Sun Devil soccer hosts No. 3 UCLA on Monday, Oct. 1

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For the second time in three games, the Arizona State women's soccer team will take on the No. 3 team in the nation when it hosts UCLA on Monday night (7 p.m. PT) at Sun Devil Soccer Stadium.

The Sun Devils (5-5-1) have won four of their last five games with their only loss in that stretch coming to then No. 3 (currently No. 2) Stanford on Sept. 23. 

TELEVISION

Monday's game versus UCLA will be televised live by Pac-12 Networks. Mark Rogondino (play by play) and Kyndra de St. Aubin will be on hand to call the action.

GOLD GAME

Monday's game vs. UCLA will be ASU's annual `Gold Game.' Fans wearing gold will receive discounted admission ($3 for youth/senior, $5 for adult).

LAST GAME

Freshman Tommi Goodman scored her first career goal less than a minute into the second overtime and Cali Farquharson had the first hat trick for a Sun Devil freshman since 2000 as the Arizona State women's soccer team defeated USC 5-4 on Friday to capture its first Pac-12 win of the season.

ASU took 35 of the game's 49 shots and had also had advantages in shots on goal (17-7) and corner kicks (9-4). Proving to be just as important was the ASU's ability to play smart on the defensive end as it tied its season low with only four fouls while USC was whistled for nine. This took on even greater significance late in regulation and in the extra sessions after a pair of USC players were ejected (red cards) leaving the Trojans down a pair of players on the field.

After falling behind 1-0, the Sun Devils would respond with three straight goals (two by Farquharson and one by senior Courtney Tinnin) to take a 3-1 lead. USC would eventually tie it at three before Farquharson responded with her school-record-tying third goal of the game to put ASU back on top.

USC tied the game in the 89th minute, however would end up playing much of the overtime periods shorthanded after losing one player to a red card in the 90th minute and another less than three minutes into the first overtime.

The Sun Devils would win the game less than a minute into the second overtime after Goodman scored on a rebound off a shot initially taken by Farquharson.

SCOUTING UCLA

UCLA (8-0-2, 1-0-1) will bring the third-ranked team in the country to Tempe on Monday. The Bruins have scored 23 goals this season while surrendering only three. Senior midfielder Zakiya Bywaters leads the Bruins in both goals (8) and points (18).

Common opponents with ASU: LMU (T, 1-1), Pepperdine (W, 3-0).

SERIES NOTES VS. UCLA

• UCLA leads the all-time series 14-1 (Bruins have won the last 11 meetings). UCLA won 2-0 last year in Los Angeles and 3-0 in Tempe in 2010. In 2009 ASU took an early 1-0 lead and would eventually push the No. 3 Bruins to double overtime before losing 3-2.

• ASU's only win against UCLA came in 2000 when it won 1-0 in Tempe.

WINNING STREAK

After starting the season 1-4-1, the Sun Devils won three straight games to get back to the .500 mark at the start of conference play. ASU outscored the opposition 7-0 over that stretch. 

"I think our team is doing a good job on focusing on what we are asking them to do and what we want to be like as a team," ASU head coach Kevin Boyd said following the third win of that streak, a 3-0 triumph over FIU on Sept. 26. "I think they have latched on to that and we are starting to show consistency in that area. There are still a couple things we want to make better, but as a whole I'm happy with where we are at right now."

ASU's 5-4 double overtime win over USC on Sept. 28 gave the Sun Devils their fourth win in five matches.

SHUTOUT STREAK

During its earlier three-game winning streak ASU shutout all three of its opponents, its longest such streak since the 2008 season. Overall, ASU gave up only one goal in four contests ( that one goal coming via PK vs. Houston on Sept. 7) before Stanford's scored three goals in its 3-0 win over ASU on Sept. 23.

"I'm very happy with the play of the backline," Boyd said after ASU defeated FIU 3-0 on Sept. 16 for its third straight win. "They are not giving away chances and they are making teams have to work for it. They are covering each other well and their one-on-one defending is much better."

MCCARTER MAKES IT HAPPEN

One of the key figures in ASU's success is senior midfielder Taylor McCarter, who has consistently provided the Sun Devils with outstanding play in the midfield since her freshman season in 2009.

"She's been our best player for the last two years," Boyd said. "We're hoping to get her a little further up the field [this season] and when we do that our game is better." 

McCarter, who earned third-team All-Pac-12 and third-team NSCAA All-Region notice last season, has started every one of ASU's 70 games the last three-plus seasons.

