TUCSON, Ariz. – Cali Farquharson scored two goals and Holland Crook and Sara Tosti added one goal each to lead the Arizona State women’s soccer team to a 4-0 win over Southern Utah on Sunday in the Cats Classic hosted by the University of Arizona.
After failing to score for the first time this season in Friday’s 1-0 overtime loss to No. 24 Texas Tech, the Sun Devils (5-2) responded by tying their season high in goals scored while posting their third shutout of the season.
“Southern Utah had a good game plan and played us in the same system as Texas Tech did on Friday to try and cause us problems,” said ASU head coach Kevin Boyd. “We changed our system and played better after we did that.”
Despite the adjustment, Boyd acknowledged that the Sun Devils still did not have the same zip they had the first few weeks of the season.
“Our struggle this weekend I think was about us,” Boyd explained. “We were fatigued and lacked energy and our thoughts and our touches were off. It showed Friday night and it showed today. Southern Utah made it difficult for us and so credit to them, but at times we made it really hard on ourselves. I’m really happy we got the win today. I’m glad we scored some goals. I want us to go back and find our energy and our legs and get our game back on the field.”
Farquharson and Devin Marshall teamed up for the game’s first goal in the 13th minute when Marshall played in Farquharson, who got behind Southern Utah’s defense. Farquharson took Marshall’s pass and sent a shot past Thunderbird goalkeeper Elyssa Hashimoto to give ASU the early lead.
Farquharson would help set up ASU’s next goal in the 30th minute when a Southern Utah defender grabbed her jersey in the penalty area as she was trying to get a touch during a Sun Devil set piece. Crook would drill the ensuing penalty kick, her first goal of the season, to extend ASU’s lead to 2-0.
Crook, who came into this week’s action ranked fourth in the nation in assists, recorded her sixth assist of the season in 69th minute when she set up Tosti’s second goal of the season. Crook headed the ball to Tosti who was a step ahead of two Thunderbird defenders. Tosti took Crook’s pass in stride and then flicked the ball from just inside the box over Hashimoto’s reach for the goal.
Farquharson would close out the scoring in the 77th minute when she took a pass from Jasmine Roth 10 yards past midfield, then cut in-between two defenders and raced toward the goal before lacing a shot from the top of the box into the back of the net for her team leading ninth goal of the season.
For Farquharson, who had her school record of scoring at least one goal in eight consecutive games (going back to last season) come to an end in Friday’s loss vs. Texas Tech, Sunday’s outing represented the third time this season that she scored two goals in a game.
After three consecutive two-game weekends, the Sun Devils will have back-to-back weeks in which they will play only one game, starting with Friday’s non-conference finale against Boise State. ASU will then open Pac-12 play the following week (Sun., Sept. 29) when it hosts USC.
“We need a break, we need the rest,” said Boyd. “Having only one game each of the next two weekends will be really good for us.”
Game time for Friday’s contest vs. Boise State at Sun Devil Soccer Stadium is 4:30 p.m. The game can be seen live on Pac-12 Networks.
