The upstart Arizona soccer team bettered Arizona State in virtually every statistical category possible ÷ except for the stat that matters most.

Over 600 UA and ASU faithful looked on as the Wildcats and the No. 24 Sun Devils played to a 1-1 double-overtime deadlock Saturday night at Murphey Stadium.

"The result stings a little bit," said first-year UA head coach Dan Tobias. "But it's definitely a performance to build on."

The tie was the first time the Sun Devils did not come away with a victory in the rivalry series. The UA lost the previous eight meetings between the schools.

The Wildcat offense controlled possession most of the game, and the UA once again outshot its opponent. Arizona had 23 shots to ASU's 14, with a 9-7 advantage in shots on goal.

After taking seven shots in the first half ÷ two of them on goal ÷ the Wildcats came out with even more determination in the second. They out-passed and outran the Sun Devils, cranking out five shots in the first five minutes of the second half.

The Wildcats suffered from the one problem that has plagued them more than any other this season: the inability to push quality scoring chances over the goalline and into the back of the net.

UA freshman forward Lauren Winters had yet to score a collegiate goal, but picked a great game to come through, tallying the Wildcats' only goal of the game.

When junior forward Candice Wilks' shot was too hot to handle for ASU goalkeeper Kim Bingham, Bingham tried to hit it away, but Winters, only 10 yards out, capitalized on the rebound.

"I had a clear, open view of the goal," Winters said.

The Arizona defense played tough most of the game, led by some crucial stops by junior defender Lindsey Peeples, but could not quite hold off the pressure by the Sun Devils to the final whistle.

In the 83rd minute, ASU sophomore defender Stephanie Ebner launched a throw-in into the UA penalty box. Senior forward Patrice Feulner brought the ball down and passed it to freshman forward Courtney Crane, who put the ball just out of UA goalkeeper Natalie Juarez's reach to even the score.

"We score and then we feel content with that. That's what we need to work on," Winters said.

Through a flurry of rushed offensive passes and half-shots, both teams failed to score in the final six minutes of regulation, sending the game into overtime.

While the Wildcats spent most of regulation in ASU's territory, the tide changed during the first extra period. ASU took three shots, while the UA failed to take any, but the Wildcats still managed to send the game into a second overtime.

The Wildcats were somewhat resurgent in the second overtime, outshooting ASU 3-2, but neither team was able to capitalize on its chances.

Juarez came up with a handful of game-saving stops in the two overtime periods after being challenged very little in the regulation periods.

The Wildcats travel to Los Angeles next weekend to face UCLA and Southern California.

"They are excellent. You've got to bring your top game," Tobias said of the No. 3 Bruins.