TUCSON, Ariz. — Friday's soccer game was likely the final game of an illustrious career for senior forward Cali Farquharson, but at least she went out in style.
In the annual Territorial Cup match, ASU soccer dominated rival Arizona 4-1. Farquharson finished the game with the third hat trick of her career, cementing her place in Sun Devil lore.
Farquharson is second in school history with 44 career goals, six behind the record set by ASU Athletics Hall of Famer Stacey Tullock.
"It was so hard this year looking at her sitting out so many games," ASU head coach Kevin Boyd said. "She's had a spectacular career as a whole."
It didn’t take long for ASU to get the edge on their arch rivals as Farquharson scored in the very first minute of the match.
Farquharson got ahead of the defense on the break while staying onside, receiving a perfect through ball from redshirt senior midfielder Mackenzie Semerad.
The goal marked No. 42 in the career of Farquharson, a fitting but unintentional tribute to late Sun Devil football icon Pat Tillman on what would have been his 39th birthday.
Farquharson said she was coming into the game trying to achieve her eventual hat trick.
"(Before the game) I was visualizing myself scoring three goals," Farquharson said. "I got the opportunities, and I finished them."
Arizona had the Sun Devils (9-8-1) on their heels for a large part of the first half, but they responded in the 37th minute with a second goal to extend their lead.
After three consecutive corners, a cross from senior defender Sara Tosti found the feet of sophomore forward Aly Moon, who played the ball in the air toward her left and into the six yard box. The ball found senior defender McKenzie Berryhill's head and she sent it home, giving ASU a 2-0 lead.
At a later stage in the game, Berryhill taunted the Arizona crowd by putting her hand up to her ear after the fans expressed displeasure with a foul call. It was an emotionally charged match at sold out Mulcahy Soccer Stadium.
Boyd said he loved the turnout and emotions of a game like this.
"There was a lot of people here, it was loud, and that's tremendous," Boyd said.
The Sun Devils went into the half with that two score lead intact, but still trailed the Wildcats (12-5-2) in shots by a margin of 6-3.
In the second half, the Cali Farquharson show continued in grand fashion.
Much like in the first half of play, it took roughly a minute for Farquharson to put the ball in the back of the net.
On a volley pass from Semerad, Farquharson burst through the Wildcat back line and struck the ball powerfully with her left foot, escaping the reach of Arizona's goalkeeper and giving the Sun Devils a 3-0 advantage.
Farquharson said her team badly wanted this win.
"We all had the mentality to come out and just play our hardest," Farquharson said. "We were confident, and we were calm."
The 51st minute was where Farquharson continued her onslaught, scoring her third goal of the match to complete the hat trick.
With the ball on the left side of the field, redshirt junior midfielder Lucy Lara played it forward to a streaking Farquharson.
After gaining possession in stride, Farquharson casually smacked the ball with her left foot once again and it rocketed into the right side of the net, out of the grasp of the Arizona keeper.
With a 4-0 lead and all the momentum on their side, ASU conceded its first and only goal of the game in the 59th minute.
On the volley, Arizona senior defender Hayley Estopare headed the ball past Morris for the only score of the game on nine shot attempts by the Wildcats.
ASU redshirt senior goalkeeper Chandler Morris said she wants that goal back.
"I don't like getting scored on, so it's a little bittersweet for me," Morris said. "But the team played great and it was nice to be out on the field with everyone. Every game is special."
For the remaining 31 minutes of the match, both teams had ample opportunities to score but couldn't cash in.
Farquharson left the game, and perhaps the ASU soccer program, for the final time in the 78th minute after coming up limping on a challenge. The moment was palpable, representing how Farquharson suffered through injuries throughout her senior campaign.
Farquharson came up just short of a school record and, more than likely, a postseason berth in her final season as a Sun Devil.
The victory over a ranked Arizona team gets ASU above .500, but a massive boost in the RPI is likely needed for the Sun Devils to have any sort of chance at participating in the NCAA tournament.
Boyd said that regardless, this win feels great.
"We finished tied for sixth in the Pac-12, and we had a really good finish to conference play," Boyd said. "Cali got a hat trick, which is tremendous when you're playing your rival in the last game of the year.
"What a wonderful way for her to go out," Boyd said.
Reach the reporter at rclarke6@asu.edu or follow @RClarkeASU on Twitter.
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