WHAT: Sun Devil Soccer (7-7-1, 3-4-1 Pac-12) at Utah (6-5-3, 2-4-0 Pac-12) and at Colorado (7-8-2, 1-6-1 Pac-12).
WHEN: at Utah on Friday at 7 p.m. MT (6 p.m in Arizona) and at Colorado on Sunday at 2 p.m. MT.
ON THE AIR: Friday’s game vs. Utah will be streamed live and can be viewed by clicking here. Sunday’s game vs. Colorado can be seen on the Pac-12 Networks.
UP NEXT
The Arizona State women’s soccer team (7-7-1, 3-4-1 Pac-12) begins a stretch in which it will play its final three regular season games on the road when it travels north to face Utah (Friday at 6 p.m. PT/7 p.m. MT) and Colorado (Sunday at 2 p.m. MT). The Sun Devils will conclude regular season play next Friday when they face the University of Arizona in Tucson.
ASU enters this weekend’s contests on a four-game unbeaten streak (3-0-1),
NOTES FROM LAST WEEK
• The Sun Devils swept the Oregon schools with a 3-0 victory over Oregon State and a 1-0 win over Oregon. With the two wins the Sun Devils extended their unbeaten streak to four games (3-0-1) and climbed back to the .500 mark for the season.
• Sophomore forward Jessica Raybe got the game winner Friday night as she scored a goal for the third game in a row. Larisa Staub and Lucy Lara also scored in the win.
• On Senior Day it was senior Cali Farquharson who netted the only goal of the game on a penalty kick. ASU played the last 43-plus minutes of the game after Lucy Lara was issued a red card.
• Chandler Morris made 10 saves in the two games and recorded a pair of shutouts to take over the top spot on ASU’s all-time list for career shutouts (25).
• Senior defender Sara Tosti earned Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Week honors for her performance in the two wins. It’s the second time in her career that Tosti has earned a Pac-12 Player of the Week award.
IT’S BEEN DONE BEFORE
Since dropping their seventh consecutive contest, a 2-1 loss at USC on Oct. 9, the Sun Devils have bounced back with a four-game unbeaten streak: a 1-1 tie at UCLA (Oct. 11), a 2-1, double-overtime upset of then-No. 18 Washington in Seattle (Oct. 15) and a pair of shutout wins over Oregon State (3-0) and Oregon (1-0) last week.
While no two seasons are ever symmetrical in circumstances or results, there is a recent precedent for a Sun Devil team coming back from what appeared to be a bleak situation. Nine players on this year’s roster were on the 2012 squad that started 1-4-1. That season the Sun Devils won three straight to get back to .500 only to have a three-game winless stretch later in the season that had them staring at a 6-8-2 record. The Sun Devils would go on to finish the season with a five-game unbeaten streak, including wins in their last four games to conclude the regular season with a record of 10-8-2, which was good enough for a berth in the NCAA Tournament.
SCOUTING UTAH
Utah (5-9-3, 2-6-0 Pac-12) comes into Friday’s game tied with Oregon State for ninth place in the Pac-12. After starting off 2-1 in Pac-12 play the Utes have dropped their last five.
The Sun Devils lead the all-time series 5-3, including a 3-1 record since Utah joined the Pac-12 in 2011. ASU has won the last three meetings, including the last two by identical scores of 2-1. Cali Farquharson has scored three of ASU’s four goals against Utah the last two seasons, including the golden goal in the 102 minute of ASU’s win in Tempe in 2013. The Sun Devils’ win last year in Salt Lake City represented the first time in the series that the road team has prevailed.
SCOUTING COLORADO
Colorado (7-8-2, 1-6-1 Pac-12) has gone 0-6-1 since starting Pac-12 play with 2-1 upset of then-No. 14 Cal in double overtime. The Buffs’ one result during its current winless stretch was a 1-1 tie against then-No. 19 Washington. Two of Colorado’s last three losses have been one-goal decisions, including a 2-1 setback at Stanford (Oct. 16).
