TEMPE, Ariz. -- Arizona State soccer will continue their road test this weekend with a trip to the mountains to take on Colorado and Utah. The weekend tilt will get underway on Thursday afternoon with a 2 p.m. PT match against Colorado, before concluding the road trip on Sunday with a 1 p.m. meeting with Utah.
Thursday's match against Colorado will be broadcast live by the Pac-12 Network, while Sunday's contest will be streamed live by Utah.
WORDS FROM WINKWORTH...
On what the team need to improve on heading into the weekend slate,
"We need to show a little bit more energy than we showed in the Oregon game. I was a little disappointed in our energy in that game so we have worked hard in practice to fix that this week and hopefuly we show a little bit more against Colorado and Utah this weekend."
On finding ways to score goals,
"We have got to be brave in the way we play and in the numbers that we send forward. We have got to have that little bit of quality in the final third, and keep our composure. It has been the difference in a few matches that we have had this season. We have worked hard in training and will find a way to fix that for sure."
On his view of the Pac-12 competition,
"It has been exactly what I expected. This is the best league in the country and that is why I came here. We finished 146th, and now we are up to No. ## right now. We have not made the strides I want, but we have jumped 74 places in just a few weeks. We have shown a lot of progress, and you have got to think about those positives as well. We have already matched the number of points we scored in the league last year so hopefully we can get a few more in the remaining five games of the season."
On players potentially returning to the pitch this weekend,
"It is tough right now because we are playing without five or so key players due to some injuries and hopefully we have a chance of getting them back closer to the weekend. We have got to focus on coming together as a group and whoever is put out there on the field against Colorado puts together a good 90- minutes for us."
QUICK KICKS...
• Last weekend the Sun Devils suffered just their second road loss of the season at Oregon. After giving up two first half goals, the Sun Devil offense was unable to get any traction, leading to a 3-0 loss on the road to the Ducks.
• 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' past opponents in 2017 have combined to post an impressive .651 win percentage, a mark that ranks 10th- in the nation. Looking at the entire 2017 schedule, ASU opponents have combined for a .626 win percentage, checking in at No. 13 nationally.
• 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. So far ASU has played in five overtime matches this season, 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...
For the seventh-straight week, the Pac-12 has claimed the top-two spots in the latest United Soccer Coaches poll. Stanford remained the nation's top team, while UCLA checked in at No. 2. In total, five Pac-12 teams were either ranked or receiving votes in this week's rankings.
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).
MADER EYING CAREER GOALS RECORD...
Senior Jazmarie Mader is quickly closing in on Sun Devil soccer history, knocking on the door of joining the top-10 all-time goal scorers in ASU program history. Mader currently sits just eight goals away from tying Karine Inoue (1997-00) for tenth all-time with 20 goals. ASU legend, Stacey Tullock (1998-01), leads all goal scorers with 50. Cali Farquharson (2012-15) was the latest Sun Devil to join the top-10 after closing out her playing career with 44 goals scored.
IRON SHARPENS IRON...
Entering the weekend, Arizona States' past opponents in 2017 have combined to post an impressive .651 win percentage, a mark that ranks 10th- in the nation. Looking at the entire 2017 schedule, ASU opponents have combined for a .626 win percentage, checking in at No. 13 nationally. So far this season, ASU has played both the No. 1 and No. 2 teams in the latest USC poll, and have played five teams that are either ranked or recieving votes in this week's poll.
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.