
The ASU women's soccer team has played only two of its first 10 games at home this season.
That all changes this weekend as the Sun Devils (4-5-1, 0-1 Pac-12) open up Pac-12 play at home against USC and No. 3 UCLA.
Senior midfielder Taylor McCarter is excited for the team to finally play in familiar territory entering the stretch run of the season.
“We haven't had a lot of home games, so I'm stoked to be home finally,” McCarter said. “It will be nice to have the home crowd behind us and to defend our home turf.”
The Sun Devils play six of their last 10 remaining games at home, but McCarter said the team's focus hasn't changed.
“We've been focusing on the same three things we have all year,” McCarter said. “On defense, we are making sure we are staying organized and winning first and second balls and keeping up the intensity.”
After last Sunday's 3-0 loss at No. 2 Stanford that ended the Sun Devils' three match win streak, coach Kevin Boyd knows how important it is to get back on track this weekend with the Pac-12 season now in full swing.
“Getting back to .500 is the critical piece for us,” Boyd said. “We have the brunt of the Pac-12 competitors on the front end, so trying to get back to .500 is the focus and we are taking it one game at a time.”
USC (4-4-1, 1-0 Pac-12), Friday's opponent, comes into Tempe with momentum after senior midfielder Samantha Johnson scored in the 100th minute against Washington last weekend to give the Trojans the win in their Pac-12 opener.
The Trojans, who lead the all-time series 12-4, are very similar to the Sun Devils according to Boyd.
“USC is very athletic, talented and young,” Boyd said. “They have a lot of new players, so they've gone through some of the same struggles we have gone through.”
Sunday's foe, UCLA (7-0-2, 0-1 Pac-12), is always a tough team for the Sun Devils to face, as the Sun Devils have won only once in 15 career matchups against the Bruins.
Led by senior forward Zakiya Bywaters, who earned Soccer America's National Player of the Week last week, the Bruins gives the young Sun Devil squad a lengthy test on Sunday.
“UCLA is like Stanford,” Boyd said. “They have national team players everywhere. It will be a nice challenge for us.”
Reach the reporter at dsshapi1@asu.edu