The Devils have won four of the six all-time meetings and are 2-1-1 against the Buffaloes in Pac-12 play. Colorado’s only win in the series came last season, a 2-0 decision in Boulder, Colo. Cali Farquharson scored the golden goal with 22 seconds remaining in the second overtime of ASU’s 2-1 win over Colorado in 2012 in Tempe.
SUN DEVIL STORYLINES
• The 2015 season is the 20th in the history of Sun Devil Soccer.
• ASU won its first four games for the first time since 2000. During that stretch, which included a 5-0 win over then-No. 14 Pepperdine on Sept. 11, ASU outscored its opponents 16-0 and averaged one goal for every six shots it had taken.
• Injuries to key players would get the better of the team during the middle portion of the season when it dropped seven consecutive games. Included in those setbacks were five one-goal decisions – vs. Texas Tech (1-0 on Sept. 13 in Tucson), at Oklahoma State (3-2 on Sept. 18) vs. Washington State (2-1 on Sept. 27), vs. Cal (1-0 on Oct. 4) and at USC (2-1 on Oct. 9). In four of the seven losses the Sun Devils were without senior forward Cali Farquharson, who is No. 15 among active NCAA D1 players with 40 career goals. ASU has also played its last 6.5 games without starting senior midfielder Tommi Goodman who is out for the season with an ankle injury. ASU was also without sophomore defender Madison Stark for the second half of its 2-1 loss at USC and its game at UCLA that ended in a 1-1 draw. Prior to the injury Stark was second among field players in minutes played and had started the first 33 games of her career. In its loss vs. Cal (Oct. 4), ASU played most of the second half without its top two scorers: Farquharson and sophomore forward Aly Moon. Moon had to leave the game in the 52nd minute after getting injured in a collision with Cal’s goalkeeper.
• With a healthy Farquharson back in the lineup the Sun Devils are now on a four-game unbeaten streak (3-0-1). The Sun Devils snapped the seven-game skid with a 1-1 tie at UCLA (Oct. 11). They would get back in the win column with a 2-1, double-overtime upset of then-No. 18 Washington in Seattle (Oct. 15). Last week they recorded a pair of wins with shutouts over Oregon State (3-0 on Oct. 23) and Oregon (1-0 on Oct. 25).
• ASU returned 12 players in 2015 who started 10 or more games last season, including Farquharson and senior D McKenzie Berryhill, who both earned All-Pac-12 and NSCAA All-Region honors in 2014; R-Sr. goalkeeper Chandler Morris, who holds the top spot on ASU’s all-time list for career shutouts (25) and sophomore F Aly Moon, who was named to the Pac-12’s All-Freshman Team in 2014.
• ASU is coming off a campaign in which it advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament and recorded its most wins (12) since 2003. This season ASU is seeking its fifth NCAA Tournament appearance in the last seven seasons.
• Head coach Kevin Boyd earned his 200th career victory with ASU’s 3-0 season opening win vs. Portland State on Aug. 21 (now has 206 career wins – 124 at Cal/80 at ASU). Boyd is the all-time leader in wins at both ASU and Cal.
• In contrast to last season in which it played seven of its first nine games away from home, this season ASU played six of its first 10 contests at home. ASU is currently in the middle of a stretch in which it is playing six of its final eight regular season contests on the road.
• ASU’s home game vs. San Diego State (currently 13-4 with RPI of 54) that was scheduled for Aug. 31 was cancelled after more than an hour of rainfall made the field unplayable.
• Currently second on ASU’s all-time list and 15th among NCAA D1’s active career leaders with 40 career goals, senior F Cali Farquharson needs 10 goals to tie all-time leader Stacey Tullock (50/1998-2001). Farquharson is also second in program history (and 17th among NCAA Division I active players) with 94 points in her career. Tullock is also ASU’s all-time leader in points with 125.
