ASU women's soccer is off to a solid start to the 2016 season, but there's one glaring problem: The team still hasn't totally committed to a full-time goalkeeper.
The Sun Devils (5-2-1) were successful in out-of-conference play, so the team can still stay uncommitted for a little while longer, but Pac-12 play begins on Thursday against UCLA.
So far, the two main goalie contenders for ASU are redshirt junior Megan Delaney and freshman Emma Malsy.
Delaney started the first five games of the season, playing well until the game against the University of Denver when the Sun Devils lost 3-1.
From there, it's been Malsy in front of the net. In Malsy's first start, ASU lost 2-1 to the University of San Francisco, but she hasn't allowed a goal in the Sun Devils' last two wins.
Heading into the UCLA game on Thursday, Malsy will be the starting goalkeeper. That said, she doesn't have a huge leash.
"It's undecided. I mean, right now it's Emma's job to lose, and that's the way it goes," head coach Kevin Boyd said. "Just like in the beginning of the season it was Megan (Delaney). Megan was in there, she was doing a good job, there wasn't a reason to change. Then later in one of the games we were given a reason to change, and we made the change."
Essentially, coach Boyd is saying that the team is going to go with whoever is playing best now. However, there's no sign that Malsy is a lock to start in goal now that she has the job.
Consistency at the goalkeeper position is crucial for a soccer team. If the team has one goalie, then the rest of the players can get comfortable with the rhythms of their game and in sync with communication.
And while coach Boyd knows having a single goalie is ideal, he said that making adjustments is not always a bad idea.
"I definitely think you get comfortable with the goalkeeper behind you, with their communication style, how quickly they come off the line, their presence with air balls," Boyd said. "But I don't think that it's the end all that you can't make adjustments. You can.
"The team is going to work with whichever of the keepers happens to be in there, whoever is deemed the strongest, and we'll adjust accordingly."
Adjustments at keeper can be helpful at times, but in the end it's probably better to have someone back there who is the everyday keeper, to the point where a coach would not have to worry about making adjustments.
That's why this season for ASU soccer is a stark contrast from previous years.
Last season ASU had fifth year senior Chandler Morris in goal. Morris, who has since graduated, ended her career at ASU with the school record for career shutouts.
Morris may not have been the best goalie in the country, but she was a consistent keeper for multiple seasons in Tempe, and right now that's what the Sun Devils are missing.
In the last game the Sun Devils played, Malsy had a good performance, as ASU won 2-0 over Cal State Fullerton.
FINAL: ASU 2-0 Cal State Fullerton pic.twitter.com/0M7AJhf6XT
— Sun Devil Soccer (@ASUSoccer) September 17, 2016
Good games against lower competition is one thing, and having a solid goalkeeper during higher level Pac-12 play should be high on the list for ASU soccer.
Current starter Malsy says that a single keeper would boost team chemistry.
"Having one goalkeeper solid throughout the Pac-12 definitely builds team chemistry and obviously the further you get into the season and you stick with one keeper, you're going to have more chemistry between the keeper and the back line," Malsy said.
Reach the columnist at mpharri7@asu.edu or follow @Harris_Mark7 on Twitter.
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