When: Friday, September 26, 4:00 PM PDT
Where: Sun Devil Soccer Stadium, Tempe, Arizona
Listen: None
Watch: Pac-12 Networks
Live Stats: Here
GAMEDAY! #UCLAvsASU at 4pm PT. We're looking for 2 straight days of UCLA victories in Tempe! Watch on @Pac12Networks pic.twitter.com/vSBuXG2ZNe
— UCLA Women's Soccer (@UCLAWSoccer) September 26, 2014
Yesterday the UCLA football team opened their Pac-12 conference schedule by thrashing the Arizona State Sun Devils in Tempe in a matchup of two top-25 ranked teams. This afternoon the #1 ranked UCLA women's soccer team (8-0-1) will try to emulate the football team's accomplishment when they begin conference play with a tough match against the #24 Sun Devils (7-1-1) in Tempe.
The Bruins are coming off an impressive offensive display against the LMU Lions on Sunday. Rosie White opened the scoring after 17 minutes with a volley to the corner of the goal from a Sarah Killion free kick.
Sam Mewis continued her early season goal scoring run, notching her seventh on a feed from Megan Oyster.
Seventeen minutes into the second half, Zoey Goralski scored her first collegiate goal to extend the UCLA lead to 3-0.
And just five minutes later, Taylor Smith added her name to the scoresheet with her third goal of the season. The Bruins conceded a late goal--just the second goal allowed this season--to make the final score 4-1.
Lots of numbers to dissect from last night's 4-1 win over LMU! #infographic #LMUvsUCLA pic.twitter.com/G3Dn0HjjDb
— UCLA Women's Soccer (@UCLAWSoccer) September 22, 2014
Here are the highlights:
The win takes the Bruins' unbeaten streak to 30 and cemented their position atop the NSCAA poll for another week.
The Sun Devils head into today's match with a six game winning streak. Although ASU is surrendering a goal per game on average, they make up for it with a high powered attack that is averaging 3 goals per game. Junior forward Cali Farquharson leads the Sun Devils in goals with 8, and freshman midfielder Aly Moon has 7. Although redshirt junior Mackenzie Semerad is not as prolific, she is one of the Sun Devil's most creative players in breaking down the opposition defense; she leads ASU in assists with 4.
I expect Arizona State to play an open, aggressive game from the start and to press the Bruins high up the pitch. However, a tie suits the Sun Devils far more than it does the Bruins, so look for ASU to start to become much more defensive if they get a lead or if they are even with the Bruins after an hour.
Go BRUINS!