ASU Soccer: The Sun Devils look to win final home games of the season

(Photo: Nicholas Badders/WCSN)

The Arizona State women’s soccer team will be playing their final home games of the 2017 season this weekend. On Thursday, October 25 the team will be competing against Washington State University and on Sunday, October 29 Washington University will be in Tempe.

ASU has not won a game since beating Oregon State 2-1 in its Pac-12 opener back in September. Since that game, it has been a rocky Pac-12 conference for the Sun Devils as they played four ranked teams back to back.

However, with the season down to three games left, the team has an opportunity to send its seniors off with two final home game wins.

Washington State hasn’t had the best Pac-12 run either, but is ranked sixth in Pac-12. The Cougars have only won three of their eight games in Pac-12 play so far.

One of their wins came against No. 2 UCLA last week, beating the Bruins 1-0. Junior midfielder Maegan O’Neill scored the lone goal for the Cougars.

The Sun Devils should be aware of sophomore forward Morgan Weaver who has scored six goals this season, the most for the Cougars.

In the net for Washington State will most likely be redshirt junior Ella Dederick. Dederick has been in net all season for the Cougars. In all of her games this season Dederick has only allowed more than one goal once.

Arizona State’s Jemma Purfield is currently the leading goal scorer with six goals and three assists. Jazmarie Mader has four assists this season.

Following the Washington State game the Sun Devils will celebrate senior day against Washington. Washington (2-4-2) is ranked seventh in the Pac-12 standings.

Senior forward Kimberly Keever has had five goals and two assists this season. Following behind her is fellow senior forward Shannon Simon who has four goals and three assists.

However, redshirt senior goalkeeper Sarah Shimer is the player the Sun Devils should take notice of on Sunday.

Shimer has had 10 shutouts this season, in which she currently matches the single-season record for the Huskies. And at the end of the week of September 10 Shimer was named Pac-12 Goalkeeper of the Week.

Purfield and Mader will have their work cut out for them against Shimer Sunday afternoon.

The Sun Devils will be tested this weekend, but have the chance to win both remaining home games.

Thursday night ASU starts at 7 p.m. against Washington State and the Sunday afternoon game against Washington will begin at 1 p.m. You can watch both on Pac-12 Plus.