Photo courtesy of Sun Devil Athletics
TEMPE – In the 74th minute, Iowa State’s first-year midfielder Aubrey Crawford yanked Arizona State soccer’s fourth-year midfielder Emmie Ennis’ hair, warranting a yell from Ennis and uproar from the Sun Devil sideline.
Crawford received a direct red card, which intensified the physicality of an already closely contested match.
Despite the player advantage, the red card’s chaos was one of many factors behind ASU’s (7-3-3, 2-2-1 Big 12) failure to convert opportunities in its 1-1 tie against Iowa State (4-5-4, 0-3-2) on Thursday night. Although they outshot Iowa State by 25, the Sun Devils walked away with just one point at the halfway point of league play.
With constant chances and pressure from ASU on offense, head coach Graham Winkworth was not pleased with his team’s inability to finish.
“We created enough good, quality chances to be three-nil up,” Winkworth said. “We failed to score the goals.”
Thursday night was the first time this season the Sun Devils scored the match’s first goal and didn’t win. Second-year goalkeeper Eme McClenahan tied her career high with 10 saves, but the crossbar kept other ASU chances out.
In the 88th minute, third-year forward Sierra Bergen dove like Superman into the goal, using her head to redirect the cross straight into the bar. Her hard fall kept her on the ground for a few minutes, during which a variety of Sun Devils appeared to be in disbelief that the score was 1-1.
“We were getting a little bit frantic in front of the box,” fifth-year midfielder Peyton Marcisz said. “We always talk about how we have a high percentage of goals when we hit the frame.”
Although 13 shots hit the frame, McClenehan made multiple highlight-reel saves that kept the Sun Devils stunned. Her play was a major factor in the eventual result, and the Sun Devils recognized her incredible effort.
“She was probably, outside of [Mya] Angus, the player of the game,” Winkworth said.
Marcisz also admitted that McClenehan had a phenomenal game, but she saw signs of fright in the Cyclones. Chance after chance, Iowa State sought to maintain the result rather than to score the game’s third goal.
“I don’t think it really helped us when the red card happened because it was, in a way, more space on the pitch,” Winkworth said. “But not in the areas we wanted the space.”
The red card came after both sides constantly disagreed with the referee’s judgement. Both sides felt like they could get away with some things, and ASU believed Iowa State got away with something crucial in the 32nd minute.
In a 1-0 game, Iowa State manufactured a chance when first-year midfielder Izzy Kapanke received a pass near the midfield pitchfork logo. When she controlled the dish, an array of Sun Devils screamed for a handball call, but the whistle stayed dry.
ASU’s focus on getting the call backfired as the field opened up, and Kapanke gave the ball off for third-year midfielder Allison Charleston, who then fed second-year midfielder Alaina Villa. After a few touches, Villa went for goal and snuck a bullet past ASU’s second-year goalkeeper Kennedy Zorn.
“In the moment, I was like, ‘Oh, handball,’” Marcisz said. “Next thing you know, she takes a shot, and it goes in.”
Marcisz said her team could make excuses about the no-call leading to the goal, but admitted some things are out of players’ control. Winkworth believes that even in moments his team can’t control, the goal shouldn’t have occurred.
“We gifted them a goal,” Winkworth said. “It should have been stopped one way or the other.”
The conceded goal created a scene that was eerily similar to ASU’s 2025 matchup in Ames against Iowa State. The Sun Devils led 1-0 after scoring from a corner kick, but then allowed an equalizer – the game’s final goal.
In that 2025 campaign, ASU only won three conference games. This year, it has much bigger aspirations, and bouncing back from a draw against a bottom-two team in the conference is a must.
“Next game, maybe we’ll be luckier. Maybe we’ll finish getting in the back of the net,” Marcisz said. “[We are] trying to stay positive and consistent.”
Despite the negatives, like being unable to finish and allowing a controversial goal, Marcisz said there were a lot of positives in the match. The first goal, which sent the sellout crowd into a frenzy, came from a corner kick.
First-year defender Mya Angus scored her second goal of the season, thanks to assists from fourth-year defender Lucy Fazackerley and first-year defender Amy Medley. Angus established herself in the attacking third, while also clamping down the back line. Her performance did not go unnoticed.
“Angus was immense. Her performance deserved better quality in the final third,” Winkworth said. “There wasn’t enough quality from some of the others to give Mya the victory that she deserved.”
Winkworth, who is 0-0-2 against Iowa State in his career, said Sunday’s matchup against Houston poses a different threat than the Cyclones; they will come at the Sun Devils more often.
The 1-1 tie on Thursday night sent fans home feeling somewhat defeated, but redemption awaits against the Cougars, who are ranked 37th in RPI. ASU and Houston did not face off last season, so Winkworth and his staff are focused on familiarizing themselves with the team, while trying to get a bitter taste out of their mouths from Thursday night.
“We should have been three-nil,” Winkworth said disappointingly. “We made one error. They punished us for it.”
