Junior forward Cali Farquharson battles with senior Arizona defender Mykaylin Rosenquist during the a home game against Arizona on Friday, Nov. 7, 2014. Farquharson’s efforts during the play would result in a corner kick. (Photo by Daniel Kwon)All good things must come to an end.
After a record breaking season, the Sun Devils made it to the second round of the NCAA playoffs, where they would suffer a heartbreaking 3-1 loss against a highly seeded Kentucky team.
There was doubt surrounding whether or not junior forward Cali Farquharson would play in today's game, as she came off in the 15th minute due to an injury in the win against NAU, and did not come back in. Those doubts were put to rest when she came into the game. Farquharson would end up playing 59 minutes in the game.
“Cali was at best at fifty percent today,” head coach Kevin Boyd said. “We just did everything possible to try and get her on the field. We pulled her out at halftime and she said she still couldn't hit a sprint, and we knew that, but she is still so good on the ball, she is still worth having out there even at fifty percent. When she is healthy she can single handedly take a game over. We didn't have that weapon today. We had to deal with that.”
Kentucky got things started off early with junior midfielder Courtney Raetzman scoring the first goal of the game in the fourth minute off of a header, assisted by sophomore forward Jade Klump.
“I think my team started the game rather tight, and it showed,” Boyd said. “We gave up a goal fairly early, and it just put us on our heels and we had to chase the game from then on out. I still thought we made a pretty good game out of it, but we were chasing.”
The Sun Devils headed to the locker room at halftime trailing by a goal, with Raetzman’s goal being the only one scored in the first half. Kentucky had eight shots in the first half, three of which were on goal, as opposed to ASU’s two shots, only one of which was on goal.
Junior midfielder Whitney Kanavel hits the ball during the game against UCLA on Sept. 26, 2014 in Tempe. (Photo by Andrew Ybanez)Junior midfielder Whitney Kanavel scoring four minutes into the second half to avoid a shutout.
“I didn't think we started looking like ourselves until the last ten minutes of the first half, where we started playing, and it started showing,” Boyd said. “We were moving the ball around. At that point the game kind of migrated in front of their goal for a bit. They did a nice job of defending and not giving us clean looks, and we are a program that likes to find clean looks. We don't just randomly hit balls from wherever.”
Kentucky responded with another goal in the 52nd minute, with sophomore forward Zoe Swift finding the back of the net, assisted by Raetzman to give the Wildcats a 2-1 edge.
The No. 3 seeded Wildcats continued their offensive barrage with junior forward Cara Ledman adding a third goal for Kentucky in the 65th minute, giving them a sizable 3-1 lead over ASU with less than 25 minutes left to play in regulation.
ASU would desperately try to fight their way back into the game, but to no avail. Time would run out, and the final score would remain 3-1.
“I just think that they were the better team today,” said junior defender McKenzie Berryhill.
“Compliments to Kentucky,” Boyd said. “I though they played very well. I think the difference in todays game was as much about experience and mentality as it was anything else. We were two pretty even teams. They've been to the second round at least two years in a row, this is their third year in a row I think, so they've got some experience dealing with it.”
Boyd said this experience will benefit his team as they grow and mature in the future.
“This is the first time this group has been to the second round before, and with that there is some added pressures around that you feel as a player,” Boyd said. “Now we are a second round program, our next step is to be a third round program. Most times you need experience in it in order to take that next step.”
Reach the reporter at mtsteine@asu.edu or follow him on Twitter @MarcTSteiner
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