The Arizona State Sun Devils (6-1-3, 1-1-1 Big 12) played a close game, ending with a tie against the University of Central Florida (3-1-3, 1-0-1 Big 12). This was the Sun Devils’ third game of conference play.
The game was as even as the 1-1 score suggested, with many exchanges and similar amounts of control for the two teams. However, the Knights were much more aggressive in the box. They led with 18 shots, compared to only eight for ASU.
Accuracy was the Sun Devils’ biggest struggle; only a third of their shots were on target. ASU focused its efforts on limiting UCF’s leading scorer, senior forward Chloe Netzel. Netzel came into this game with eight goals, the second most in the Big 12.
The Sun Devils double-teamed her on most possessions. This strategy prevented her from scoring but opened lanes for her teammates, like senior midfielder Annika Huhta.
Huhta scored in the 22nd minute on a long shot that unintentionally deflected off of her teammate, redshirt sophomore midfielder Daniella Chung. The bounce changed the ball’s trajectory, causing it to fly over ASU’s junior goalkeeper, Pauline Nelles.
Three minutes later, junior midfielder/forward Enasia Colon tied the game by dribbling through four defenders before using her left foot to roll the ball into the bottom right corner of the goal. This was the game’s last goal between the Sun Devils and Knights.
The Knights rallied from this moment to limit the Sun Devil offense moving forward. Their physicality was visible as many of their challenges hit ASU players to the ground. Because of this, they led fouls 9 to 5, with the Sun Devils imploring the referees to call more.
ASU head coach Graham Winkworth expected a hard-fought match.
“We’ve been brave, which is what I asked them to be,” Winkworth said at halftime.
The coaching staff had to be creative, scheming to play most of the game without star freshman forward Kierra Blundell, who was limited by a previous injury. Freshman forward Megan Sofield earned the start as her replacement.
ASU ran many more defensive schemes in Blundell’s absence, but it hopes to have her back heading into more competitive Big 12 matches.
ASU returns home after a three-game away stretch to face West Virginia (7-2-1, 3-0 Big 12) at 7 p.m. on Thursday. The Sun Devils will attempt to end WVU’s conference-game winning streak.
Leave a Reply