With two games remaining on the schedule, ASU and its hopes of entering the NCAA Tournament travel to the Bay Area to face California and No. 1 Stanford.
"This is it," ASU head coach Ray Leone said. "We don't want to leave anything for chance. We have to do something, I don't know what, but it needs to be something."
The No. 25 Sun Devils (11-4-2, 4-3 Pac-10) are coming off a home split over the Washington schools last weekend. Friday night, ASU put forth a lackluster effort and fell 1-0 at the hands of Washington State, but the Sun Devils bounced back Sunday to take down Washington 2-1.
In Sunday's game, ASU freshman midfielder Manya Makoski had a goal and an assist, giving her 18 points on the season. The assist, her eighth, put her tied for the all-time school record in that category with junior midfielder Patrice Feulner and Holly Cohen, who both accomplished the feat in 2000.
Makoski's three points were enough to nominate her for Pac-10 player of the week honors, but the award went to UA freshman forward Kelly Nelson. The Sun Devils have won the Pac-10 player of the week honor three times this year (Bogus twice and Cooper once), which ties with USC for most on the year.
Despite the three point effort, Makoski still trails freshman forward Elizabeth Bogus for the points lead (21), but remained ahead of freshman midfielder Brittany Cooper (12). Leone said their ability to connect on the field comes from knowing each other for awhile.
"They've played with or against each other in national team events, and they're still learning each others talents," he said. "What's good is that the entire team is coming together a lot better. They're having a good feeling coming down the stretch, and the Washington game was an indication of that."
Friday's challenge will be the toughest one yet for ASU, as Stanford (16-1-0, 7-0) has lost just one game all season, and given up a measly four goals total. Until last Saturday, the Cardinal had not given up a goal in conference play. When asked how to penetrate a defense like that, Leone said he would need 12 players on the field.
"That is an amazing stat," he said. "You just got to try and find some hole, play as well as you can and see if you can get behind them."
Leone also said he is not at all intimidated by Stanford.
"There's no point in getting intimidated," he said. "Our team has never been like that, you just play the team who's in front of you. Stanford's earned the No. 1 spot, so you just go and you play, there's no pressure on us."
If the Sun Devils should lose, that makes Sunday's Pac-10 finale against the Golden Bears (9-7-1, 2-5-0) even more significant. The middle of the conference is very tight and the Sun Devils game against the Cal might determine a playoff berth. Still, Leone is focused solely on Friday right now.
"That is a big game for us, but we'll worry about Sunday on Saturday," Leone said.
Reach the reporter at casey.pritchard@asu.edu.
