Junior forward Carli Farquharson (17) leaps in the air for the ball during the Sun Devils’ meeting against Houston in 2012. (Photo by Kyle Newman)Junior forward Cali Farquharson tied a school record with her second career hat trick in ASU's 5-0 win over Nevada on Sunday.
As a team, the Sun Devils scored 10 goals in two games over the weekend and with the blowout of Nevada, have won five straight.
Heading into the weekend, head coach Kevin Boyd said he wanted his team to come out of the gates strong to start the game and his team followed through on Sunday.
Freshman midfield Aly Moon scored the game's first goal in just six minutes. Junior forward Cali Farquharson would double this lead less than six minutes later, putting the Sun Devils up 2-0, coming off an assist from Moon. Less than two minutes later, Farquharson would find the back of the net once again, this time being assisted by redshirt junior forward Mackenzie Semerad.
Nevada could do nothing to slow Farquharson, as she would score her third goal of the game in the 17th minute of the game, tallying her first hat trick of the season, and tying the school record for most goals scored in a game.
Farquharson is the second player on the team to record a hat trick this season, with Moon also recording one earlier in the season against Hawaii (ASU won 5-2). Both Farquharson and Moon have seven goals apiece on the season.
“It’s a relief,” Farquharson said. “Scoring goals is my drug. If I don’t score them, I go through withdrawals.”
Boyd said he was impressed Farquharson’s play, and had nothing but praise to give her and the team.
“She was on fire,” Boyd said. “There was just no getting around it. She put herself in great spots. I think the team did a great job moving the ball around to slip her in to dangerous areas.”
This isn't the first time Farquharson has scored a hat trick. Back in her freshman year, she accomplished this feat against USC in a 5-4 double overtime win for the Sun Devils.
Having already built up a sizeable lead, ASU made heavy substitutions in the 26th minute, pulling out nearly their entire starting lineup. This meant reduced playing time for Farquharson, who was only one goal shy of breaking the school record for most goals scored in a game.
“I was totally fine with being subbed out,” Farquharson said. “It gives an opportunity to other people to try and score.”
Even with the majority of the starters off the field, ASU would continue to score. Junior defender Rachel Ometer socred in the 41st minute, putting the Sun Devils up 5-0 at halftime.
“As a team I think we are playing a lot better,” Boyd said. “Our back line did a good job defending any counter attacks. (Redshirt junior goal keeper) Chandler (Morris) was called upon a couple times and made some great saves, and (redshirt freshman goal keeper) Ashley (March) made a great save near the end of the game."
The Sun Devils will head to California next weekend, where they will play Cal State Northridge in their last non conference game of the season. With conference games so close, this game definitely sends a warning to opponents.
“We just have to continue doing what we are doing,” Farquharson said. “There is a little more excitement involved."
Boyd had similar comments regarding the upcoming game against UCLA.
“We are going to have a different mindset,” Boyd said. “We have been coasting one game at a time, but we know this is our non conference. Every single game is different, every single game is an absolute all out brawl.”
The Sun Devils play Cal State Northridge at 7 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 19 in Northridge, California.
Reach the reporter at mtsteine@asu.edu or follow him on Twitter @MarcTSteiner
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