• GK Chandler Morris currently is first on ASU’s career list for most shutouts list with 25.0. Erin Reinke (1996-2000) shares the record with Morris.
• Sophomore forward Jessica Raybe has scored a goal in three of ASU’s last four games. Raybe scored a goal for the Sun Devils in three straight games – at UCLA (Oct. 11), at Washington (Oct. 15) and vs. Oregon State (Oct. 23). Raybe was also responsible for setting up the penalty kick that teammate Whitney Kanavel scored on in ASU’s 2-1, double-overtime upset win at No. 18 Washington on Oct. 15.
FEAR THE FARQ
ASU’s most dangerous scoring threat since her freshman season in 2012, senior Cali Farquharson joined Sun Devil Hall of Famer Stacey Tullock as the only other Sun Devil to score double-digits in goals three straight seasons after recording scoring a single-season, career-high 14 last season (had 10 each of her first two seasons).
Last season Farquharson earned First-Team NSCAA All-Regional and First-Team All-Pac-12 recognition in addition to being named a Second-Team Scholar All-America by the NSCAA. She concluded her junior season as ASU’s leader in goals (14) and points (32) for the third consecutive season and finished tied for first in the Pac-12 in goals per game (0.67) and third in points per game (1.52).
A Valley native (Shadow Mountain HS/Phoenix, Ariz), Farquharson, who has a pair of career hat tricks to her credit, was named the Pac-12’s Offensive Player of the Week twice last season.
This season Farquharson leads the team in goals (6 – second in the Pac-12) and points (16 – t4th in the Pac-12) despite missing 4.5 games due to injury and is second in the Pac-12 in both goals per game (0.55) and points per game (1.45). Farquharson returned to the pitch from injury three weeks ago and played 66 of 90 minutes at USC and 84 of 110 minutes at UCLA. Although she did not score a goal in her return, Farquharson’s presence made a difference. She led ASU in combined shots (9) and combined shots on goal (5) in the two games and had an assist against the Bruins. She would again lead the team in shots (5) at Washington (Oct. 15). Last week she again led the team in combined shots (7) in its wins over Oregon State and Oregon and she notched her sixth goal of the season against the Ducks.
Currently with 40 career goals Farquharson is in second place on ASU’s all-time list. She needs 10 more goals to tie all-time program leader Stacey Tullock (50/1998-2001). Farquharson, who owns the school record for most consecutive games scoring a goal (8 - last three games in 2012 and first five games of 2013), is also tied for second on ASU’s all-time list in game-winning goals with 13.
Most recently, Farquharson was listed No. 34 on topdrawersoccer.com’s top 100 players to watch.
FARQUHARSON NAMED A FINALIST FOR 2015 SENIOR CLASS AWARD
Cali Farquharson was one of 10 student-athletes named as finalists for the 2015 Senior CLASS Award® in women’s collegiate soccer, according to an announcement by the award committee on October 26.
An acronym for Celebrating Loyalty and Achievement for Staying in School®, the Senior CLASS Award focuses on the total student-athlete and encourages students to use their platform in athletics to make a positive impact as leaders in their communities.
To be eligible for the award, a student-athlete must be classified as an NCAA Division I senior and have notable achievements in four areas of excellence: community, classroom, character and competition.
One of the captions on this year’s team, Farquharson’s outstanding record of high achievements on the field is also duplicated in the classroom where she maintains a 3.54 GPA while studying Biological Sciences. Last year Farquharson was named a Second-Team Scholar All-American by the NSCAA in addition to being named to the Pac-12’s All-Academic Team for the second consecutive season.
A Valley native (Shadow Mountain HS/Phoenix, Ariz.), Farquharson has maintained a strong presence in the community throughout her career. Last year Farquharson was one of 10 Sun Devil student-athletes who accompanied ASU American Indian students to Hopi and Navajo lands to bring the university to tribal nations, learn about Native cultures and share in healthy activities.
