Arizona State's Kaitlyn Morris makes a save versus Texas' Abby Edwards

NOTRE DAME, Ind. -- Stephanie Funston (Jr., Riverside, Calif.) and Madison Pinto (So., Orange, Calif.) each scored twice as No. 8-ranked Arizona State University torched No. 13 University of Texas 8-6 to reach the National Collegiate Club ninth place game.

The Sun Devils will next be in action at 8:00 a.m. in the tournament's ninth place game versus either No 10 University of Utah or Dartmouth College on Sunday, May 8.  The game time is a change from the previously announced 2:15 p.m. first whistle as the other 15 teams in the tournament field and the University of Notre Dame administration agreed to play an early morning game to allow ASU to return to campus for final exams.

Due to the time change for ASU, the 3:30 p.m. game featuring Texas and the loser of a Utah-Dartmouth contest for 11th place will now be held at 2:15 p.m. on Sunday to end the tournament one hour earlier than originally anticipated based on the previously released schedule of games. 

All other games will remain the same at 9:00 a.m. (seventh), 10:15 a.m. (fifth), 11:30 a.m. (third) and 12:45 p.m. (championship).

ASU never trailed in the game opening up a 2-0 lead thanks to a five-meter penalty shot by Alexis D'Asaro (Fr., Huntington Beach, Calif.) and a natural tally by Funston with 6:00 and 2:19 remaining in the first period.  Texas cut into the margin prior to the conclusion of the period as Abby Edwards (Jr., Houston, Texas) connected on a marker at the 1:56 mark before Becca Lewis (Sr., Houston, Texas) balanced the scoreboard at 2-to-2 with a tally at 6:27 of the second period.

However, the Sun Devils jumped back in front prior to halftime with tallies by Lexi Anderson (Jr., Upland, Calif.) and Kaileigh Esson (Jr., Fountain Valley, Calif.) at 3:22 and 55 seconds to carry a 4-2 advantage into the break.

Texas mowed the margin down to a single tally to open the third period as Edwards fired in her second score of the day at 6:28, but the Sun Devils lowered their horns to stick the Longhorns with a tally by Madison Pinto (So., Orange, Calif.) at 5:07 to return the spread to two goals.

The pattern continued between the two teams in the period as Jessie Koverman (So., Hermosa Beach, Calif.) converted on a man-up shot at 1:36 to cut the lead back to one, but ASU countered with a buzzer-beater from Funston to make it 6-4 through 21 minutes of action.

Arizona State expanded the margin to three goals less than 90 seconds into the fourth period as Pinto pinpointed a five-meter penalty shot into the corner of the cage with 5:36 remaining to make it 7-4. 

The deficit was too much for the Longhorns to overcome as the team's exchanged advantage goals during the remaining five minutes of competition as Koverman connected on her second goal of the day at 4:51, Sara McDaniel (Fr., Okemos, Mich.) answered for the Sun Devils at 4:09 and Kara Parker (So., Houston, Texas) closed the scoring at 3:17 for the Longhorns.

In cage, Kaitlyn Morris (Sr., Fremont, Calif.) made eight saves to garner Player of the Game accolades and the victory, while Bridgette McMahan (Fr., Houston, Texas) recorded nine saves for Texas.

ASU Goals: Stephanie Funston (2); Madison Pinto (2); Sara McDaniel; Lexi Anderson; Alexis D'Asaro; Kaleigh Esson

Texas Goals: Abby Edwards (2); Jessie Koverman (2); Becca Lewis; Kara Parker

Saves: ASU - Kaitlyn Morris (8) ; Texas - Bridgette McMahan (9)

Exclusions: ASU - 5 ; Texas - 7

Advantage Opportunities:  ASU - 3-for-7 ; Texas - 3-for-5

Sprints: ASU - 1-for-4 ; Texas - 3-for-4

Cards: None

Officials: Don Lewis, JT Wall

Arizona State University's Elyssa Salcido