ASU faces stern test in conference leaders TCU

(Photo By: Maya Diaz/ WCSN)

After Thursday’s 4-0 loss to the Baylor Bears, the Arizona State soccer team looks to take a step forward in its trip to Fort Worth to take on the TCU Horned Frogs.

One step forward, two steps back, has been a common theme for the Sun Devils in Big-12 play. In its second match of the conference schedule, ASU easily beat Houston 2-0, a step forward after falling 1-0 to BYU the week before.

Then the Sun Devils failed to win either of their next two matches, with a 1-1 tie against UCF that left more to be desired, and a 2-1 loss at home to West Virginia where a few mistakes proved costly.

ASU bounced back then at home to Cincinnati with a resounding 3-1 victory that looked to put its attack back on track. The Sun Devils followed it up with a devastating 4-0 loss to Utah and the aforementioned 4-0 loss to Baylor on Thursday night

Now ASU needs a win in Fort Worth, not just to follow the cycle, but to get back on track in Big 12 play. However, against the number one team in the Big 12 standings, TCU will test both ASU’s attack and defense, making a win a tall order for this struggling squad.

The Horned Frogs come into this match ranked 12th in the United Soccer Coaches poll, with an overall record of 10-2-2 and a Big-12 record of 5-0-2. Their only two losses of the season came on the road against Notre Dame, currently ranked 13th in the poll, and away to Texas A&M, one of TCU’s local rivals.

This team, led by 13th-year head coach Eric Bell, ranks first in the Big 12 for goals scored (33) and fourth for goals conceded, with only nine conceded across their 14 games.

Junior forward Seven Castian leads the Horned Frogs’ attack, as she’s tallied nine goals and three assists, including a four-goal explosion against Colorado. Another vital piece for TCU is senior midfielder Oli Peña, who has seven assists this season, leading the conference. Stopping Peña’s creativity and Castian’s finishing abilities will be key for the Sun Devils to take their necessary step forward.

ASU will also need to find a way to break down the Horned Frogs’ defense, which has only conceded nine goals on the season. Its backline is anchored by sophomore defender Bella Diorio, who has started all 14 matches this season. In goal for TCU has lately been graduate goalkeeper Megan Plaschko. Plaschko split time in net to open the season with freshman Olivia Geller, as of late Plashcko has cemented herself as the starter, having started in net the last two matches for TCU.

The keys to winning this matchup are simple for the Sun Devils: stay solid defensively and attack with a purpose. These may seem basic, but lately, ASU has strayed away from both of these core tenants. If the squad hopes to stop this run of bad form, the Sun Devils will need to keep it simple.

Sunday morning’s match at 11:00 a.m. AZT will be a must-win for ASU, to reignite hopes of qualifying for the NCAA tournament.