BERRYHILL BRINGS IT
A starter in 62 of 73 career contests, senior McKenzie Berryhill distinguished herself as one of the Pac-12’s top defenders in 2013 and followed that up with a 2014 campaign that saw her earn First-Team All-Pac-12 and First-Team NSCAA Pacific All-Regional honors. Berryhill’s experience was especially critical last season following the loss of two mainstays for the better part of the previous four years, Jasmine Roth and Kaitlyn Pavlovich. Berryhill played every minute of ASU’s 19 games in 2013 and started 17 of the 20 matches she played in 2014 (missed two games & did not start three others due to injury).
Berryhill played a big role last season in the Sun Devils’ final GAA of 1.05, which was the team’s lowest since 2007 (0.83).
At the outset of the 2015 season, Topdrawersoccer.com ranked Berryhill No. 21 on its Top 100 players. In early September, Berryhill was named to CS360’s Week-4 National Primetime Performers Honor Roll after helping anchor a defense that gave up only eight shots in consecutive games vs. No. 14 Pepperdine and No. 18 Texas Tech.
Berryhill, who has recently been logging minutes in the Sun Devil midfield, scored the fourth goal of her career in ASU’s 6-0 win over UNLV on Aug. 28. She added her third assist of the season at USC (Oct. 9).
TOSTI GIVES SUN DEVILS VALUABLE VERSATILITY
Prior to playing at ASU, senior Sara Tosti, who has started 64 of her 76 career games, spent most of her career up top in the attacking position. That changed in 2012 when the coaching staff recognized Tosti’s skills would allow her to transition to the back line where she could be most effective given the team’s personnel at the time. She would go on to play all 21 games as a freshman, including starting assignments in 14 contests.
In 2013 Tosti returned to her natural position up top and proved to be just as effective as she started all but one game. She had a remarkable stretch during the early portion of the Pac-12 season as her critical contributions helped pave the way for ASU’s first three conference wins. She assisted on Devin Marshall’s game-winning goal with 19 seconds left in ASU’s 1-0 win over USC (Sept. 29). One week later (Oct. 6) Tosti was named the Pac-12’s Offensive Player of the Week after she scored the only goal of the game in ASU’s 1-0 upset of (then) second-ranked Stanford. One week after that, Tosti was responsible for the game-winning goal in ASU’s 1-0 win at Oregon (Oct. 11).
Last season Tosti once returned to defending where her experience helped to make up for the combination of losing two starters from 2013 in addition to the team’s relative lack of experience in that part of the field. She played in 21 games (18 starts) on the back line in 2014 (also saw occasional time up top). She was named to TopDrawerSoccer.com’s National Team of the Week following ASU’s wins over Oklahoma State (Sept. 5) and Texas A&M (Sept. 7).
In 2015 Tosti has been part of a back line that has posted shutouts six shutouts. Her contributions have not been limited to the defensive end, however, as she has also found the back of the net on two occasions: vs. Stephen F. Austin on Sept. 4 and at USC on Oct. 9. Tosti was named the Pac-12’s Defensive Player of the Week on Oct. 27 for her contributions in ASU’s shutout wins over Oregon State (Oct. 23) and Oregon (Oct. 25).
BACK FOR MORE
Sophomore Aly Moon earned Pac-12 All-Freshman honors following a 2014 campaign in which she teamed with Cali Farquharson to give the Sun Devils two double-digit goal scorers – Farquharson (14) and Moon (10) – for only the second time in school history. Moon earned Pac-12 Offensive Player of the Week honors the first weekend of the 2014 regular season following her outstanding debut weekend in ASU’s contests at the Outrigger Resort Shootout (Aug. 22 & 24 in Honolulu, Hawaii). Moon tied a single-game school record with three goals and was one point shy (7) of tying the single-game school record for scoring (currently held by junior Cali Farquharson, who had 8 points vs. USC in 2012) in ASU’s 5-2 win at Hawaii on Aug. 24. In addition to being recognized by the Pac-12, Moon was also named to TopDrawerSoccer.com’s team of the week.
