MONITOR THE MATCH...
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QUICK KICKS...
• This past weekend, the Sun Devils concluded a four-match stretch of games that saw the Sun Devils play against four teams currently ranked inside the top-25. The grueling two weeks began with a trip to then No. 11 Cal, before facing now No. 1 Stanford in Palo Alto. The streak of games concluded this past weekend with meeting against current No. 2 and No. 6, UCLA and USC at home.
• In order to be the best, you have got to play the best, and Arizona State has, for sure, played the best. Entering the weekend, Arizona States' 2017 opponents have combined to post an impressive .630 win percentage, a mark that ranks 13th- in the nation.
• Academic success has become a staple in the Sun Devil soccer culture. Since 2007 the Sun Devil soccer program leads the conference in the number of first-team awards (26) and the number of first- and second-team awards (42).
• Arizona State has proven this season they are willing to go the extra mile. In five of their 13 matches played this season, the Sun Devils have found themselves playing in extra time, including two games going a full 110 minutes. In total, the Sun Devils have played 62-minuets of overtime soccer in 2017, over a full extra half of game time on the year already.
• Freshman keeper Nikki Panas has emerged as a difference maker in goal for the Sun Devils this season. Panas has combined for two clean sheets in her 11 games played. The Edmonton, Alberta, native has combined for 50 saves, including a season-high nine saves against Oregon State. If the season ended today, Panas' 1.43 goals against average would check in at 8th all-time for a single season.
PAC-12 REMAINS CLASS OF COLLEGIATE SOCCER...
Once again a Pac-12 team claimed the top spot in the NFCAA Coaches poll released earlier this week as Stanford overtook UCLA in the No. 1 spot. With UCLA moving to No. 2, the Pac-12 women's soccer maintains the top-two spots in the country for the sixth-consecutive week. In the RPI, seven Pac-12 schools rank in the top-40, with Stanford and UCLA leading the way at No. 2 and ten, respectively.
WHO'S THE NEW GIRL...
Through 11 games of the 2017 season 23 different players have logged minutes for the Sun Devils. Of those 23 players, 10 are new to the roster in 2017, including Angela Boyle, Nikki Panas, Jemma Purfield and Olive Jones who are among the team leaders in minutes played this season. Of the 15 goals scored this season, eight have come from players who are new to the ASU roster in 2017.
PURFIELD TABBED TO MAC HERMANN WATCH LIST...
Junior Jemma Purfield has been tabbed as one of 30 NCAA Division I players named to the 2017 MAC Hermann Trophy Watch Lists, announced by the United Soccer Coaches (formerly the NSCAA) and the Missouri Athletic Club during the preseason. The MAC Hermann Trophy is the most prestigious individual award in college soccer and is presented annually to the most outstanding male and female players of the year. This year's winners will be announced Friday, Jan. 5, 2018 at the Missouri Athletic Club in St. Louis. Purfield, a Beverly, England, native, played the last two seasons under head coach Graham Winkworth at South Alabama where she led the Jaguars in goals (11) during the 2016 season en route to being named the Sun Belt Defensive Player of the Year, as well as overall Player of the Year honors.
ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE A WAY OF LIFE FOR SUN DEVIL SOCCER...
Thirteen Arizona State University women's soccer student-athletes were recognized by the Pac-12 for their work in the classroom as the conference announced its annual All-Academic teams following the 2016 season. Headlining ASU's 13 honorees was senior defender Madison Stark (4.00 GPA – Journalism and Mass Communication), who earned first-team recognition for the second consecutive season. Junior forward Jessica Raybe (3.86 – Exercise and Wellness) and sophomore forward Natalie Stephens (3.89 GPA – Supply Chain Management) earned second-team recognition. It was the second straight season that Raybe has earned second-team honors. Since 2007 the Sun Devil soccer program leads the conference in the number of first-team awards (26) and the number of first- and second-team awards (42).
IRON SHARPENS IRON...
The Sun Devils have accepted a huge challenge in the 2017 season. Entering Friday's match, the Sun Devils' have already played four teams that are ranked inside the top-10 of this week's United Soccer Coaches' poll. The cumulative win percentage for all of ASU's 2017 is an impressive .630, a mark that ranks No. 13 in the nation. The downhill run towards the end of the regular season will not get any easier as the remaining opponents boast a .661 win percentage entering the weekend, a mark that checks in at No. 9 nationally.
NIK-KEY ON DEFENSE...
Freshman keeper Nikki Panas has emerged as a difference maker in goal for the Sun Devils this season. Panas has combined for two clean sheets in her ten games played for ASU. The Edmonton, Alberta, native has combined for 47 saves, including a season-high nine saves against Oregon State. If the season ended today, Panas' 1.43 goals against average would check in at 8th all-time for a single season.