ASU Soccer: Sun Devils battle Arizona and Stanford to close regular season

(Photo: Colin Thompson/WCSN)

Arizona State women’s soccer is on the verge of the program’s first NCAA Tournament berth in four years, and eighth all-time: the Sun Devils sit 40th in the nation in RPI, and were ranked 20th in the most recent TopDrawerSoccer poll. All that ASU needs to likely lock up a spot in the final field of 64 is a victory in one of their last two matches.

What stands in the way of that path for the Sun Devils (10–5–1, 5–3–1 Pac-12)? Just home matches against Territorial Cup rival Arizona and unbeaten, top-ranked Stanford.

ASU will welcome the Wildcats to Sun Devil Soccer Stadium for Senior Night on Friday, before hosting the Cardinal on Sunday in a match that was postponed from earlier in the season due to rain. The match against Arizona will kick off at 5:00 p.m., with the Stanford game beginning at 3:00 p.m.

Arizona Wildcats (11–5–2, 4–4–2 Pac-12)

This match will be the regular season finale for Arizona, who could also wrap up a tournament berth with a victory. The Wildcats were defeated at Oregon last Sunday, snapping a four-match unbeaten streak that stretched back to mid-October.

Jada Talley has led the way offensively for Arizona this season, tallying seven goals and an assist in 17 matches. The sophomore forward hasn’t scored since October 13, however, and has just one goal in her last seven matches.

Goalkeeper Lainey Burdett has played every minute this season for the Wildcats, allowing just 16 goals in 18 appearances. Her 0.85 goals against average (GAA) is the fifth-best in the conference, and the senior has made multiple saves in each of Arizona’s last four matches.

Sun Devil fans have already had the opportunity to see Arizona in person, as the Wildcats played in the Sun Devil Desert Classic in nonconference play. They defeated Southeast Missouri State by a 5–0 scoreline and took down New Hampshire 2–0 at that tournament.

Arizona received two votes in this week’s United Soccer Coaches poll. The Wildcats were one of six Pac-12 teams receiving votes, with four of those teams in the top 25.

Arizona State has lost the last two Territorial Cup matches against Arizona, with the Sun Devils last victory coming back in 2014. ASU has never lost three straight in the history of this series, which dates back to 1996.

Stanford Cardinal (15–0–2, 8–0–1 Pac-12)

The Cardinal enter this match on a 39-game unbeaten streak, dating back to September 1, 2017. Stanford, the defending national champions, last lost a game on August 25 of last year, when they fell on the road against eighth-ranked Florida by a 3–2 scoreline.

Stanford has conceded just eight goals this season while scoring 45, the second-fewest goals allowed in the conference. Redshirt senior goalkeeper Alison Jahansouz has been the primary keeper this year, allowing just seven goals in her 14 appearances. Her 0.50 GAA is the second-best in the Pac-12 among qualifying goalkeepers.

Sophomore forward Catarina Macario has led the Cardinal attack this year, tallying five assists and a team-high 12 goals. She has scored five goals in her last three appearances, and has a goal or an assist in five straight games.

Junior defender Tierna Davidson is perhaps the best player on the Cardinal roster – when she is with the team. The junior defender has played just three matches this season, first due to national team duty and then due to a fractured ankle she suffered in September. Davidson will be out until later this month because of the injury.

Stanford is the number one team in the country this week, a spot the Cardinal have held for more than a year. They ascended to the top ranking in the United Soccer Coaches poll on October 10, 2017, and haven’t fallen since. This week, Stanford received 31 of 35 first place votes.

The Sun Devils have defeated Stanford just four times in the history of this series, with the last coming in 2013. Sara Tosti scored the lone goal in that game for Arizona State.