After a hard-fought match against Utah that ended in a 1-1 tie, the Sun Devils will be looking to get their first conference win of the season against Colorado.
Leading into this evening’s game the Colorado Buffalos are coming in strong with a 2-0 win streak in conference play.
The Buffaloes shut out both Washington State and University of Arizona, winning by only one goal. Though Colorado had fewer shots on goal than their opponent, they were able to put themselves on the board and win and that’s what makes them deadly.
The biggest threat to the Devils’ defense will be freshman midfielder Taylor Kornieck who leads the team in points, 16, shots, 43, and goals, 7. Along with her offensive aggression, she stands at a staggering 6’1 in height which will really test the Devils’ defense in the box and off corners.
Another dangerous offensive threat is senior Danica Evans who is second behind Kornieck’s points with 11, tied for shots with 43, and second in goals with 4. This midfield-forward combo strikes as the biggest threat to the Sun Devils who are coming from a game struggling to defend aggressive offensive pressure.
The Devils’ will need to step up in this game and not let fatigue on the field be so prevalent during the match like it was against the Utes this past Thursday.
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Midfielders will need to be able to assist the defenders so that they aren’t being tired out chasing after forwards and trying to counter attacks. Along with the defensive assistance, there needs to be more impact from the forwards to put pressure on the opposing team’s back line. The Buffaloes have been able to shut out the past two teams they played, if the Devils’ want to change this they need more numbers going forward.
There’s hope that forward Aly Moon will make a return to the pitch to boost the offensive momentum for the team. Moon was sidelined after the UCLA match and her lack of presence on the field was apparent against the Utes.
Sophomore forward Natalie Stephens has yet to put away a goal in conference play and will need to come into this game hungry if she wants her shots to see the back of the net. Junior forward Jazmarie Mader also needs to step up and gain control in this game to sink more solid shots into the goal instead of relying on the luck of the bounce to get the ball in.
The Sun Devils have a tough fight ahead of them if they want to get their first win in conference play this season. There needs to be better decision-making both on and off the ball as well as for the younger players to relax so that they can play the ball effectively.
Next: Soccer: Sun Devils Tie with Utes After 120'
Kickoff is at 3 P.M. at Sun Devil Soccer Stadium and can be seen on Pac-12 Arizona.