Moon, who led the team in assists last season (6), is currently tied second on the team in goals (4) and is third on the team in points (10).
MORRIS PROVIDES SUN DEVILS WITH STEADY PRESENCE IN GOAL
One of the most important contributors in ASU’s success over the last four seasons is senior GK Chandler Morris. Since a quicker-than-anticipated ascension into the starter’s role in 2012, Morris has provided the Sun Devils with steady play and has come up big in some of ASU’s biggest games, most notably the Sun Devils’ 1-0 upset of then-No. 2 Stanford in 2013 which ended the Cardinal’s 73-game unbeaten streak at home and its 44-game conference streak. In 2014, Morris had a career-high 11 saves in ASU’s 1-1 tie vs. top-ranked UCLA. Morris recorded a shutout in ASU’s 0-0 tie vs. Washington State, giving her 17.0 shutouts for her career and moving her into second place on ASU’s all-time list. Morris was named the Pac-12’s Goalkeeper of the Week on Oct. 20, 2014, after posting 10 saves (one short of tying her career high) in ASU’s 2-0 win at USC (Oct. 17). She earned the honor again following ASU’s 1-0 win over Arizona (Nov. 7, 2014). Morris’ 7.5 shutouts last season were the second-best, single-season total in school history. After recording shutouts in ASU’s first four games of 2015, Morris is now tied former Sun Devil Erin Reinke (1996-2000) for the most combined career shutouts in school history (23). After recording a pair of shutouts in ASU’s wins over Oregon State (Oct. 23) and Oregon (Oct. 25) last weekend, Morris now has sole possession of ASU’s record for career shutouts (25).
ACADEMIC SUCCESS
On the academic side, the Sun Devils have earned Pac-10/12 All-Academic notice 92 times in Boyd’s eight seasons, including 25 first-team members and 10 second-team members. In addition, soccer student-athletes have combined for 10 Academic All-America awards since 2007, most recently Cali Farquharson (NSCAA Second-Team Scholar All-America) in 2014 and former Sun Devils Jasmine Roth (second team) and Kaitlyn Pavlovich (third team) in 2013 Roth was also named the Pac-12’s Scholar-Athlete of the Year in 2013.
2015 NOTES
• ASU’s six goals in its 6-0 win over UNLV on Aug. 28, tied the second-highest, single-game mark in school history.
• Going back to 2012, ASU has won 33 of the 37 contests in which it has scored first (33-2-2). ASU’s 2-1 loss at Washington on Oct. 10, 2014 ended a 24 game-unbeaten streak in games in which it had scored first (22-0-2). The other games ASU has not won in that stretch are a 1-1 tie at Oregon State (Oct. 19, 2012), a 1-1 tie vs. top-ranked UCLA (Sept. 26, 2014) and a 2-1 loss at USC (Oct. 9, 2015).
• In its seven wins, ASU has outscored the opposition 22-1.
• Four players have played and started every game this season: R-Sr. M Lucy Lara, and R-Sr. GK Chandler Morris.
• Sophomore forward Jessica Raybe, who is currently tied for second on the team with four goals, has scored three goals in ASU’s last four games.
• Senior Tommi Goodman played in 71 straight contests for ASU (59 starts) going back to the first game of the 2012 season. Her senior season was cut short after suffering a season-ending injury in the first half of ASU’s contest vs. No. 5 Stanford on Oct. 2.
• Lucy Lara had a single-game school record three assists in ASU’s win over No. 14 Pepperdine on Sept. 11. She currently leads the team in assists (5), is second in scoring (11 points) and is tied for third in goals (3). She scored her fourth career goal in ASU’s 3-0 win over Oregon State (Oct. 23). Two of Lara’s four career goals have come against Oklahoma State as she scored against the Cowgirls in 2014 and again this season. Her other goal came earlier this season vs. UNLV (Aug. 28).
