TEMPE, Ariz. – Aly Moon and Lucy Lara both scored goals in the second half to lead the Sun Devil soccer team to a 2-0 win over Oklahoma State in Friday’s first day of the Sun Devil Classic.
While the Sun Devils (3-1-1) seemed to be in control for much of the game (they outshoot the Cowgirls 6-2 in the first half and had twice as many corner kicks, 6-3), it did not start to reflect on the scoreboard until the second half when they struck for the two goals. ASU head coach Kevin Boyd said coming away with the shutout made it the team’s best outing of the season thus far.
“I think there were moments in some of the other games where our attacking had a little more creativity and a little more personality to it, but if you look at it as whole, it was probably our best one of the season because we did not give up a goal,” said Boyd. “(In the second half) we were focusing more on our attack. We came out with the intensity of making sure our attack clicked and we started to show the soccer that we can play.”
Making ASU’s performance on the defensive end even more impressive is the fact that they were playing without their top defender, junior McKenzie Berryhill, whose status is currently day to day due to a recent injury. Boyd said he really liked the ability of the back line to make adjustments on the fly as the Cowgirls (0-5) were looking to build some kind of offensive momentum.
ASU’s inability to convert scoring chances in the first half would change a little more than 11 minutes into the second half as Moon rebounded a shot by Cali Farquharson into the net to give ASU a 1-0 lead. For Moon, a freshman midfielder, it was her team-leading fifth goal of the season.
“Cali did great on that one, beating her player and hitting a hard, far post ball and the keeper got a hand on it and blocked it,” said Boyd of the sequence that set up Moon’s goal. “Aly has great instincts and she was right there (to follow Cali’s shot) and stuck the ball away.”
Less than 10 minutes later the Sun Devils doubled their lead when Lara, a redshirt sophomore midfielder, was able to get her free kick through the wall for her first career goal.
“I wish we could create more set pieces around the box because we are actually quite dangerous in that (Lucy is one of) three really good shooters in that space,” said Boyd.
Redshirt junior goalkeeper Chandler Morris made five saves to post ASU’s first shutout of the season.
Next up for the Sun Devils will be No. 6 Texas A&M, which played Arizona to a 2-2 tie in the second game of Friday’s Sun Devil Classic. The Sun Devils fell to the Aggies 3-1 last year in College Station, Texas. Boyd said if last year’s contest is any indication, that he expects a really tough game on Sunday.
“They are a perennial top 15 program and it shows in their mentality when you play them,” said Boyd. “They are well organized and they do all the little things right. Walking away from the game last year I was impressed with their team mentality.”
Play in the Sun Devil Classic continues on Sunday. Arizona and Oklahoma State will play in the first game at 10:30 a.m. before the Sun Devils host No. 6 Texas A&M at 1 p.m. at Sun Devil Soccer Stadium. ASU’s game vs. Texas A&M will be televised by Pac-12 Networks.