TEMPE — Coming off a shutout loss on its home field, Arizona State soccer continued Big 12 play by welcoming in a team coming off a high-powered offensive outing.
Colorado came to Sun Devil Soccer Stadium after winning three of its last four games, scoring at least three goals in each of those wins.
While the Buffaloes didn’t score three times, they held the Sun Devils in check defensively, and relied on Phoenix natives to help take down ASU.
Senior forward Hope Leyba and senior defender Faith Leyba each scored for Colorado as the Buffaloes (12-4-1, 6-3-0 Big 12) defeated the Sun Devils (8-6-3, 3-5-1 Big 12) 2-0 Sunday, dealing ASU’s faint Big 12 Tournament hopes a major blow.
The Leyba sisters’ story begins at birth. The monoamniotic-monochorionic twins were given a 25-40% chance of survival before birth. Now, they are both thriving in college soccer and each scored against a team that isn’t too far from where they attended high school.
Winkworth had high praise for both players.
“They’re both future NWSL stars,” Winkworth said. “If I’m an NWSL coach, I’m definitely recruiting them; they’re excellent players.”
ASU suffered its second straight shutout loss, having lost to No. 9 Baylor 2-0 Thursday, and ASU head coach Graham Winkworth said the Sun Devils haven’t been finishing their opportunities.
“We’re getting into positions to score goals,” Winkworth said. “Our final cross and our final shot are the same story as Thursday night; it hasn’t been good enough.”
The Sun Devils suffered their second consecutive shutout loss, and Winkworth said he wants his players to take advantage of the chances they get.
“We’ve not been clinical enough all season in front of goal,” Winkworth said. “We created so many chances earlier in the season that we were still scoring goals. When you play in the Big 12, you don’t get quite so many chances.”
Winkworth said it’s particularly hard to create chances against Colorado.
“They don’t concede too many chances,” Winkworth said. “When you’re playing against a team like us that’s really struggling in front of goal, it’s not a good combination for us.”
With the win, Colorado completed a successful trip to Arizona.
After a 4-0 rout of Arizona in Tucson Thursday, the Buffaloes controlled the game against ASU, outshooting the Sun Devils 20-14 in Sunday’s win.
This loss puts a significant dent in ASU’s Big 12 Tournament hopes. ASU currently sits in 10th place in the conference with two games remaining, and only the top eight teams qualify for the Tournament.
The Sun Devils have struggled mightily against the top half of the Big 12, with this loss dropping ASU to 0-5-0 against teams in the upper half of the conference standings.
The game on Sunday marked ASU’s 600th in the program. While teh result was bitter — in its eyes at least — ASU can get some revenge against a rival and a team in a similar position when they face teh University of Arizona on Friday, Oct. 30 at Sun Devil Soccer Stadium at 7:00 p.m.
“I’d have loved to have won it,” Winkworth said. “That would have been wonderful, but (I) just want to say I’m so blessed to be a part of the 600.”
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