Controlling the air will be key for the ASU women’s soccer team when they open at home against Baylor on Sunday.
Against a tough and physical Baylor squad (2-0-0), the Sun Devils (1-0-0) will need to fight for every air ball, ASU coach Kevin Boyd said.
“They’re a direct, physical hardworking team,” Boyd said. “They play more of a man-to-man style, so they’ll be matching up with us individually. They get out there and play for everything.”
ASU will have to show strength in several aspects of the game in order to be successful, Boyd said.
The Sun Devils spent time during practice this week working on their air game, especially with some of the younger players.
Senior midfielder/forward Jill Shoquist said getting to loose balls will be just as important.
“That’s a lot of times what will make or break games,” Shoquist said. “When you can win all the fifty-fifty balls, then you’re going to be on the winning end.”
Simply staying tough throughout the game will also be important for the Sun Devils.
“They’re big; they’re good in the air; they’re going to knock you on the ground,” Shoquist said. “Right now we’re working hard to be better at the things we weren’t so great at against NAU, and hopefully we’ll come out with a victory.”
Combination plays and lots running off the ball will also help the Sun Devils, senior forward Karin Volpe said
“We definitely need to posses, since they’re a more direct team,” Volpe said.
The Bears finished the 2009 season at 8-6-9, but only had three wins in a tough Big 12 Conference, where they finished seventh.
Like ASU, Baylor boasts a fairly young team, with only five seniors listed on their roster. However, the top three scorers from last year return for the Bears, including senior midfielder/forward Lotto Smith, who led the team with eight goals.
Baylor has won their first two games by a combined score of 8-0, squeezing by Rice 1-0 in their season opener and then demolishing McNeese State by seven goals.
The Sun Devils last played Baylor in 2008, a game that ended with a 1-0 victory for ASU. Volpe assisted on the lone ASU goal.
“It was a close game,” Volpe said. “I remember at the end they had a few opportunities.”
Volpe also had the winner in the Sun Devils season opener, a wild affair against NAU in Flagstaff last weekend.
To drum up interest, members of the soccer team were around the MU on Thursday, handing out flyers for their first home game.
Volpe said the Sun Devils are ready to play in front of the home crowd.
“I’m very excited. It’s always fun to have the atmosphere of home games,” Volpe said. “We enjoy being at home.”
The game is scheduled for 1 p.m. at Sun Devil Soccer Stadium, and neither Volpe nor coach Boyd thinks heat will be a factor as long as the temperature stays around the forecasted 100 degrees.
Reach the reporter at egrasser@asu.edu
