The ASU soccer team will kick off the Pac-10 season tonight at Sun Devil Soccer Stadium when UA comes marching into town.
"It's always an important game to the University," ASU head coach Ray Leone said about playing his team's in-state rival. "But it's just the beginning of the Pac-10 season, and that's all it is."
The Sun Devils (7-1-2) will head into tonight's contest riding a six-game winning streak after a 4-1 triumph Sunday over NAU. ASU's four goals was its highest scoring output of the season, but the lone goal against broke a string of more than five straight games without allowing a goal.
Sun Devil freshman midfielder Manya Makoski tallied twice to give her three goals on the season. ASU sophomore goalkeeper Kelly Fitzgerald allowed her first goal since a Sept. 8 overtime loss to Southern Methodist.
Redshirt freshman forward Kelly Nelson has been the spark that has ignited the Wildcats. She has scored a Pac-10-best nine goals in 10 games. The rest of UA's offense is evenly dispersed, as 14 different players have recorded at least a goal or an assist.
"They've got more than Kelly," Leone said. "They have great players all up and down the park. We're just going to try to do the best we can and play the way we can."
The Wildcats (5-4-1) have relied upon a strong backbone in goal with freshman Amanda Martin, who has 55 saves. Martin has a goals against average of 1.29.
Reach the reporter at casey.pritchard@asu.edu.