(Tempe, AZ) Sun Devil sophomore goalkeeper Pauline Nelles came one save short of tying her career high with eight on Sunday night as the Sun Devil soccer team (1-0-1) played Mississippi State (1-0-1) to a scoreless tie.
Both teams entered the game coming off successful season openers on Thursday: ASU scored all four of its goals in the second half to defeat Wright State, while a little further up north, the Bulldogs defeated Grand Canyon 2-1.
For the second time in as many contests, a game that included the Sun Devils started with the threat of weather in the distance. In this case, the first half of the game was played under a wind advisory, which according to the National Weather Service meant both teams would be playing with winds between 15-25 mph with potential gusts up to 40 mph.
Mississippi State started with the benefit of the wind at is back and played like a team with such an advantage as it took three shots and set up a pair of corner kicks in the game’s first 12-plus minutes.
A leaping, brilliant save by Nelles, denied Mississippi State’s Ruthny Mathurin of a goal eight minutes into the game.
In the 22nd minute, both Olivia Coleman and Emilie Simpson both teamed up to prevent MSU’s from Maggie Wadsworth getting off a shot that would have been from an excellent vantage point.
ASU nearly set up an excellent scoring opportunity in the 31st minute when Keri Matthews sent a cross into the box. Unfortunately, it was a bit too tall for freshman Savannah Maley, who was unable to get her head on it.
Sunday’s game was the second all-time meeting between the Sun Devils and Bulldogs. In 2021, Sun Devil Soccer’s all-time leading scorer Nicole Douglas scored in the 89th minute of ASU’s 1-0 win over Mississippi State in Starkville.
Although the Sun Devils failed to get off a shot in the first half, they were able to keep the Bulldogs, who had the advantage of the strong wind at their backs, off the scoreboard over the first 45 minutes. All six of Mississippi State’s shots were on frame, but the solid play of Nelles did not allow anything to get past her.
Although not as strong as it was in the first half for Mississippi State, the Sun Devils started the second half with the wind advantage.
Gabi Rennie, who recently play for New Zealand in the 2023 World Cup held in Australia an New Zealand, was responsible for taking ASU’s first shot of the game in the 62nd minute.
Nelles and the Sun Devil defense combined to turn the Bulldogs back on a potential game-changing sequence in the 72nd minute when Nelles saved the initial offering from MSU’s Bailey Wagenknecht and then the defense prevented Molly McDougal from scoring on the rebound.
MSU goalkeeper Maddy Anderson, who had three saves in the contest, kept ASU scoreless on the opposite end, saving shots by Meighan Farrell (75th minute) and Mya Wheeler (82nd minute).
After playing its first two contests of the 2023 season at home, the Sun Devils will go on the road for the first time when they play at New Mexico State on Thursday. The game, scheduled to start at 6 p.m. MST/7 p.m. MDT, can be seen on ESPN+
Press Release courtesy of Sun Devil Athletics – Liesl Babicka
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