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Soccer preview: Texas

Arizona State, Texas to square off in Tempe for first time since 2007

Soccer preview: TexasSoccer preview: Texas

TEMPE – The Sun Devil Soccer program will begin a stretch of eight consecutive regular season matches at Sun Devil Soccer Stadium on Thursday, Aug. 20, when Arizona State plays host to the Texas Longhorns (7 p.m. MST/ESPN+).

The match will also serve as ASU’s “Back to School Night’ with free admission for all Sun Devil students with valid school identification. Schedule posters will also be given away throughout the evening.

Television:

  • Ryan Sykora (play by play) and Adrian Pelayo (analyst) will call the match’s action on ESPN+, which can be streamed on either the Disney+, ESPN and Hulu apps.

Series History:

  • Thursday night’s match will mark the first time Texas has traveled to play Arizona State in Tempe since Sept. 7, 2007, when the then-No. 3 Longhorns won, 1-0, behind a Niki Arlitt game-winning goal during the 51st minute.
  • Since the one-goal result in 2007, the two programs have played to three ties in their last three consecutive matchups:
    • T, 0-0 (2OT) on Sept. 14, 2008 in Austin
    • T, 2-2 (2OT) on Aug. 22, 2014 in Honolulu
    • T, 1-1 on Aug. 21, 2025 in Austin
  • When the two programs met in the Lone Star State in 2025, Cameron Valladares netted the fourth-fastest goal in Sun Devil history when the then-senior forward put Arizona State ahead, 1-0, just 41 seconds into the match.
    • The goal by the California native remains the fastest goal scored by a Sun Devil in a road match in program, besting the previous mark – set by Christina Edwards at Cal on Nov. 3, 2019 – by eight seconds.
  • Sierra Bergan is the only active Sun Devil to record a point against Texas as the junior forward was credited with an assist on Valladares’ first-half goal against the Longhorns in 2025.
  • Arizona State will be looking to hand Texas its first loss in the state of Arizona since Sept. 9, 2007, when the Longhorns fell, 2-0, to Arizona in Tucson.
    • Overall, the Longhorns are 1-2 in matches played in Arizona.

Kicking Off:

  • Looking to get back into the form that won her the Big 12 Conference’s Freshman of the Year in 2024, Kierra Blundell will look to become the first Sun Devil to score at least one goal in the first two matches to being a new season since she accomplished the feat in 2024.
    • Blundell scored during the 20’ of Arizona State’s 1-1 tie with Northern Arizona on Aug. 16.
    • Two days later, Blundell found the back of the net in the 45’ for the Sun Devils’ fifth first-half goal en route to beating Wagner, 6-0, on Aug. 18.
      • She added an assist on Enasia Colon’s 33’ goal to push her match point total to three.
        • When combining with her two points against the Lumberjacks, Blundell totaled five points across the first two matches of the 2024 campaign.
  • A win for Arizona State would give the Sun Devils their first 2-0-0 start to a season since 2021, when ASU beat Central Arkansas, 6-1, and Southeastern Louisiana, 2-1, to lay the foundation for a 5-0-0 beginning of the season.
    • Additionally, a victory over the Longhorns would mark the first time Sun Devil Soccer has beaten a program from the SEC since Sunday, Aug. 25, 2024, when ASU bested LSU, 5-2, in Baton Rouge.
    • Arizona State will be looking for its first win over a SEC women’s soccer program in Tempe since knocking off then-No. 6 Texas A&M, 2-1, on Sunday, Sept. 7, 2014.
      • ASU scored the game-winning goal to upset the Aggies with 2:51 remaining in regulation, when Mackenzie Semerad scored on a chip shot following a Jessica Raybe cross.
  • Thursday’s match will mark the first regular season collegiate soccer match in Tempe for a pair of Arizona natives: Kennedy Zorn (Peoria) and Gator DeMark (Phoenix).
    • Zorn, a Michigan State transfer, did not play further west than East Lansing, Mich., as a freshman in 2025.

Follow Us:

  • For the latest information on the team, follow @SunDevilSoccer on X, Facebook and Instagram. General athletic news can also be found at @TheSunDevils on X, Instagram and Facebook.