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ASU Soccer: Sun Devils kick off 2017 season versus Ohio State

By Sam Ficarro

TEMPE, AZ - NOVEMBER 14: Arizona State Sun Devils mascot, 'Sparky' following the college football game against the Washington Huskies at Sun Devil Stadium on November 14, 2015 in Tempe, Arizona. The Sun Devils defeated the Huskies 27-17. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
TEMPE, AZ - NOVEMBER 14: Arizona State Sun Devils mascot, 'Sparky' following the college football game against the Washington Huskies at Sun Devil Stadium on November 14, 2015 in Tempe, Arizona. The Sun Devils defeated the Huskies 27-17. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images) /
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The 2017 season kicks off Friday as ASU soccer faces Ohio State in Graham Winkworth’s first game as head coach of the Sun Devils.

ASU soccer officially turns the page to the 2017 season Friday as they host the Buckeyes to kick off the season.

Arizona State coming off a 6-11-2 season including a last place finish in the Pac-12 with a 1-9-1 conference record.

After the resignation of former head coach Kevin Boyd, Graham Winkworth takes over in Tempe as head coach after four highly successful seasons with South Alabama.

Winkworth led the Jaguars to four straight Sun Belt championships building South Alabama into one of the best mid-majors in the nation.

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Looking to help make his mark with the Sun Devils, joining him from South Alabama is transfer defender/forward Jemma Purfield.

Purfield, who was named to MAC Hermann Trophy watch list for the nation’s best collegiate soccer player, begins her first season with the Sun Devils after leading the Jaguars with 11 goals and 29 points last season.

Starting as a wingback, Purfield will be going up and down the flanks, whipping crosses into the box and helping on set pieces.

One of the targets in the box will be senior forward Jazmarie Mader.

Despite missing the final six games of last season with an injury, Mader still finished with a team-leading eight goals last season with the next closest finishing with only three goals.

ASU will heavily rely on Mader to continue to score goals and be the leading attacker.

The first match for the Sun Devils will be against the Ohio State Buckeyes.

The Buckeyes finished last season 11-7-3 and were knocked out in the second round of the NCAA Tournament to No. 1 West Virginia.

Ohio State enters this season minus six starters from last season, with two players selected in the NWSL Draft.

Returning for the Buckeyes are seniors Nikki Walts and Morgan Wolcott who combined for the largest production for Ohio State tallying seven goals and five assists last season.

Ohio State was picked eighth in the preseason Big Ten poll and will look to a 13-player freshmen class to fill the void in lost starters.

Next: ASU Soccer: Roundtable previewing the 2017 season

Arizona State will look to continue their great record in season openers sporting an 8-1-1 record in their last 10 season openers versus Ohio State with kickoff set for 4:30 p.m. PST on Pac-12 Arizona.