McCarter was named to the Cats Classic All-Tournament Team after helping lead the Sun Devils to wins over Loyola Marymount (Sept. 14) and FIU (Sept. 16). McCarter scored her third career goal in the win over LMU. One week earlier she was named the MVP of the Sun Devil Desert Classic for her performance in ASU's games against Houston (Sept. 7) and in the Sun Devils' 1-0 upset of No. 10 Pepperdine (Sept. 9). She added her second assist of the season in ASU's 5-4 double overtime win over USC on Sept. 28.

MARSHALL AND FARQUHARSON LEAD THE WAY

Leading ASU's offensive attack this season has been the duo of junior Devin Marshall (six goals, one assist) and freshman Cali Farquharson (six goals, two assists), who have combined for 12 of ASU's 19 goals this season.

Marshall was third on the team in scoring (10 points) and tied for first in assists (4) in 2011 when she was limited by an ankle injury that caused her to miss seven games. Among returning members of the team, she was ASU's leader in goals (4) from last season.

Marshall was named to the Pac-10's All-Freshman Team in 2010 when she was third on the team in scoring. Last May, Marshall was one of 24 players called to participate in the U.S. Under-23 Women's National Team training camp.

"Devin had a terrific preseason and I think this could be a breakout year for her," Boyd said prior to the start of the 2012 season.

Marshall tied her single-game career high with two goals in ASU's win at NAU (Aug, 24). She scored her third goal of the season at Missouri (Aug. 31), a game in which she also sustained a head injury that caused her to miss ASU's next two games -- at Kansas (Sept. 2) and vs. Houston (Sept. 7). She returned for ASU's contest against No. 10 Pepperdine and scored the only goal of the game in ASU's 1-0 upset of the Waves. She was named the MVP of the Cats Classic hosted by the University of Arizona after scoring a goal in both of ASU's games -- vs. LMU (Sept. 14) and vs. FIU (Sept. 16).

Currently leading ASU in points (14) and tied for the team lead in goals (6), Farquharson has proven to be one of the top freshmen in the Pac-12 this season. As of Sept. 29, Farquharson leads all Pac-12 freshmen in points per game (1.4 - 5th overall in the Pac-12) and goals per game (0.6 - sixth overall in the Pac-12). 

Farquharson tied Marshall with two goals in ASU's 4-0 win at NAU (Aug. 24). She added her third goal of the season in ASU's 2-2 tie at Kansas (Sept. 2). One week later she assisted on Marshall's game-winning goal in ASU's 1-0 upset of then-No. 10 Pepperdine (Sept. 9). After going scoreless in ASU's next three games, Farquharson would break out with a virtuoso performance in ASU's 5-4 double overtime win over USC (Sept. 28). With Marshall out of the lineup, Farquharson provided the Sun Devil offense with a spark -- and then some -- as she tied the school record with three goals and also added an assist. She became the third Sun Devil in school history to accomplish the feat and the second one to do it as a freshman (former Sun Devil Patrice Feulner, who is currently an associate director in ASU's Office of Student-Athlete Development, scored three goals in back-to-back games as a freshman in 2000).

"[Cali is a special player] and she needs a mindset where she should believe that she is going to score every game," Boyd said following the USC game. "It is something she is capable of and she has that ability."

NEW CAST MEMBERS

Fourteen of the 31 players on ASU's roster are new members of the team in 2012. Of the 14 newcomers, 11 are freshmen to go along with three student-athletes who transferred into the program. Add redshirt freshmanChandler Morris to the mix and nearly half the team (15 of 31) is comprised of players who did not play in a game for ASU prior to this season. 

The Sun Devils have had seven players who have made the first start of their respective ASU careers thus far, including six true freshman - McKenzie Berryhill, Nina Brueggemann, Cali Farquharson, Tommi Goodman,Christina Schedel and Sara Tosti. 

INTERNATIONAL FLAVOR

Among the incoming freshmen this year are Nina Brueggemann from Pinneberg, Germany and Christina Schedel who is from Rosenheim, Germany. 

Brueggemann and Schedel are the first international players on ASU's roster team since Kylla Sjoman(Canada), who graduated in 2008.

Both Brueggemann (10 games/8 starts) and Schedel (9 games/9 starts) have been two of ASU's primary starters on the Sun Devils' backline in 2012. Schedel recorded her first career assist and goal in ASU's 2-2 tie at Kansas (Sept. 2).

OFFENSIVE NOTES

• Currently with 13 career goals, junior Devin Marshall needs two more goals to move into a tie for 10th place with former Sun Devil Courtney Crane (2003-04, 06-07) on ASU's all-time list. 

