An injury that leads to a loss. Not a way any team wants to lose.
Arizona State lost another Pac-12 game, this time 1-0 to Colorado, on a rainy Sunday afternoon.
The first half was a quiet one, until the 44th minute where the action took a turn that favored the Buffs.
The ball was on ASU’s side and was bouncing around just outside the 18. Three players collided heads attempting to head the ball, including ASU senior defender Mckenzie Grossman who had to be carted off the field after bleeding from the side of her head after the incident.
Once Grossman left the game, a foul was called on her and Colorado was awarded a free kick. This gave the Buffs a golden opportunity as Freshman midfielder and 2015 NSCAA All-American member Taylor Kornieck netted in a screamer from 20 yards out for the only goal of the game. “She stuck it real well. She hits a great ball,” ASU coach Kevin Boyd said on the free kick.
“I thought [the ref] was giving a drop ball,” Boyd said about the foul. “He overruled and gave them a direct kick on top of the 18.”
“We were in awe because our girl was just bleeding,” senior midfielder Lucy Lara said. “That’s the game of soccer. Sometime’s it’s not going to go your way and you have to make it work somehow.”
The goal was Kornieck’s 8th goal of the season. The former Nevada girl’s soccer player of the year was in top form throughout the match controlling the ball well, creating chances for her teammates and winning multiple headers.
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Arizona State had another quiet first half. They had only two shots in the first half and recorded 8 fouls. “I thought we played a very good first half.” Boyd said, “We were playing great balls in behind, but it was wet, they kept running away from us and we weren’t catching them. But we were, I thought, very very close to getting a hold of one of those.”
ASU picked up the tempo in the second half with eight shots.
“We knew we needed to put one in the net and we just went all out,” Sophomore Natalie Stephen’s said on ASU’s aggressive play in the 2nd half.
ASU’s best shot to comeback in the game came in the 82nd minute. Stephens had a scissor-kick that went on target but was saved by Colorado goalkeeper Jalen Tompkins. Stephens has yet to score this year.
“I’m just trying to get over the hump and get that first ball in. It’s just super frustrating,” Stephens said. “I would of really wanted to score on [Tompkins]. Me and her played club together.”
The Sun Devils are now 0-2-1 in Pac-12 play.
“Right now it’s kinda down on us,” Stephens said. “We just need to get our mind right.”
Related Story: ASU Volleyball: Arizona State Struggles as Oregon State Cruises to Victory
Arizona State’s next game will be in the Evergreen State as they take on Washington Thursday at 4 p.m. The game can be seen live on Pac-12 Arizona.