Junior forward Cali Farquharson maneuvers past UCLA goalkeeper Katelyn Rowland to score. (Photo by Andrew Ybanez)The Sun Devils play both Oregon and Oregon State at home this weekend, after playing their first Pac–12 conference game against top-ranked UCLA, in which they forced the No. 1 ranked team to a 1-1 draw.
ASU goes into this weekend with a 7-1-2 record and hasn't lost in its last seven games.
Junior forward Cali Farquharson is coming into the weekend with a team-high nine goals under her belt, and was named Pac–12 offensive player of the week after scoring ASU's only goal against UCLA.
This is the second time she has earned the honor this month. Farquharson was also given the honor after notching a hat trick against Nevada in less than six minutes of elapsed cgm time.
Farquharson was not the only player honored by the Pac-12. Senior midfielder Brianna Gonzalez was named defensive player of the week after playing all 110 minutes in a double overtime game against the Bruins.
With two games in short succession this weekend, the Sun Devils will need to lean on their depth.
“Last year we didn't have as much depth off the bench,” said junior defender McKenzie Berryhill. “This year we have a ton of people who can rotate in and keep us fresh legged as long as possible.”
Berryhill also played all 110 minutes against UCLA and has been a veteran presence for the team's defense.
Oregon, ASU's first opponent this weekend, has a 5-3-1 record and is coming off a double overtime game of its own.
The Ducks took 110 minutes to eke out a win against Washington.
Senior midfielder/forward Lily Archer is the leading goal scorer for Oregon, with two. Eight players on the team are tied for second place, with one goal apiece.
Although Oregon doesn't have the most deadly offense, it does have a solid defense, only allowing six goals to be scored so far this season. ASU has allowed 10.
Questions have arisen, though, about the Duck's ability to defend off of set pieces, which is a byproduct of their "bend, don't break" mentality.
Enter senior goalkeeper Abby Steele, or the Tim Howard of women's college soccer.
Named the College Sports Madness Pac-12 Women’s Soccer Player of the Week after her performance in the win over Washington, Steele recorded her 17th career shutout, and has been a virtual brick wall this season.
Her 33 saves are good for fourth-best among Pac-12 goalkeepers.
Oregon State, meanwhile, has yet to come away with a victory this season and sports a record of 0-7-3. Only two players have made it onto the score sheet for the Beavers: freshman midfielder Kayla Latham and sophomore midfielder Sabrina Santarossa.
Latham and Santarossa, with a goal apiece, have scored the team's only goals this season.
The Sun Devils host Oregon at 7 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 3 and Oregon State at 1 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 5. Both games will take place in Tempe.
Reach the reporter at mtsteine@asu.edu or follow him on Twitter @MarcTSteiner
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