• Junior Holland Crook scored the first goal of her career (via PK) in ASU's 3-0 win over LMU (Sept. 14) at the Cats Classic in Tucson. She followed that with another goal in ASU's ensuing game against FIU (Sept. 16). For her performance in the two games, Crook, who also tallied an assist both contests, was named to the Cats Classic All-Tournament Team.

• Senior Courtney Tinnin leads the team in assists with four. She recorded a single-game school-record-tying two assists in ASU's 3-0 win over FIU (Sept. 16). Tinnin, who tied for second on the team in points (14), was second in goals (4) and tied for first in assists (6) in 2009, did not play in 2010 due to a knee injury sustained in the spring of 2010. After missing the first eight games 2011 rehabbing the injury, Tinnin returned and ended up tying for the team lead in assists (3). She scored her first goal of the 2012 season in ASU's 5-4 double overtime win vs. USC (Sept. 28).

• Senior Taylor McCarter scored her third career goal in ASU's 3-0 win over LMU (Sept. 4). The shot on which McCarter scored against LMU was only the 27th of her career. "That's great [for Taylor]," Boyd said of McCarter's goal vs. LMU. "She does so much for our team. Her getting in the attack and scoring goals is really not the role she plays because she is so far from goal. She is more our playmaker, the one that connects and wins a lot of balls for us. Scoring goals is rare and I'm really happy when she gets them."

• Senior Miah Mollay scored her fourth career goal in ASU's 3-0 win over FIU (Sept. 16).

• ASU has registered double-digit shot totals in eight of its 11 games, including 20 or more on four occasions.

• During their earlier three-game winning streak, the Sun Devils had a 31-8 advantage in shots on goal.

• Tommi Goodman's first career goal was a game winner (ASU's 5-4 2OT win vs. USC on Sept. 28). 

DEFENSIVE NOTES

• ASU's streak of three straight shutouts earlier this season was its longest such streak since the 2008 season. 

• Currently with four shutouts in 2012, redshirt freshman goalkeeper Chandler Morris needs one more shutout to move into ASU's top 10 list for most shutouts in a season.

• ASU's starting backline has included three freshmen in the majority of its games thus far -- McKenzie Berryhill (nine starts), Nina Brueggemann (eight starts), Christina Schedel (nine starts), Sara Tosti (six starts). 

• Junior defender Jasmine Roth has started 47 of 49 career games, including all 11 this season.

TOUGH ROAD

The Sun Devils started the 2012 season with five straight games on the road. ASU kicked off its slate with games at CSUN (Aug. 17) and San Diego State (Aug. 19) before traveling to Flagstaff, Ariz., to face in-state foe Northern Arizona (Aug. 24).  ASU then traveled to the Midwest the following week for contests at Missouri (Aug. 31) and at Kansas (Sept. 2). Overall, ASU has played eight of its first 11 games away from home. 

Each of ASU's next three games are against teams that finished their non-conference slate among the top 5 in the Pac-12 - vs. UCLA (Oct. 1 - first), at Washington State (Oct. 5 - third) and at Washington (Oct. 7 - fourth).

ACADEMIC SUCCESS

On the academic side, the Sun Devils have earned 59 Pac-10/12 All-Academic awards in Kevin Boyd's five seasons, including 16 first-team members and nine second-team members. ASU's 13 first-team commendations the last three seasons (2009-11) are the most of any school in the Pac-12 during that span. In addition, the Sun Devils have three student-athletes -- Kaitlyn Pavlovich, Jasmine Roth and Sarah Van Horn, who are currently enrolled in ASU's prestigious Barrett Honors College.

In June 2012, Sun Devil Soccer was among three ASU teams recognized by the NCAA for recording an Academic Progress Rate (APR) in the top 10 percent nationally.

LEPEILBET HELPS USA WIN GOLD AT OLYMPICS

Former Sun Devil soccer player Amy LePeilbet helped the U.S. capture the gold medal at the London Olympics this past August.

LePeilbet, a 2004 graduate of ASU (B.A. in Sociology, Magna Cum Laude), started in five of the team's six matches at the London Olympics, including the gold medal game against Japan.

A member of the national team since 2004, LePeilbet was one of the cornerstones of the Sun Devil Soccer program as ASU advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament three times in her four years (2000-03).

A two-time All-American and three-time All-Pac-10 Conference first-team selection, LePeilbet did not miss a start in her four years at ASU, playing in 74 career games.

LePeilbet, who was also a two-time Academic All-American, is one of just four Sun Devils to earn a team sport gold medal, joining Justin Huish (archery in 1996), Joe Caldwell (men's basketball in 1964) and James Harden (men's basketball in 2012).