LOS ANGELES – It was a tale of two halves for the Arizona State women's soccer team in its Pac-12 opener at No. 11 UCLA on Thursday night. Unfortunately for the Sun Devils their statistical dominance in the second half did not yield the same results as the Bruins' dominance in the first 45 minutes and the end result was a 2-0 loss.
The Sun Devils (5-3-1, 0-1 Pac-12) were on the wrong end of a 9-0 shot count in the first half. The Bruins (7-2, 1-0) took full advantage of ASU's tentative start as they scored goals in the sixth minute and again in the ninth minute to take strategic command of the game.
"The first half was as bad as we have played, we just didn't show up," ASU head coach Kevin Boyd said. "We had some young players that got nervous and did not function and we looked frozen and we made them look very good. And (UCLA) played well. That's a credit to a solid team. We gave them space and they took advantage of it.
"To be outshot 9-0 in the first half and to come back and outshoot them 13-12 and 8-5 in corners in the second half is in indication of who we should be and who we can be. I'm really proud of the second half this team put in. I don't know how some of our shots didn't go in the goal for us in the second half, but that is the game of soccer. We can't have more first halves like that. I'm hoping that the players who got nervous learned something tonight and don't do that again and we get out and play like we did in the second half every single half we play from here on out."
Freshman goalkeeper Emma Malsy kept the Sun Devils within striking distance in the first half as she made five saves, a number of them coming on great scoring opportunities for the Bruins.
"Emma stuffed two breakaways in the first half and she came up with another one in the second half and helped us stay in the game," Boyd said.
After UCLA took the first shot of the second half in the 52nd minute, the Sun Devils responded with what could be characterized as – given the deficit and the quality of opponent they were facing – one of their most inspired halves of the season. Over the last 38 minutes the Sun Devils outshot the Bruins 13-2 and, by game's end would end up with advantages in both shots (13-12) and corner kicks (8-5).
"The team was very unhappy with itself at halftime," Boyd said. "They knew that was not them, that is not what we are about, that is not the culture we are building. I love that we came out and looked like us in the second half because it is not easy to snap out of it and we did. I really like that."
Junior defender Madison Stark started ASU's flurry in the 53rd minute when her shot, ASU's first of the game, was just high of its intended target.
In the 56th minute sophomore forward Natalie Stephens sent a pass from the 18 into the box for junior forward Jazmarie Mader, who went up and connected with a header that forced UCLA goalkeeper Teagan Micah to make a diving save.
Later in the half, the Sun Devils' attack set up four corner kicks in the span of just over two minutes. Three quality shots would come out of the offensive surge as senior midfielder Lucy Lara placed the successive corners in dangerous areas. Junior forward Jessica Raybe's header hit the post while junior forward Aly Moon and Stephens both had their shots blocked.
In the 81st minute the Sun Devils' aggressiveness nearly set up a penalty kick, but Mader was fouled just short of the penalty area. Lara's ensuing shot attempt that came from the foul was high.
"I thought we were getting great chances, I thought our corners were dangerous, I thought our attack was really good," Boyd said. "We did everything right in the second half, but our shots just would not go in. That is soccer and there are days like that and unfortunately we have had a few of those this season and we have to find a way to stick those balls in."
Lara and Stark tied for the team lead in shots with three, while Mader, Stephens and Moon had two each. Mader led the way with two shots on goal, while Lara, Stark and Stephens had one. After scoring at least one goal in their first eight games, the loss to UCLA represented the first time this season that the Devils were unable to find the back of the net.
The Sun Devils played Thursday night's game without senior defender and captain Mckenzie Grossman, who has started 54 of 65 career games, including 43 of her last 47 contests. Grossman was held out as a precautionary measure and is expected to return next week.
The Sun Devils return to action next Thursday (Sept. 29 at 4:30 pm) when they host Utah at Sun Devil Soccer Stadium. They will then close out the weekend on Sunday (Oct. 2 at 3 p.m.) when they host Colorado.
