Oct. 31, 2012
UP NEXT
The Arizona State women's soccer team prepares for its annual Territorial Cup Series contest when it hosts Arizona on Friday at 4 p.m. in the 2012 regular season finale.
The Sun Devils (9-8-2, 5-4-1 Pac-12), whose current four-game unbeaten streak (3-0-1) is their longest such streak since they started the 2010 season 6-0-1, come into Friday's game tied for fourth place in the Pac-12 with Washington State (11-6-1, 5-4-1 Pac-12).
In addition to solidifying its position for an NCAA Tournament at-large berth, a win on Friday would give ASU its best Pac-12 finish since 2004 (tied for fourth) and would also give it double-digit wins for the first time since 2007 (finished 10-9-1).
From a national perspective, ASU started the week with an NCAA RPI of 37. Also, ASU is ranked sixth in the Pacific Region a big jump up considering the Sun Devils were not receiving votes in the top 10 last week.
Friday's game will be Senior Day as the Sun Devils will honor seniors Alyssa Freeman, Sierra Joseph, Mimi Kocela, Taylor McCarter, Miah Mollay, Aissa Sanchez, Nicki Stone, Courtney Tinnin and Kiara Williams in a ceremony prior to the game.
TELEVISION
Friday's game can be seen live on Pac-12 Networks (regional telecast). JB Long (play by play) and Kyndra de St. Aubin (analyst) will be on hand to call the action.
LAST GAME
Defeated Colorado, 2-1 in 2OTs... Cali Farquharson scored the game-winning goal with 22 seconds left in the second overtime to give ASU the win... With the win, the Sun Devils moved over the .500 mark for the first time this season and in the process moved a step closer to securing the program's third NCAA Tournament berth in the last four seasons... The Sun Devils scored the game's first goal in the 19th minute when junior Devin Marshall headed in a free kick by senior Sierra Joseph. It was Marshall's team-leading ninth goal of the season and also represented the second time in as many games that the pair collaborated to score a goal... ASU is now 5-2 this season in one-goal games and 2-0-2 in overtime contests.
SCOUTING ARIZONA
Arizona (6-10-3, 2-6-2 Pac-12) snapped a nine-game winless streak last week with a 1-0 victory over Utah in double overtime.
The Wildcats started Pac-12 play with a 2-1 upset of Cal in Berkeley.
Five of UA's 10 losses have been by a single goal, including 2-1 setbacks to current No. 2 UCLA and current No. 22 Pepperdine.
Arizona is led by junior Jazmin Ponce, who has eight goals and two assists - 18 points.
SERIES NOTES VERSUS ARIZONA
ASU leads the all-time series with Arizona 14-2-1.
The Sun Devils set the single-match home attendance record last time they hosted Arizona in 2010 when 1,513 fans were on hand to see the Sun Devils defeat Arizona 2-1.
The last five meetings and six of the last seven have been decided by 2-1 scores with ASU winning four of those games.
SUN DEVILS BATTLE BACK FROM 1-4-1 START
After starting the season 1-4-1, the Sun Devils won three straight games to get back to the .500 mark (4-4-1) at the start of conference play. ASU outscored the opposition 7-0 over that stretch.
The Sun Devils were unable to get over the .500 mark after reaching it on two other occasions. After consecutive 2-0 losses at Washington vs. Cal, the Sun Devils fell to 6-8-1 before once again rebounding with a three-game unbeaten streak (2-0-1), giving them another chance to get over .500 against Colorado. The Sun Devils would get over the hump this time, defeating the Buffaloes 2-1 in double overtime.
10-10-10
With three goals in last week's wins over Utah (two goals) and Colorado (one goal), junior forward Devin Marshall moved into 10th place on a few of ASU's all-time lists: career goals (16 - needs two to move into a tie for ninth place), career points (39 - tied for 10th/needs nine points to move into a tie for ninth place) and most goals in a single-season (nine - tied for 10th/needs one goal to move into tie for seventh, two to move into a tie for fifth and three to move into a tie for fourth).
Marshall currently ranks fifth in the Pac-12 in goals (9), eighth in points (20) and tied for fifth in game-winning goals (3).
MCCARTER MAKES IT HAPPEN
One of the key figures in ASU's success is senior midfielder Taylor McCarter, who has consistently provided ASU with outstanding play in the midfield since her freshman season in 2009.
"She's been our best player for the last two years," Boyd said. "We're hoping to get her a little further up the field [this season] and when we do that our game is better."
McCarter, who earned third-team All-Pac-12 and third-team NSCAA All-Region notice last season, has started every one of ASU's 78 games the last three-plus seasons.