• Whitney Kanavel’s third career goal was one of ASU’s most important of the 2015 season. The senior midfielder successfully converted a penalty kick in the second overtime of ASU’s upset win at No. 18 Washington (Oct. 15). Kanavel’s other two goals came in last year’s NCAA Tournament games vs. NAU (first round) and Kentucky (second round).
• Last season Madison Stark was the only Sun Devil to start every game. Stark, who scored her first career goal in the 21st minute of ASU’s 1-0 win over Arizona last November, started the first 33 games of her career before missing ASU’s game at UCLA (Oct 11) due to injury.
• Larisa Staub, who started her ASU career on the back line and has since transitioned to forward, scored the first goal of her career in ASU’s 3-0 win over Portland State (Aug. 21). She added her second in ASU’s 2-1 loss to Washington State (Sept. 27), a contest in which she led ASU with seven shots. Staub is now tied for third on the team with three goals this season after adding another in ASU’s 3-0 win over Oregon State (Oct. 23).
• Jazmarie Mader scored a single-game, career-high two goals in ASU’s 5-0 win over No. 14 Pepperdine (Sept. 11).
2014 NOTES
• ASU’s nine-game unbeaten streak (7-0-2) in 2014 was its longest such streak since 2000. The unbeaten streak included a 1-0 win over No. 6 Texas A&M (Sept. 7) and a 1-1 tie vs. top-ranked UCLA (Sept. 26). Prior to their tie with UCLA, the Sun Devils had won six straight games, which was their longest winning streak since 2002.
• In the summer of 2014, Cali Farquharson and McKenzie Berryhill were both participants in the U.S. Under-23 Women’s National Team’s training camp. Also getting national team experience was Lucy Lara, who participated in Mexico’s women’s national team’s training camp. Lara made her Sun Devil debut in 2013 after being sidelined with a knee injury incurred prior to the 2012 campaign.
• Cali Farquharson (0.67) and Aly Moon (0.48) were the top combination in the Pac-12 in combined goals per game (1.15) in 2014. Both players tied the single-game school record for goals (3) – Moon at Hawaii (Aug. 24) and Farquharson vs. Nevada (Sept. 14 in Tucson), the second hat-trick of her career. Moon also had seven points in the game vs. Hawaii, coming one point short of tying Farquharson’s single-game school record of eight points set in 2012.
• ASU’s GAA of 1.05 in 2014 was its lowest since 2007 (0.83) while its scoring average of 1.86 goals per game was its highest since 2003 (1.90).
• Aly Moon scored five goals in ASU’s first five games of 2014. The only Sun Devil freshman to have a better start to her career was Patrice Feulner, who scored seven goals her first five games and 10 in her first six games in 2000. Feulner had back-to-back hat tricks in the fifth and sixth games of her career (consecutive 7-0 home wins by ASU over Pittsburgh on Sept. 10 and vs. Eastern Michigan on Sept. 15).
• After not scoring any goals the first two seasons of her Sun Devil career, Rachel Ometer scored three in 2014. The biggest of those goals helped ASU tie then-No. 6 Texas A&M at the half in the Sun Devils’ eventual 2-1 win upset of the Aggies.
• Mackenzie Semerad’s first goal as a Sun Devil was the game-winner in ASU’s 2-1 upset of then-No. 6 Texas A&M on Sept. 7, 2014.
LEPEILBET, TULLOCK NAMED TO PAC-12 ALL-CENTURY WOMEN’S SOCCER TEAM
Former Arizona State University soccer players Amy LePeilbet and Stacey Tullock were among 24 players named to the Pac-12 All-Century Women’s Soccer Team as announced by Pac-12 Networks Oct. 3.