The Sun Devils (5-3-1, 0-1 Pac-12) were on the wrong end of a 9-0 shot count in the first half. The Bruins (7-2, 1-0) took full advantage of ASU's tentative start as they scored goals in the sixth minute and again in the ninth minute to take strategic command of the game.
"The first half was as bad as we have played, we just didn't show up," ASU head coach Kevin Boyd said. "We had some young players that got nervous and did not function and we looked frozen and we made them look very good. And (UCLA) played well. That's a credit to a solid team. We gave them space and they took advantage of it.
"To be outshot 9-0 in the first half and to come back and outshoot them 13-12 and 8-5 in corners in the second half is in indication of who we should be and who we can be. I'm really proud of the second half this team put in. I don't know how some of our shots didn't go in the goal for us in the second half, but that is the game of soccer. We can't have more first halves like that. I'm hoping that the players who got nervous learned something tonight and don't do that again and we get out and play like we did in the second half every single half we play from here on out."
"In the second half we were the aggressor and we looked like us. I'm really proud of the second half this team put in." Kevin Boyd pic.twitter.com/A9Uvlok6Sd
— Sun Devil Soccer (@ASUSoccer) September 23, 2016
Freshman goalkeeper Emma Malsy kept the Sun Devils within striking distance in the first half as she made five saves, a number of them coming on great scoring opportunities for the Bruins.
"Emma stuffed two breakaways in the first half and she came up with another one in the second half and helped us stay in the game," Boyd said.
After UCLA took the first shot of the second half in the 52nd minute, the Sun Devils responded with what could be characterized as – given the deficit and the quality of opponent they were facing – one of their most inspired halves of the season. Over the last 38 minutes the Sun Devils outshot the Bruins 13-2 and, by game's end would end up with advantages in both shots (13-12) and corner kicks (8-5).
"The team was very unhappy with itself at halftime," Boyd said. "They knew that was not them, that is not what we are about, that is not the culture we are building. I love that we came out and looked like us in the second half because it is not easy to snap out of it and we did. I really like that."
Junior defender Madison Stark started ASU's flurry in the 53rd minute when her shot, ASU's first of the game, was just high of its intended target.
In the 56th minute sophomore forward Natalie Stephens sent a pass from the 18 into the box for junior forward Jazmarie Mader, who went up and connected with a header that forced UCLA goalkeeper Teagan Micah to make a diving save.
Later in the half, the Sun Devils' attack set up four corner kicks in the span of just over two minutes. Three quality shots would come out of the offensive surge as senior midfielder Lucy Lara placed the successive corners in dangerous areas. Junior forward Jessica Raybe's header hit the post while junior forward Aly Moon and Stephens both had their shots blocked.
In the 81st minute the Sun Devils' aggressiveness nearly set up a penalty kick, but Mader was fouled just short of the penalty area. Lara's ensuing shot attempt that came from the foul was high.
"I thought we were getting great chances, I thought our corners were dangerous, I thought our attack was really good," Boyd said. "We did everything right in the second half, but our shots just would not go in. That is soccer and there are days like that and unfortunately we have had a few of those this season and we have to find a way to stick those balls in."
Lara and Stark tied for the team lead in shots with three, while Mader, Stephens and Moon had two each. Mader led the way with two shots on goal, while Lara, Stark and Stephens had one. After scoring at least one goal in their first eight games, the loss to UCLA represented the first time this season that the Devils were unable to find the back of the net.
The Sun Devils played Thursday night's game without senior defender and captain Mckenzie Grossman, who has started 54 of 65 career games, including 43 of her last 47 contests. Grossman was held out as a precautionary measure and is expected to return next week.
The Sun Devils return to action next Thursday (Sept. 29 at 4:30 pm) when they host Utah at Sun Devil Soccer Stadium. They will then close out the weekend on Sunday (Oct. 2 at 3 p.m.) when they host Colorado.