Junior forward Cali Farquharson prevents a ball from going out of bounds during the game against UCLA on Sept. 26 in Tempe. (Photo by Andrew Ybanez)It all comes down to this.
The Sun Devils will face rival UA Friday in another Territorial Cup match, concluding their regular season play and looking to avenge a 2-0 loss down in Tucson exactly one year ago.
The Sun Devils (10-5-4, 3-4-3) won against Utah on the road last week, a much-needed confidence booster that snapped a three-game losing streak. ASU’s top scorer, junior forward Cali Farquharson, scored both goals in the 2-1 win. The Sun Devil’s second top scorer, freshman forward Aly Moon, who has eight goals on the season, is another player to watch, as she can score goals in a hurry, and will be essential in the game against UA.
On the other sideline, the Wildcats (11-6-2, 4-5-1) are reeling after a 3-1 loss against Colorado, with freshman midfielder Gabi Stoian scoring the consolation goal. Stoian is the Wildcat’s top goal scorer, tallying 13 goals this season. ASU’s Farquharson has scored one goal more, with 14 on the season; however, Stoian has 33 points to Farquharson’s 31, due to her assists.
UA's next top scorer, senior forward Alexandra Doller, has recorded six goals on the season, one shy of her total from last year. A Tempe native, Doller played for ASU her freshman year before suffering a season-ending ACL injury, and she spent her sophomore year at Paradise Valley Community College.
Arizona is ranked higher in RPI, with a ranking of 27, whereas the Sun Devils are ranked at 40. However, throughout the season, ASU has made appearances in the in the Coaches' poll, while UA has yet to earn a spot in the Top 25.
“We always love being at home,” ASU head coach Kevin Boyd said. “The 942 crew comes out and they give so much energy; we have our fans cheering us on. That rival game is always a challenging game. I’ve said it every year: It doesn't matter who is ranked where, anything can happen between rivals. They are ranked higher than us in RPI. It’s our chance to be the underdogs.”
Boyd believes that his team should make a postseason appearance regardless of the result on Friday, but is choosing to focus more on the game at hand, and not the decision-making process of the NCAA selection committee.
The outcome of this game could very well decide whether or not the Sun Devils make a postseason appearance in the big dance, after narrowly missing the tournament last year. The winner of the match will finish in eighth place in conference; the loser, ninth.
ASU hosts UA at 2 p.m. Friday at Sun Devil Soccer Stadium.
Reach the reporter at mtsteine@asu.edu or follow him on Twitter @MarcTSteiner
Like State Press Sports on Facebook and follow @statepresssport on Twitter.