McCarter was named to the Cats Classic All-Tournament Team after helping lead ASU to wins over Loyola Marymount (Sept. 14) and FIU (Sept. 16). McCarter scored her third career goal in the win over LMU. One week earlier she was named the MVP of the Sun Devil Desert Classic for her performance in ASU's games against Houston (Sept. 7) and in the Sun Devils' 1-0 upset of No. 10 Pepperdine (Sept. 9). She added her second assist of the season in ASU's 5-4 double overtime win over USC on Sept. 28.
MARSHALL AND FARQUHARSON LEAD THE WAY
Leading ASU's offensive attack this season has been the duo of junior Devin Marshall (nine goals, one assist) and freshman Cali Farquharson (eight goals, four assists), who have combined for 17 of ASU's 30 goals this season.
Marshall was third on the team in scoring (10 points) and tied for first in assists (4) in 2011 when she was limited by an ankle injury that caused her to miss seven games. Among returning members of the team, she was ASU's leader in goals (4) from last season.
Marshall was named to the Pac-10's All-Freshman Team in 2010 when she was third on the team in scoring. Last May, Marshall was one of 24 players called to participate in the U.S. Under-23 Women's National Team training camp.
"Devin had a terrific preseason and I think this could be a breakout year for her," Boyd said prior to the start of the 2012 season.
Marshall tied her single-game career high with two goals in ASU's win at NAU (Aug, 24). She scored her third goal of the season at Missouri (Aug. 31), a game in which she also sustained a head injury that caused her to miss ASU's next two games -- at Kansas (Sept. 2) and vs. Houston (Sept. 7). She returned for ASU's contest against No. 10 Pepperdine and scored the only goal of the game in ASU's 1-0 upset of the Waves. She was named the MVP of the Cats Classic hosted by the University of Arizona after scoring a goal in both of ASU's games -- vs. LMU (Sept. 14) and vs. FIU (Sept. 16). Marshall missed ASU's games vs. USC (Sept. 28), vs. UCLA (Oct. 1) and at Washington State (Oct. 5) before returning in the second half of ASU's 2-0 loss at Washington (Oct. 7). Marshall scored her seventh and eighth goals of the season in ASU's 4-1 win over Utah (Oct. 25) and added her ninth in ASU's 2-1 double OT win over Colorado last Sunday.
Currently leading ASU in points (20) and second on the team in goals, Farquharson has proven to be one of the top freshmen in the Pac-12 this season. As of Oct. 31, Farquharson is second among Pac-12 freshmen in both points (1.11 ppg - 7th in the Pac-12) and goals (8 - tied for 6th in the Pac-12).
Farquharson tied Marshall with two goals in ASU's 4-0 win at NAU (Aug. 24). She added her third goal of the season in ASU's 2-2 tie at Kansas (Sept. 2). One week later she assisted on Marshall's game-winning goal in ASU's 1-0 upset of then-No. 10 Pepperdine (Sept. 9). After going scoreless in ASU's next three games, Farquharson would break out with a virtuoso performance in ASU's 5-4 double OT win over USC (Sept. 28). With Marshall out of the lineup, Farquharson provided the ASU offense with a spark -- and then some -- as she tied the single-game school record with three goals and also added a pair of assists to set the single-game school record for points (8). She became the third Sun Devil in school history to score three goals and the second one to do it as a freshman (former Sun Devil Patrice Feulner, who is currently an associate director in ASU's Office of Student-Athlete Development, scored three goals in back-to-back games as a freshman in 2000).
Farquharson had a goal and assisted on the game-winning goal in ASU's 2-1 win at Oregon (Oct. 21). One week later against Colorado (Oct. 28), Farquharson scored the game-winning goal with 22 second left in double OT to give ASU the 2-1 win.
Farquharson needs three points to move into a tie for 10th on ASU's all-time list for most points in a single season and one more goal to move into a tie for ninth for most goals in a single season.
NEW CAST MEMBERS
Fourteen of the 31 players on ASU's roster are new members of the team in 2012. Of the 14 newcomers, 11 are freshmen to go along with three student-athletes who transferred into the program. Add redshirt freshman Chandler Morris to the mix and nearly half the team (15 of 31) is comprised of players who did not play in a game for ASU prior to this season.
The Sun Devils have had seven players who have made the first start of their respective ASU careers thus far, including six true freshman - McKenzie Berryhill, Nina Brueggemann, Cali Farquharson, Tommi Goodman, Christina Schedel and Sara Tosti.
INTERNATIONAL FLAVOR
Among the incoming freshmen this year are Nina Brueggemann from Pinneberg, Germany and Christina Schedel who is from Rosenheim, Germany.
Brueggemann and Schedel are the first international players on ASU's roster team since Kylla Sjoman (Canada), who graduated in 2008.
Both Brueggemann (16 games/10 starts) and Schedel (15 games/15 starts) have been two primary contributors on the Sun Devils' backline in 2012. Schedel recorded her first career assist and goal in ASU's 2-2 tie at Kansas (Sept. 2).
OFFENSIVE NOTES
ASU's current average of 1.58 goals per game is its best since 2005 when it averaged 1.66.
