WHAT: Sun Devil Soccer (8-8-1, 4-5-1 Pac-12) at Arizona (12-4-2, 6-3-1 Pac-12).
WHEN: Friday at 6 p.m. MT.
WHERE: Murphey Field at Mulcahy Soccer Stadium • Tucson, Ariz.
ON THE AIR: Pac-12 Networks.
UP NEXT
The Arizona State women’s soccer team (8-8-1, 4-5-1 Pac-12) concludes the 2015 regular season on Friday (6 p.m. MT) when it travels to Tucson to take on No. 23 Arizona in the annual Territorial Cup® Series matchup.
After posting their best start (4-0) since the 2000 season, injuries to key personnel would get the better of the Sun Devils during an eight-game winless streak (0-7-1) in the middle of the season. Although they are not back to full health, the Sun Devils have managed four wins in their last five games and now will have a chance to end the regular season above .500 with a win on Friday.
ON THE AIR
Friday’s game at Arizona can be seen live on Pac-12 Networks. Christian Miles (play by play) and Kyndra de St. Aubin (analyst) will have the call.
NOTES FROM LAST WEEK
• ASU had its four-game unbeaten streak (3-0-1) and three-game winning streak snapped after falling to Utah 2-1 in overtime on Friday night. It was ASU’s third overtime game of the season (all three came in five-game stretch)... ASU played at Utah without starting midfielder Lucy Lara, who had to sit out the game after being issued a red card in ASU’s 1-0 win over Oregon (Oct. 25)... Statistically speaking the Sun Devils controlled the game at Utah as they took nearly twice as many shots as the Utes (15-8), including a 9-5 advantage in shots on goal... Utah goalkeeper Lindsey Luke turned in an outstanding performance for Utah as she recorded eight saves... Senior Cali Farquharson’s perfectly-placed shot on a free kick at the top of the 18 found its way into the net to put the ASU up 1-0 in the 75th minute... Utah scored the equalizer in the 85th minute and then won the game 71 seconds into overtime after scoring on a header off a corner kick.
• The Sun Devils were able to gain a split on the road trip after defeating Colorado 2-1 on Sunday... Jessica Raybe (fifth goal of the season, fourth in last six games) and McKenzie Berryhill (second goal of the season, first game-winner of career) both scored goals to give ASU a 2-0 advantage... The Buffaloes got within a goal after scoring in the 74th minute, but ASU was able to hang on for the win... Aly Moon assisted on both of ASU’s goals... The Sun Devils played the game’s final minutes without starting senior midfielder Whitney Kanavel, who had to be helped off the field following an injury.
IT’S BEEN DONE BEFORE
Since dropping its seventh consecutive contest, a 2-1 loss at USC on Oct. 9, ASU has bounced back with 4-1-1 record in their last six games: a 1-1 tie at UCLA (Oct. 11), a 2-1, double-OT upset of then-No. 18 Washington in Seattle (Oct. 15), a pair of shutout wins over Oregon State (3-0, Oct. 23) and Oregon (1-0, Oct. 25), a 2-1 OT loss at Utah (Oct. 30) that snapped their four-game unbeaten streak and a 2-1 win at Colorado (Nov. 1) in their most recent contest.
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 ARIZONA/SERIES HISTORY
Arizona (12-4-2,6-3-1 Pac-12) enters Friday’s game in third place in the Pac-12 Standings. The Wildcats are currently on a five-game unbeaten streak (4-0-1)
ASU leads the all-time series with Arizona 16-3-1. Nine of the last 11 games between the two teams have been decided by one goal, including ASU’s 1-0 win last year in Tempe. Madison Stark scored her first career goal in the 21st minute and Chandler Morris made four big saves to help lead ASU to the win. Morris would go on to be named the Pac-12’s Goalkeeper of the Week for her performance. In 2012, Cali Farquharson scored the game-winner with under two minutes remaining in regulation to give the Sun Devils a 2-1 win in Tempe.
SUN DEVIL STORYLINES
• The 2015 season is the 20th in the history of Sun Devil Soccer.
• ASU was 4-0 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 41 career goals. ASU has also played its last 8.5 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 went on a four-game unbeaten streak (3-0-1). The Sun Devils snapped their 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). They followed the win over UW with a pair of shutout wins over Oregon State (3-0 on Oct. 23) and Oregon (1-0 on Oct. 25). ASU’s winning streak was snapped by Utah in a 2-1 overtime loss on Oct. 30. The Sun Devils got back to the .500 mark with a 2-1 win at Colorado on Nov. 1.
• 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.
• 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 207 career wins – 124 at Cal/82 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. On Friday ASU will conclude a stretch in which it will have played six of its final eight regular games on the road.
