(Photo: Nicholas Badders/WCSN)
Despite picking up an early lead, the Arizona State Sun Devils (6-10-3, 0-8-2 Pac-12) failed to find the back of the net for the rest of the match, resulting in a 2-1 loss to the University of California Bears (13-3-3, 5-2-3) at Edwards Stadium on Sunday.
The Sun Devils were hungry to strike first on Cal’s senior day when senior midfielder Christina Edwards took advantage of space in the box and headed in a free-kick to give the Sun Devils a 1-0 lead just 49 seconds into the first half.
That is the senior’s first goal of the season. It would be on her only shot of the game before having to come off the pitch halfway through the first half with an injury. Edwards would not return for the rest of the game.
ASU is fifth in the conference for scoring in the 2019 season altogether, with 36 total goals, but remains in last place in goals (six) and in shots (79) during conference play so far.
The Bears fought back and found the back of the net right before the end of the first half with a goal from junior Emma Westin at the 42nd minute. Westin extended her team-leading goal count to 11, and scored for the fourth straight match.
Kicking off the second half knotted at one saw a feistier Cal, with the Bears firing five shots on goal in the second half and earning a penalty kick after sophomore Abena Aidoo was fouled within the box.
Senior Mia Corbin took the penalty kick that gave the Bears the lead on their final home match and senior day.
The Sun Devils would not find the back of the net or even get a shot on goal for the remaining 15 minutes of the contest.
This match marks the Sun Devils’ fifth straight loss and resulted in another match that ASU fails to win in, contributing to their winless season in Pac-12 play for the 2019 season so far. Third-year head coach Graham Winkworth and his squad remain stuck at the bottom of the Pac-12 standings with two points and one game to play before the season closes out.
Nevertheless, the Sun Devils will return home and travel down South to close out the 2019 regular-season on the road, as they’ll visit the University of Arizona in Tucson on Friday at 7 p.m. MST.