The 24 players were chosen from a field of 63 players nominated by Pac-12 institutions. Voting was conducted by a panel of 37, comprised of former and current coaches, former players and members of the media. Notable voting participants include Jill Ellis, former UCLA head coach and current United States Women’s National Team Coach; espnW contributor Michelle Smith; former ‘Soccer America’ writer Scott French; and Associated Press sportswriter Janie McCauley.
LePeilbet and Tullock, who are both members of the Sun Devil Athletics Hall of Fame, both left indelible marks on the Sun Devil soccer program, which is currently celebrating its 20th season.
Named one of four starting defenders on the All-Century Team, LePeilbet (2000-03) was one of the cornerstones of the Sun Devil Soccer program as ASU advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament three times during her four years. A two-time All-American and three-time All-Pac-10 Conference first-team selection, LePeilbet would go on to win a gold medal with the 2012 U.S. Women’s National Team at the 2012 Olympics in London. While at ASU, LePeilbet never missed a start in her four years at ASU, playing in 74 career games. Excelling off the field as well, LePeilbet was a two-time Academic All-American as well as a Maroon and Gold Scholar-Athlete. LePeilbet was a member of the U.S. Women’s National Team that finished second to Japan in the 2011 Word Cup. LePeilbet is also a member of FC Kansas City, which last week won the National Women’s Soccer League Championship for the second consecutive season.
Tullock (1998-2001), who was named one of three reserve midfielders on the All-Century Team, is Arizona State’s all-time career leader in every major offensive statistical category including goals (50), points (125), assists (25) and game-winning goals (16). Tullock is also the owner of ASU’s single-season marks for goals (17 in 1999), points (41 in 1999) and is tied for the program’s top single-season mark with seven game-winning goals in 2000. Tullock became the first player in school history to score to account for a double-digit goal total three consecutive years (1998-2000), an achievement matched only by current Sun Devil senior Cali Farquharson. In 1998, Tullock became the school’s first All-America selection, awarded by Soccer Buzz. In 2000, Tullock was a U21 National Team member. She earned second-team All-America honors from the NSCAA, Soccer America and Soccer Buzz.
SIX LOCAL PLAYERS HIGHLIGHT SUN DEVIL SOCCER’S 2015 SIGNING CLASS
Earlier this year, Arizona State University head women’s soccer coach Kevin Boyd announced that Sydney Day, Melinda Gutierrez, Kylie Miniefield, Adriana Orozco, Jaimie Salas, Kayla Satterfield, Natalie Stephens and Madison Wolf signed to study and play soccer at ASU.
Of the eight new players who will be joining the Sun Devils for the 2015 season, six – Gutierrez, Miniefield, Orozco, Salas, Stephens and Wolf – hail from the Valley of the Sun, something that Boyd said makes this class special.
“We think we put together a very good class once again,” Boyd said. “We’re thrilled that the majority of it is coming out of Arizona. We have wanted to get deeper into the state of Arizona and have our team better represent the state and this is a great step in that direction.”
Stephens (12 games/one start), Gutierrez (eight games/one start), Salas (six games) and Orozco (seven games) have all seen action this year. Miniefield will not play this season due to a knee injury she suffered in the offseason.
SUN DEVIL SOCCER IN SPAIN
On May 9, 2015 the Sun Devil soccer team departed for a 10-day tour of Spain as part of an offseason international tour. The trip, which was privately funded, served as a one-of-a-kind experience in which the team learned about culture and international travel, had the chance to play soccer on an international level and provided all the players with a unique bonding opportunity.
“It was an incredible experience. We are incredibly lucky that we have some very supportive people around us,” said ASU head coach Kevin Boyd. “Through the generosity of the Sontag family we were able to do this. The trip was fully funded through private donations and also money raised by the team.“
The team started its tour in Barcelona and then and then moved up into the Basque country and into the San Sebastian and Bilbao area. The team played four games during its stay (vs. C.E. Europa, Athletic Bilbao, Real Sociedad and RCD Espanyol).