• ASU’s home game vs. San Diego State (started week with 14-4 record and RPI of 52) that was scheduled for Aug. 31 was cancelled after more than an hour of rainfall made the field unplayable.
• Senior Cali Farquharson is currently second on ASU’s all-time list and 15th among NCAA D1’s active career leaders with 41 career goals. Farquharson is also second in program history (and 18th among NCAA Division I active players) with 96 points in her career. Sun Devil Hall of Famer Stacey Tullock (1998-2001) is ASU’s all-time leader in both goals (50) and points (125).
• GK Chandler Morris currently is first on ASU’s career list for most shutouts list with 25.0.
• Four of sophomore forward Jessica Raybe’s five goals this season have come in ASU’s last six 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. Raybe was named CollegeSoccer360.com’s National Player of the Week for her performance in the win over Washington. After not scoring in ASU’s games vs. Oregon (Oct. 25) and at Utah (Oct. 30), Raybe scored her fifth goal of the season in the seventh minute of ASU’s 2-1 win at Colorado (Nov. 1).
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 (7 – t2nd in the Pac-12) and points (18 – 4th in the Pac-12) despite missing 4.5 games due to injury and is second in the Pac-12 in both goals per game (0.54) and points per game (1.38). Farquharson returned from injury four 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 scored goals in consecutive games – vs. Oregon (Oct. 25) and at Utah (Oct. 30) – to bring her season total to seven. The goal against Oregon ended up being the game-winner in ASU’s 1-0 win.
Farquharson is currently in second place on ASU’s all-time list in both career goals (41) and career points (96). 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 career game-winning goals with 13.
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 captains 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 64 of 75 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, has scored two goals to go along with three assists this season. She scored her fifth career goal and notched the first game-winning goal of her career in ASU’s 2-1 win at Colorado last Sunday.
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 second on the team in points (12), is tied for second on the team in assists (4) and is third on the team in goals (4). Most recently, Moon assisted on both of ASU’s goal in the Sun Devils 2-1 win at Colorado on Sunday.
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 with outstanding performances in some of ASU’s biggest wins, 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 tied former Sun Devil Erin Reinke (1996-2000) for the most combined career shutouts in school history (23). Morris would take over sole possession of the record after ASU’s 3-0 win over Oregon State (Oct. 23). She added another shutout and made a season-high seven saves in ASU’s 1-0 win over Oregon (Oct. 25), a game in which the Sun Devils played with only 10 players for the final 43-plus minutes of regulation.
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.
On Oct. 29, 2015 ASU had three players – senior forward Cali Farquharson, junior defender Mckenzie Grossman and sophomore forward Jessica Raybe – earn Academic All-District™ honors, according to an announcement by the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA). Farquharson (3.54 GPA in Biological Sciences) earned first-team recognition and now advances to the CoSIDA Academic All-America® Team ballot, where first-, second- and third-team All-America honorees will be selected next month. Grossman and Raybe both earned second-team honors.
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 (eight games) and Orozco (eight games) have all seen action this year. Miniefield will not play this season due to a knee injury she suffered in the offseason.
TOSTI GIVES SUN DEVILS VALUABLE VERSATILITY
Prior to playing at ASU, senior Sara Tosti, who has started 66 of her 78 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 again 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).
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 34 of the 39 contests in which it has scored first (34-3-2). 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), a 2-1 loss at USC (Oct. 9, 2015) and a 2-1 overtime loss at Utah (Oct. 30).
• In its eight wins, ASU has outscored the opposition 24-2.
• Chandler Morris is the only Sun Devil who has started every game this season.
• Sophomore forward Jessica Raybe, who is currently second on the team with five goals, has scored four goals in ASU’s last six games.
• ASU has had three overtime games this season and is 1-1-1 in those games: tied UCLA 1-1 in Los Angeles on Oct. 11, won at Washington 2-1 in Seattle on Oct. 15 and lost at Utah 2-1 in Salt Lake City on Oct. 30.
• 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 third in scoring (11 points) and is tied for fourth 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). Lara did not play in ASU’s 2-1 OT loss at Utah (Oct. 30) due to being issued a red card in ASU’s prior contest vs. Oregon (Oct. 25).
• 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).
• Mckenzie Grossman has proven to be one of ASU’s most reliable and solid defenders over the last three seasons. This season she has started 16 of 17 games at center-back for the Sun Devils and has played more minutes than any field player. Only goalkeeper Chandler Morris (1566 minutes), who has played every minute of every game in 2015, has played more minutes than Grossman (1526 minutes).
• 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 fourth 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.
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).