Sept. 23, 2005
TEMPE, Ariz. - Friday night opened with the players, staff and fans of the Arizona State University soccer team celebrating the coaching accomplishments of Head Coach Ray Leone. It ended with more celebrating as Elizabeth Bogus netted her second game-winning overtime goal of the season to give the Sun Devils (5-3-1) a 1-0 defeat of visiting UC Santa Barbara (5-4-0) at Sun Devil Soccer Stadium.
Both teams played a physical, fast-paced match with the visitors accumulating nine fouls and a pair of yellow cards while the Sun Devils also collected two cautions with their seven fouls. The Sun Devils dominated the remaining categories as ASU outshot UCSB, 28-4, and took 16 corner kicks to the Gauchos four.
In the first half of play, the Sun Devils nearly capitalized on a pair of tries, once being halted by the post and the second by a diving save by Gaucho keeper Jamie Considine. The UCSB keeper recorded nine saves on the night, including two diving stabs and three point-blank stops to keep her team in it and force overtime.
Leading into the extra session, Bogus (Sr., Sandy, Utah) tried to make it three matches in a row with a goal late in the second half, but was unsuccessful as once again the post and the UCSB keeper prevented that from happening. In the overtime, the Gauchos looked to take control on offense, but could not get off a shot. After both teams attempted a corner kick and the score still tied at zero, Bogus took her position to win.
With the ball bouncing around, ASU finally gained control and put the ball into the middle of the field at the 18-yard box. Bogus moved in and fired a shot that was blocked straight up by a defender. The ball came back down and a falling Bogus lobbed a soft arching shot over the extended keeper for the winning tally.
Bogus, who took 11 shots with six on goal, led the charge with fellow senior Brittany Cooper (Albuquerque, N.M.) adding seven strikes. Defensively, junior keeper Kim Bingham (Pleasanton, Calif.) made three saves to earn her first shutout of the season.
Prior to the match, Leone was honored for his 20 years of collegiate coaching as wife and assistant coach Tracey Leone, as well as members of past teams representing each of the four schools Ray has coached, spoke to the crowd of 857 fans before unveiling a 4-foot by 8-foot framed collection of photographs. Leone started three programs from scratch, including 1987 NAIA Champions Berry College, Creighton University and Clemson University before making his way to the Valley of the Sun.
The excitement surrounding the match was heightened more as current US Women's National Team member Abby Wambach was on hand and served as a guest coach for the Sun Devils.
The Sun Devils will now have six days off from competition before facing undefeated and No. 15 BYU (9-0-0) at 7 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 29, at Sun Devil Soccer Stadium. The Cougars upset No. 9 California, 1-0, Friday evening in Provo, Utah.