On a scorching 96-degree day, the soccer match between ASU and San Diego required two additional five-minute overtime periods for the game to be decided.
However, neither team could score in the extra stanzas, and the game ended in a 2-2 tie.
"In overtime, it's about digging out a ball. You're playing direct to the goal every time," soccer coach Ray Leone said. "You can't waste time fooling around in your end, and that's where we made our errors."
ASU (5-4-2) spent much of the first overtime on the defensive, as the Torreros came out and attacked for almost the entire five minutes.
Junior goalkeeper Kim Bingham made an overtime save when a San Diego (3-7-1) player got behind the Sun Devil defense and broke for the goal.
"It was a hard situation because she broke through, and I knew if I met her it was going to be right at the top of the 18 (yard box)," Bingham said. "I was actually hoping that she would take that touch across me so then I could go attack it."
The Sun Devils had their own opportunity to end the game when San Diego committed a foul 25 yards from the goal in the second overtime.
On the ensuing free kick, senior midfielder Manya Makoski sent the ball toward the goal, which bounced off the left post. The ball fell in front of senior forward Liz Bogus who scored what seemed to be her third game-winning goal of the season. However, the goal was erased after an offsides call was made against the Sun Devils, keeping the score tied at 2.
The game was sent to overtime when San Diego sophomore forward Amy Epstein scored on a breakaway with 6:30 left in regulation. After taking control of the ball, it was one-on-one with Bingham, and Robinson put the ball in the top right corner.
"It was a miscommunication in the back, and she got free, and it was a great finish," Leone said.
ASU has been working on its team defense for most of the season, but a season-ending injury put a kink in the armor when senior Kelley Bond went down with a torn ACL in Thursday's game against Brigham Young University.
Reach the reporter at thomas.j.kelley@asu.edu.
