(James Powel/WCSN)
The Arizona State Sun Devils (6-6-2, 1-4-1) lost to the USC Trojans (11-3-0, 5-1-0) 2-0 Saturday night at Sun Devil Soccer Stadium in Tempe.
In the first half, the Trojans outshot the Sun Devils 5-2, although both teams only notched two shots on goal.
ASU got its first shot on goal in the 10th minute. Senior forward Larisa Staub settled a chip pass forward from sophomore Natalie Stephens, and then got a decent shot on net from just inside the top right of the box.
The other shot on goal came in the 29th minute on a Natalie Stephens breakaway. She ripped a hard shot from well inside the box but it was right to USC senior goalkeeper, Sammy Jo Prudhomme.
The best chance in the scoreless first half for USC may have come at the end. The Trojans had a three on two breakaway, but a cross from the right goal line went just high of the USC attacker.
“Going into the half we were proud of ourselves for keeping it 0-0,” Staub said. “So we wanted to keep it going into the second half.”
In the second half, USC scored first in the 58th minute. Senior forward Katie Johnson one-touched a cross from sophomore forward Leah Pruitt right in front of the net to put USC up 1-0.
ASU responded with some scoring chances of its own. Larisa Staub got a header on goal in the 64th minute, and took a strong shot that went wide left in the 66th minute.
However, USC continued to get shots as well. A goal by junior forward Sydney Johnson was called offsides in the 70th minute.
Then, USC doubled their lead with a goal in the 76th minute. Senior forward Savannah Levin took the ball up the middle of the field and ripped a shot from the top of the box unchallenged into the left side of the net.
ASU continued to battle for the remaining fourteen minutes but failed to score.
“I think we had a lot of energy,” said junior midfielder Aly Moon. “Obviously we didn’t get the result we wanted, but I think we were working pretty hard the whole game.”
The best chances for the Sun Devils after the second goal came in the 77th minute on a very close shot by Aly Moon that seemed to be deflected wide right. However, it was called as a goal kick.
“It wasn’t a lack of effort by any means we just fatigued a little bit,” said head coach Kevin Boyd. “And we start doing things slightly different, and as soon as we did that the holes opened up and they took advantage of it.”
USC finished the game with more shots that ASU (11-9), but both teams notched five shots on goal in the game.
“We just need to work on keeping the ball better,” Boyd said. “I think that was something that really hurt us in the second half.”
The Sun Devils return to action Thursday at 7:00 p.m. when they visit Oregon State.
