Senior forward Alyssa Freeman focuses on the ball during the Sun Devils' 1-0 loss to Houston on Sept. 7. (Photo by Kyle Newman)The ASU women's soccer team couldn't keep pace with No. 3 UCLA's high-powered attack, falling 4-1 to the Bruins (9-0-2, 2-0-1 Pac-12) Monday night.
The Sun Devils (5-6-1, 1-2 Pac-12) couldn't maintain the momentum from Friday afternoon's 5-4 double overtime win against USC, and fell behind after 10 minutes on a header from Bruin sophomore defender Abby Dahlkemper, her third goal of the year.
The Bruins added another goal just nine minutes later when senior forward Zakiya Bywaters scored her team-leading ninth goal of the season. Sophomore midfielder Sarah Killion was credited for the assist.
The Bruins, who outshot the Sun Devils 16-13, put the game away late in the first half when sophomore defender Ally Courtnall ran down the left side on the counterattack and put away a breakaway chance in the bottom left corner.
UCLA scored its final goal in the 71st minute when freshman forward Taylor Smith poked in a breakaway for her fourth goal of the season.
The lone bright spot on the night for the Sun Devils came from senior forward Alyssa Freeman, who scored in the 73rd minute after a Bruin turnover deep in their own end.
The goal was the Sun Devils' first against UCLA since 2009 and Freeman's second career goal.
“I saw it slowly go behind her back and I got really excited,” Freeman said. “It was extra special because of how good UCLA's keeper has been.”
Other than Freeman's goal, Boyd thought the Sun Devils came out passive against the Bruins, who came out guns blazing.
“It looked like we played a bit timid, which is never a good thing,” Boyd said. “I think some of our young players were frozen up and to UCLA's credit, they came out flying and really played well.”
The loss ended up being costly for the Sun Devils, as freshman goalkeeper Chandler Morris and junior defender Jasmine Roth both left the match with injuries.
“Jasmine was having eye problems all day and went really foggy and couldn't see, so as a precaution, they sent her to the ER,” Boyd said. “Chandler got labeled dead on and it was a definite yellow card, but it doesn't make matters better because we lost our starting goalkeeper.”
The Sun Devils now have to regroup before traveling up to the Washington schools next Friday after splitting the weekend series with the southern California teams.
Reach the reporter at dsshapi1@asu.edu
