(Photo by: Maya Diaz)
In the 36th minute, with the match tied at 1-1 between Arizona State soccer (7-3-3, 2-3-1) and the University of Utah (5-4-4, 2-2-2), tension filled the air at Sun Devil Soccer Stadium. ASU had just tied the game 20 minutes prior and was looking to ride the momentum shift created by its equalizer.
Junior goalkeeper Pauline Nelles received a backward pass and played a long ball to senior defensive midfielder Lauren Kirberg. Kirberg looked to advance play, aiming to connect with fellow junior midfielder Mia Lanni, but Utah’s sophomore midfielder Lilliah Blum saw it first. She anticipated the pass, intercepted it, and immediately pushed forward, linking up with freshman defender Callie Blaylock. Blaylock drove through open space and slipped a pass back to Blum splitting the ASU defense. Blum snuck a shot just beyond Nelles’ outstretched legs and into the near-side bottom corner of the net, giving the Utes a 2-1 lead.
Arizona State’s midfield turnovers were a critical factor in their struggles throughout the match. Time and time again, the Sun Devils were unable to maintain consistent possession, particularly in high-pressure situations. Sloppy passes and intercepted plays frequently broke down their attacking rhythm and left the defense vulnerable to Utah’s counter-attacks. This inability to secure control in the middle of the pitch disrupted ASU’s overall flow, forcing them into reactive play and allowing Utah to capitalize on the Sun Devils’ mistakes, shifting momentum in their favor.
“It was Christmas everywhere, we were just giving them gifts, there’s always going to be those types of mistakes but tonight we made way too many” ASU head coach Graham Winkworth said. “We’ve got to defend a lot better than we did tonight and one way to defend better is to do a better job in possessing the ball.”
Utah would ultimately secure a 4-1 victory over Arizona State, with two goals coming in the second half. The first in the 50th minute, which resulted from a poor attempted clearance by ASU, allowing Utah to combine effectively and deliver a cross that was finished by senior forward Katie O’Kane. The second goal came in the 80th minute and further underscored ASU’s struggles, as yet another midfield turnover led to a header from freshman midfielder Katie Callaway off a cross.
“We all made mistakes, It was a combination of different things that went on,” Fifth-year senior defender Lucy Johnson said, “I think we just need to go back to the basics and start doing them well in a situation like this and then that should tighten things up.”
Her acknowledgment of mistakes highlights the collective effort needed to improve, as the defense was a significant issue. The Sun Devils struggled to maintain composure, leading to crucial turnovers and breakdowns that ultimately cost them the game. The need to return to the fundamentals she mentioned is critical. Tightening up defensively is essential for ASU to regain its footing and avoid similar pitfalls in future matches. As the season progresses, addressing these defensive lapses will be paramount to their success.
The upcoming road trip to Waco to face a struggling Baylor Bears team – that is on a three-game winless streak – presents a prime opportunity for redemption. If Arizona State can address the issues that plagued it tonight, particularly in terms of defensive organization, they should be well-positioned to bounce back and secure a much-needed victory. The potential for a turnaround is within reach, and the team knows it must seize this opportunity to show its resilience moving forward.
“We’ve got a great opportunity on Thursday,” Winkworth said. “We’ve got to lick our wounds today and bounce back on Monday at training. It’s doom and gloom tonight, but Monday morning is a different game.
