Stellar defensive play leads Sun Devils to victory over LSU

(Photo: Connor Gleason/WCSN)

TEMPE – The clock was ticking down. Arizona State held tightly to a 1-0 lead like a climber would to a rope. Head coach Graham Winkworth sent as many players as he could into the Sun Devils’ defensive half, trying to scale the mountain to victory.

Moments before the clock hit the 87th minute, LSU got its chance.

When the ball popped out about 20 yards outside of the penalty box, Ryleigh Albin took a touch forward and fired the ball toward the goal. As it traveled past sophomore goalkeeper Kennedy Zorn’s hand, it looked as if the Tigers had stolen a draw.

Instead, the ball rang off the woodwork. A notable gasp could be heard from the LSU side, while the Sun Devils breathed a sigh of relief.

That bit of luck, along with a relentless first-half effort, guided the Sun Devils (3-0-1, 0-0 Big 12) past LSU (1-4-0, 0-0 SEC) 1-0 to pick up their second straight victory —one that could have critical NCAA Tournament implications.

“I’m really happy because we got back-to-back clean sheets,” Winkworth said. “We’re not playing easy teams either. Back-to-back clean sheets feels wonderful.

“It’s not just the back line. It’s everybody. You see the outside backs running the length of the pitch. I’m really happy with the work rate out of possession.”

While the defensive work from the post served as an exclamation point for ASU, the Sun Devils frequently shut down the Tiger attack before it even started. In the first half, the Sun Devils sat in a 3-5-2 formation, allowing LSU to keep possession in its own half.

Winkworth’s team looked content to let their opponent swing the ball back and forth, as they opted to wait like a lion looking to pounce on a mistake from their prey. Eventually, the Tigers made multiple ill-advised passes, and the Sun Devil attackers, led by sophomore forward Bela Puccinelli and junior forward Sierra Bergen, were there to ambush them in their own half.

“We were okay with certain players having the ball,” Winkworth said. We were less happy with other members of their team having the ball. The players that we were okay with didn’t really cause us too many problems, so I was pleased from that side.”

Although the Sun Devil forwards led the defensive charge, their midfielders did the important work that doesn’t show up on the stat sheet. Winkworth said he challenged his team to run the most they have all season.

With the performance of senior midfielder Emmie Ennis, junior midfielder Ella Kettles and graduate midfielder Peyton Marcisz, ASU might just have accomplished that feat.

In the few moments LSU broke the Sun Devil press, the trio of midfielders was there to clean up the damage.

“We were only stepping to their fullbacks if we felt that we could get there, and we were,” Winkworth said. “That meant we were playing a five, which meant they had a little bit more time on the ball. But overall, our midfield covered a lot of ground. I asked the team to cover the most ground of the season so far today. I’ll be interested to see their data when I see that tomorrow.”

ASU’s high press set up by its lone goal. After the Sun Devil midfield won control of the ball, it wound up with sophomore forward Addison Baltodano. The Chandler native’s stepover sent the Tiger defender flying in late to the challenge, winning the Sun Devils a free kick.

Ennis stepped up to take the free kick and sent a clipping ball into the box. As the ball came in, a multitude of Sun Devil players attempted to get a head on the ball, but didn’t make contact.

However, the LSU goalkeeper was fooled.

Instead of a routine save, the ball bounced in front of the goalmouth and into the back of the net.

Set pieces have continued to be a strong suit for the Sun Devils since their opening exhibition game, where they scored two such goals. ASU has scored off a set piece in each of its matches so far, proving to be a reliable source of goals while it works out its attacking flaws.

“I think it takes something aside from talent and aside from technical ability,” Ennis said. “But the grit and the want to put the ball in the back of the net, and I think all of us have that. We’re a team with a lot of depth, and all of us want to score, win, and do well. So I think it’s the thing that takes us over to put it in the back of the net.”

Thursday’s win over LSU became the Sun Devils’ first home win against an SEC squad since 2014, and will help their NCAA Tournament resume. Following a Sweet 16 appearance last season, the Tigers served as an early test of where ASU stands in its postseason goals.

The schedule will not get any easier for the Sun Devils, as they will take on last season’s conference champions Cal Poly and Dartmouth before hosting No. 9 North Carolina in hopes of boosting their Rating Percentage Index.

“If we take care of our business,” Winkworth said. “If we have the same overall record that we had last season, then we’ll be in the NCAA tournament. It’s as simple as that because the schedule is so much stronger. But the girls are responding to it.”

ASU will return to the field in Tempe on Sunday at 7 p.m. MST against Cal Poly.

“I’m just so proud of the group today,” Zorn said. “It was a relentless effort and just high pressing at the beginning. We’re gonna run hard. We’re gonna push through. So I’m just so proud of the girls being disciplined all the second half.

“Being up 1-0, it’s a pretty scary score because the game can switch at any moment. And just staying disciplined and focused, I’m just so proud of all the girls.”