Tempe, Ariz.-- Arizona State will return home for their final home stand of the 2017 season this weekend, playing host to Washington State and Washington. The weekend action will get started with a 7 p.m. game on Thursday against Washington State, designated as the Sun Devil's annual Green Game. The 2017 home schedule will come to a close Sunday with a 1 p.m. senior day match against Washington.
Quick Kicks....
• Last weekend the Sun Devils closed out a grueling three-match road trip in the mountains, falling to Colorado, 3-0, before drawing 2-2 at Utah. With Sunday's tie, the Sun Devils have now amassed more points (5) in Pac-12 play this season with three matches remaining on the schedule, than in all of last season.
• Being the final home weekend, the Sun Devils will honor the seven seniors on the 2017 roster on Sunday before taking the field against the Cougars. Sunday's match will be the final time Megan Delaney, Taylor Coon, Keeley Gormley, Madison Kmetko, Jazmarie Mader, Ashley March, Jessica Raybe and Madison Stark will take the field as Sun Devils. Student coach Aly Moon will also be recognized during Sunday's senior day festivities.
• 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 proved this season that they are willing to go the extra mile. So far, ASU has played in six overtime matches, including three games going a full 110 minutes. In total, the Sun Devils have played 82-minutes of overtime soccer in 2017, almost a full extra game.
• 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 13 games played. The Edmonton, Alberta, native has combined for 65 saves, including a season-high nine saves against Oregon State and Utah. Panas needs five more saves to crack the top-10 list in saves by a keeper in a single season.
WHO'S THE NEW GIRL...
Through 13 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, Olive Jones, Nikki Panas and Jemma Purfield who are among the team leaders in minutes played this season. Of the 17 goals scored this season, 10 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.
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 13 games played for ASU. The Edmonton, Alberta, native has combined for 65 saves, just five saves shy of cracking the top-10 for single season saves.