(Salt Lake City, UT) A pair of 2023 anomalies – allowing multiple goals for just the second time and failing to score a goal for only the fifth time – proved to be the difference in the No. 18 Sun Devil soccer team’s 2-0 loss at Utah on Thursday.
Combined with their 1-0 loss to UCLA on Sunday, a game in which the Sun Devils gave the Bruins their toughest match in Pac-12 play and were less than two minutes from a draw with the No. 2 team in the nation, it’s the first time this season the Sun Devils have dropped consecutive contests.
Despite the loss, the Sun Devils (10-4-4, 5-3-1 Pac-12/16 points) remain in a tie for fourth place in the Pac-12 standings with Cal (7-4-6, 4-1-4/16 points). The Bruins remain atop the standings (15-1, 9-0/27 points), followed by No. 4 Stanford (14-0-3, 7-0-2/23 points) and No. 23 USC (9-3-3, 5-1-3/18 points).
Much of ASU’s success this year has been attributed to playing exceptional defense, a smart and disciplined style on both ends of the pitch and patience on the offensive end that more often than not has resulted in it finding goals when it needs them. By the season’s 18th game, certain characteristics that define a team are unlikely to suddenly have a 180-degree turn. Case in point: The Sun Devils came into Thursday’s game as the least penalized team in the Pac-12, averaging a paltry 6.3 fouls per game. On the flip side, the Utes were one of four schools averaging a double-digit figure in fouls per game (10.2).
The game’s first critical sequence came immediately after the Sun Devils were whistled for the first of their eight fouls in the contest. The Utes (6-6-6, 2-4-3/nine points/tied for seventh in the Pac-12) took advantage of the opportunity, scoring on the ensuing free kick to take a 1-0 lead in the eighth minute.
By the time the Sun Devils were called for their final foul of the game in the 73rd minute, the foul count was ASU 8, Utah 1 (by game’s end it would be 8-3).
Like the temperatures that were in the 40s throughout the game, the Sun Devils were similarly cold when it came to scoring goals. Only one of their seven shots in the game was on frame. Enasia Colon led ASU with two shots. Ella Opkvitne, one of five Sun Devils who recorded one each, had the only attempt Utah goalkeeper Kasey Wardle had to save in the 33rd minute.
A second goal by the Utes less than five minutes into the second half provided them with an even firmer grip on the game.
The Sun Devils were not completely lacking in chances to create scoring opportunities. Unfortunately, they were not able to create any goals on any of their eight corner kicks.
On other occasions, the Sun Devils were able to dribble their way into reasonable scoring distance but would be dispossessed of the ball before being able to get off a shot.
Colon nearly had a déjà vu moment in the 59th minute that would have cut Utah’s lead in half. Similar to her game-winning goal in the 85th minute vs. Washington on Oct. 5, Colon unleashed a shot from long range that just missed its intended target.
Pauline Nelles, who earlier this week was named the Pac-12’s Goalkeeper of the Week, made five saves to help keep ASU within striking distance.
Thursday’s game was the first of three straight road games the Sun Devils are playing the close out the regular season. ASU will close out its road trip to the Pac-12’s Mountain schools when it plays at Colorado (11-4-3, 3-3-3/12 points/sixth place in the Pac-12) on Sunday (11 a.m. MST/watch on Colorado Live Stream). The following week, the Sun Devils will play their regular season finale at Arizona (Fri., Nov. 3 at 7 p.m.).
Press Release courtesy of Sun Devil Athletics – Steve Rodriguez
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