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ASU Soccer: Sun Devils hit the road against SDSU

By Alyanna kathrine Harina

LAS VEGAS, NV - MARCH 11: Arizona State Sun Devils mascot Sparky the Sun Devil stands on the court during a first-round game of the Pac-12 Basketball Tournament against the USC Trojans at the MGM Grand Garden Arena on March 11, 2015 in Las Vegas, Nevada. USC won 67-64. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
LAS VEGAS, NV - MARCH 11: Arizona State Sun Devils mascot Sparky the Sun Devil stands on the court during a first-round game of the Pac-12 Basketball Tournament against the USC Trojans at the MGM Grand Garden Arena on March 11, 2015 in Las Vegas, Nevada. USC won 67-64. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images) /
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Coming off of their win against Beijing University, ASU soccer faces the San Diego State Aztecs in their first road game of the season.

This will be the first time the two teams face off since 2012, when the Aztecs pulled through a 2-0 victory against the Sun Devils.

The Aztecs, have opened the season 1-1 with a loss against No. 9 UCLA and their recent win against U.C. Davis.

Looking to put a win on their record early into the season, Sun Devils’ head coach, Graham Winkworth, who joined the program just this summer, will continue to tinker with the dynamic of the team in this first road game.

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Sophomore forward, Jazmarie Mader remains the offensive leader of the team as she put away two goals against Beijing and is looking to join the top-10 scorers in ASU program history. After missing a significant chunk of the season on an injury last year, Mader looks to be back on track as the season progresses.

Also looking to make some noise for ASU is South Alabama transfer, Jemma Purfield. Purfield, who is familiar with Winkworth’s coaching style as she played for him for two years prior to her transfer, has recently played a vital role on the movement of the offense, especially down the left side. Within the past two games, the 2017 MAC Hermann contender has already displayed the impact she has on the team.

ASU’s defense also seems to have shaken their kinks out coming into this road game. The Sun Devils’ back line, who struggled to defend penetration on quick passes down the middle against Ohio State, looked steadier in their game against Beijing.

However, SDSU’s Aliyah Utush, returns as the Aztecs’ leading scorer. After two goals in their last two games, including the lone goal against UCLA, Utush will be a challenge for the Sun Devils as she rides her momentum along with her team’s recent win.

Although the game will count toward the Sun Devils’ season record, still expect to see some experimentation within the lineup.

Next: ASU Soccer: Sun Devils win exhibition versus Beijing Normal University

The Sun Devils will kick off Friday night in San Diego at 7 p.m. PST and the game can be streamed on the Mountain West Network.