Two goals given up, two key players lost to injury, and two shots in the entire first half led to the demise of ASU soccer against No. 5 Stanford.
In what was the biggest test of their 2015 campaign, the Sun Devils (4-5) fell flat against a disciplined and talented Cardinal team.
"Stanford is the best team we've played by a very large margin," ASU head coach Kevin Boyd said. "They put us on our heels, and we never came off of them."
The first half of the match proved physical and eventful, despite an empty scoreline.
ASU had its only two shots of the half during the first five minutes, attempting to score off of both a corner kick and a well-placed cross.
The Cardinal (8-2) also held an 8-2 shot advantage in the first half, dominating possession and rarely allowing the Sun Devils to cross midfield.
Despite the physical play back-and-forth between Stanford and ASU, it took until the 28th minute for the first foul of the game.
At the 34:26 mark, ASU senior midfielder Tommi Goodman collided with her opponent and fell to the ground, writhing in pain. Goodman was helped off the field by trainers and put no weight on her right leg. According to Boyd, she left the stadium to go get x-rays on that leg.
The second half was where Stanford displayed its skill and pulled away, patiently clawing its way to two phenomenal goals.
The Cardinal began the half with five unanswered shots, and yet the score remained even between these two teams until the 74th minute.
Sophomore midfielder Andi Sullivan broke the seal for Stanford, scoring on a left-footed effort from outside of the box that rocketed past the outstretched left hand of the ASU goalkeeper, redshirt senior Chandler Morris.
Morris said that her back line played well, despite the circumstance and results of the game.
"We played well (tonight), but we've had a rough couple of games," Morris said. "We've just gotta keep fighting and hopefully we'll find our rhythm."
The second goal, one that sealed the deal for Stanford, came roughly five minutes later.
A few feet behind the exact spot that Sullivan scored her goal, fifth-year senior forward Haley Rosen placed the ball on her left foot and sent it flying toward the crossbar.
The ball dipped as Morris watched it float into the back of the net, and Stanford took its final 2-0 advantage.
Junior forward Larisa Staub said her team just couldn't keep the ball away from the Cardinal, and that the continued absence of star senior forward Cali Farquharson has made a significant difference in recent matches.
"We couldn't get more than three passes together," Staub said. "I think (Farquharson's absence) started to show a little bit more – she's such a key player and leader on the field."
Friday's loss drops ASU below .500 for the first time this season, and marks the fifth consecutive loss for the Sun Devils after they started 4-0.
Boyd said it was tough not to have Farquharson in a game like this, but that her absence was precautionary.
"I'm being conservative (with Farquharson)," Boyd said. "I don't want to lose her for the full season. It hurts right now not having her, especially in a game like this."
ASU's next game will be against No. 23 California at 1 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 4, in Tempe.
Reach the reporter at rclarke6@asu.edu or follow @RClarkeASU on Twitter.
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