When a team's two scorers combine for one shot, it’s not exactly a recipe for success.
The ASU soccer team fell to Oregon State 1-0, playing without senior forward Devin Marshall. ASU’s leading scorer, sophomore forward Cali Farquharson, took just one shot.
When Marshall picked up a yellow card against Oregon, ASU (8-5, 3-2 Pac-12) knew she wouldn’t be able to play on Sunday against Oregon State (3-9-2, 1-3-1 Pac-12).
“She got called for a foul that probably was not a foul and she was mad and just put the ball down,” ASU coach Kevin Boyd said. “Gave her a yellow (card) for it, just frustrated throwing the ball to the ground. It was a really soft yellow, but when you’re sitting on four, you can’t give any reason (to get another).
Per NCAA rules, Marshall was automatically suspended for a game because of picking up her fifth yellow card of the 2013 season.
In Marshall’s absence ASU’s other forwards needed to step up, and they struggled. Sophomore forwards Cali Farquharson and Sara Tosti, the team’s top and third leading scorers respectively, failed to take a shot in the first half.
“I don’t want to focus on her (Marshall) not being (in as the reason) why we lost,” Boyd said. “We could’ve won without her. Yes that impacts us, but we’ve got the personnel to do it (replace her) and we didn’t do it.”
Farquharson didn’t take her first shot until fewer than five minutes remained. Tosti had a few good looks in the second half, but none of ASU’s chances went through. Boyd said the midfield struggled with possession and couldn’t service ASU’s forwards.
“I don’t think our movement up top was good enough,” Boyd said. “I would say on Cali they were very aware of her. They held on to her every time she got the ball. Someone was holding her, that’s what the ref wasn’t doing a great job of handling in the first half. A lot of times he was trying to let it play on and it’s frustrating, but it’s what we’ve seen, from USC and now from Oregon State.”
The Beavers scored the game’s only goal in the 71st minute when OSU senior midfielder Jacy Drobney took a free kick that bounced off an OSU player and into the goal.
“It was a mess,” Boyd said. We had a set piece their end, ball got knocked out and they countered on us. We ended up sliding (an OSU player) from behind to try and knock it away, so that’s where they got the foul. … And then they drove a low hard ball that happened to hit off one of their players, who basically tried to stand in the middle and block, it hit off her and into the corner. A little fortunate for them.”
ASU’s next game is at No. 2 UCLA on Oct. 18 at 7 p.m.
Reach the reporter at justin.janssen@asu.edu or follow him on Twitter @jjanssen11