Senior Courtney Tinnin leads the team in assists with seven (2nd in the Pac-12) and is currently tied for seventh place on ASU's all-time list with 16 assists. She recorded a single-game school-record-tying two assists in ASU's 3-0 win over FIU (Sept. 16). Tinnin, who tied for second on the team in points (14), was second in goals (4) and tied for first in assists (6) in 2009, did not play in 2010 due to a knee injury sustained in the spring of 2010. After missing the first eight games 2011 rehabbing the injury, Tinnin returned and ended up tying for the team lead in assists (3). She scored her first goal of the 2012 season in ASU's 5-4 double overtime win vs. USC (Sept. 28). She scored her second goal, which turned out to be the game winner, at Washington State (Oct. 5).
Senior Taylor McCarter scored her third career goal in ASU's 3-0 win over LMU (Sept. 4). The shot on which McCarter scored against LMU was only the 27th of her career. "That's great [for Taylor]," Boyd said of McCarter's goal vs. LMU. "She does so much for our team. Her getting in the attack and scoring goals is really not the role she plays because she is so far from goal. She is more our playmaker, the one that connects and wins a lot of balls for us. Scoring goals is rare and I'm really happy when she gets them."
ASU has registered double-digit shot totals in 15 of its 19 games, including 20 or more on six occasions.
Twenty of ASU's 30 goals have come in the second half (18) or OT (2).
Tommi Goodman's first career goal was a game winner (ASU's 5-4 2OT win vs. USC on Sept. 28). She added her second vs. Utah (Oct. 25).
Kaitlyn Pavlovich's first career goal was also a game winner (at Oregon - Oct. 21)
ASU has won seven of the eight contests in which it has scored first, collecting shutouts in each of the five of the seven wins. The only game it did not win when it scored first was at Oregon State (Oct. 19), which ended in a 1-1 tie.
DEFENSIVE NOTES
ASU's streak of three straight shutouts earlier this season was its longest such streak since the 2008 season.
Currently with five shutouts in 2012, redshirt freshman goalkeeper Chandler Morris is tied for sixth on ASU's all-time list for most shutouts in a single season. Her next shutout will move her into a tie for third place. The single-season school record is 8.5 set by Erin Reinke in 2000.
ASU's starting backline has included three true freshmen in the majority of its games thus far -- McKenzie Berryhill (15 starts), Nina Brueggemann (10 starts), Christina Schedel (15 starts), Sara Tosti (12 starts).
Junior defender Jasmine Roth has started 55 of 57 career games, including all 19 this season.
Three defenders - McKenzie Berryhill, Kaitlyn Pavlovich and Christina Schedel have scored goals for ASU this season.
CLOSE ONES
The Sun Devils were 5-5 last season in games that were decided by a single goal, losing two of them in overtime. Had a few of those games gone the other way, the Sun Devils likely would have been making their third consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance despite having to deal with a rash of injuries to key players. This season ASU has found itself on the positive end of those games more often than not as they are 5-2 in one-goal games and have a 2-0-2 record in overtime games. In their most recent outing, the Sun Devils appeared they were headed for a tie with Colorado until freshman sensation Cali Farquharson scored with 22 seconds in the second overtime to give the Sun Devils a 2-1 win.
ACADEMIC SUCCESS
On the academic side, the Sun Devils have earned 59 Pac-10/12 All-Academic awards in Kevin Boyd's five seasons, including 16 first-team members and nine second-team members. ASU's 13 first-team commendations the last three seasons (2009-11) are the most of any school in the Pac-12 during that span. In addition, the Sun Devils have three student-athletes -- Kaitlyn Pavlovich, Jasmine Roth and Sarah Van Horn, who are currently enrolled in ASU's prestigious Barrett Honors College.
In June 2012, Sun Devil Soccer was among three ASU teams recognized by the NCAA for recording an Academic Progress Rate (APR) in the top 10 percent nationally.
LEPEILBET HELPS USA WIN GOLD AT OLYMPICS
Former Sun Devil soccer player Amy LePeilbet helped the U.S. capture the gold medal at the London Olympics this past August.
LePeilbet, a 2004 graduate of ASU (B.A. in Sociology, Magna Cum Laude), started in five of the team's six matches at the London Olympics, including the gold medal game against Japan.
A member of the national team since 2004, LePeilbet was one of the cornerstones of the Sun Devil Soccer program as ASU advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament three times in her four years (2000-03).
A two-time All-American and three-time All-Pac-10 Conference first-team selection, LePeilbet did not miss a start in her four years at ASU, playing in 74 career games.
LePeilbet, who was also a two-time Academic All-American, is one of just four Sun Devils to earn a team sport gold medal, joining Justin Huish (archery in 1996), Joe Caldwell (men's basketball in 1964) and James Harden (men's basketball in 2012).