post off cross from right si
66:31
Bruder, Samantha (1)
Assisted By: DeMelo, Savannah
chipped off crossbar and crosses line
83:28
Game Leaders
Shots
9
SOG
3
Goals
1
Assists
1
Shots
4
SOG
3
Goals
1
Assists
0
Shots
1
SOG
1
Goals
1
Assists
0
Shots
0
SOG
0
Goals
0
Assists
1
Players Mentioned
D
/ Women's SoccerF/D
/ Women's Soccer
GK
/ Women's SoccerMF
/ Women's SoccerF
/ Women's Soccer
F
/ Women's Soccer
MF
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