(Photo: Nate Astalos/WCSN)
TEMPE – In the 103-degree Arizona heat, the Arizona State soccer team began its home opener melting. The Texas Longhorns’ attack burned the Sun Devils to take a 1-0 lead, as ASU wasn’t creating chances and couldn’t exit their own half.
Seeing the early struggles, head coach Graham Winkworth knew it was time to change.
Winkworth made five substitutions in the 30th minute, and ASU immediately won a corner in the attacking half. As sophomore winger Addison Baltodano whipped the ball in, senior defender Lucy Fazackerley gave the defender marking her a little shove to get open.
When the ball reached her, Fazackerley jumped towards it and headed it toward the goal, sending the Sun Devil Soccer Stadium crowd into a frenzy once it found the back of the net.
Fazackerley’s equalizer proved enough for the Sun Devils (1-0-1, 0-0 Big 12) to salvage a 1-1 draw against Texas (2-0-1, 0-0 SEC), as ASU secured its second comeback “point” of the season. Thursday’s game also repeated last year’s result when the two sides met in Texas.
“I think we were good,” Fazackerley said. “I think we showed character. We came back from behind, and we gave them a good game. I think we showed our confidence. We showed what we’re about tonight, and it was a good home game and a good crowd. And hopefully, we entertain them, and they keep coming.”
The Sun Devils started the match in a different formation than their traditional 3-4-3, moving into a 3-5-2. Unfortunately for ASU, the intended effect of boxing the Texas midfield in proved unsuccessful early. The Longhorns consistently possessed the ball in the Sun Devil half, which prevented ASU from creating counter-attacks to break out.
“I didn’t feel like we were making them too busy in the first half until we made some substitutions,” Winkworth said. “I was really happy towards the end of the first half. So overall, I thought one all was probably a fair result, but you always want to win every game. So happy and disappointed at the same time.”
Winkworth’s subs changed the formation back to the typically deployed 3-4-3, as he brought on wide players, Baltodano and freshman forward Ava Willard. Not only did the duo help create chances, but they also provided the Sun Devil back line some much-needed relief from the Longhorn pressure.
“We started with wing-backs rather than wingers, and we weren’t able to get them high enough,” Winkworth said. “We weren’t maintaining possession a lot enough in the middle of the park. Against another team, maybe they could be more effective with that shape. But once we played with the wingers in those spaces, I felt like it was a lot more effective.”
As it was just the Sun Devils’ second game of the season for the Sun Devils, fitness became a crucial factor, especially as the heat sweltered throughout the night. ASU was forced to use 18 different players in Thursday’s clash, with a second weekend game looming on Sunday against Buffalo.
“This weekend we’ve got two games, so we’ve managed to give a lot of players decent minutes from the bench,” Winkworth said. “That means that somebody else’s legs have been resting those minutes, and that will help us hopefully with some energy for Sunday. Then we will definitely use the bench heavily for two reasons. One, we need to rotate for the weather, and two, because we’ve got a good bench.”
Fifth-year defender Izzy Monck was a surprise inclusion in the matchday squad. Winkworth referenced following ASU’s exhibition against Cal Baptist that his team might be able to bring a player back due to the new eligibility rules. With the situation being resolved recently, Monck wasn’t even able to train with the team prior to her second-half appearance.
“I didn’t plan on using her,” Winkworth said. “With no practices with the team, you could see her quality shine through. Even played her on her weaker side and just fit right back in. She was doing so well that I didn’t need to make the substitution to put her back in because I liked her experience back there for those last five minutes.”
Thursday’s draw became a successful benchmark for the rest of the season ahead for not only the players, but the supporters as well. After breaking many attendance records last season, the Sun Devils started strong by selling out Thursday’s home opener.
Sitting in the stands were about 100 girls who played at youth soccer clubs in the valley. From Arizona Arsenal to SC Del Sol, multiple clubs in the Phoenix area had people donning their practice kits to support the Sun Devils.
Making it even more special is the fact that the current Sun Devil roster has three players who played for SC Del Sol: Addison Baltodano, sophomore goalkeeper Kennedy Zorn and freshman defender Gator DeMark.
“We want future Sun Devils,” Winkworth said. “I was talking to some of the girls in the tunnel, and they were Del Sol girls. I said, ‘We got three Del Sol girls.’ I love recruiting the local talent, and there’s some great girls in this area, and I’m really appreciative of them coming out, and hopefully want to wear the maroon and gold one day.”
