Junior midfielder Holland Crook handles the ball around the Houston defense during the Sun Devils’ 1-0 loss to the Cougars on Sept. 7. (Photo by Kyle Newman)The ASU women's soccer team used a balanced attack and stout defense at last weekend's Cats Classic, earning consecutive 3-0 victories over Loyola Marymount and Florida International.
Junior forward Devin Marshall, junior midfielder Holland Crook, senior midfielder Taylor McCarter and senior forward Miah Mollay all scored for the Sun Devils on the weekend, who improved to 4-4-1 on the season.
Marshall started the scoring Friday night against LMU (5-3-1) in the 20th minute, slotting the ball in the back of the net after controlling a pass from Crook, who was credited for the assist.
Crook scored the next goal in the 70th minute for the Sun Devils. ASU outshot the Lions 16-3 in the game.
The penalty kick goal was Crook's first career goal, and the junior was happy to finally break through offensively.
“It was awesome,” Crook said. “It felt good to finally hit the back of the net.”
McCarter added the third goal off of a corner just two minutes later — her first of the year — to seal the game for the Devils.
Crook was pleased with the team's overall effort on Friday night.
“I'm really proud of the team,” Crook said. “We are getting goals from lots of different girls, which is nice.”
The Sun Devils came out hot again Sunday against Florida International (6-3-1), with Mollay scoring her first goal of the year coming off the bench in the 41st minute.
Marshall added her team-leading sixth goal of the year in the 58th minute, assisted by Crook and senior midfielder Courtney Tinnin. Tinnin had two assists on the afternoon.
Crook then finished the Sun Devil scoring in the 67th minute with a headed goal assisted by Marshall.
Crook's goal, her second of the weekend, was no ordinary goal.
“It was the first time she scored with her head ever on any level,” coach Kevin Boyd said. “At some point she's going to start getting some with her feet more often as well.”
The Sun Devils outshot the Panthers 16-6 on the day and junior defender Jasmine Roth understood how important the offensive pressure and productivity of the Sun Devils was to the weekend's success.
“It's really nice when your forwards can score some goals because it takes the pressure off the defense,” Roth said.
Roth and the Sun Devil defense were up to task the whole weekend as well though, pitching two shutouts while allowing only nine shots on goal combined the two games.
Boyd was thoroughly impressed with the performance of the defense on the weekend.
“Our defense was really good this weekend,” Boyd said. “Our back four played really well and we are really coming together defensively.”
Boyd thought the entire weekend gave the young Sun Devil squad momentum moving forward into the start of Pac-12 play.
"The most important thing to me is for them to understand that when we play our way and we do it well, we are a very good team and can beat anybody we play," Boyd said.
Boyd and the Sun Devils attempt to continue their momentum as they open their Pac-12 campaign on the road next Sunday against defending national champion No. 3 Stanford.
Reach the reporter at dsshapi1@asu.edu
