A new conference leads to new opportunities for ASU women's soccer heading into its first Big 12 season.
The Sun Devils hold a 5-0-2 record after wrapping up their successful nonconference schedule. ASU has relied on a high-powered offense to breeze past opponents before a challenging inaugural Big 12 match tomorrow.
The Sun Devils are riding a huge momentum swing courtesy after a thrilling 2-1 victory over Utah Tech. Trailblazer Emily Garbett hit a free kick from 40 yards out in the 86th minute to tie the game, threatening to end ASU's nonconference schedule on a sour note.
However, junior forward Cameron Valladares scored the game-winning goal in the 90th minute to send the Trailblazers back up north in defeat.
The former UA Wildcat ensured just the second undefeated nonconference start in program history. The last time ASU went undefeated in nonconference play was the 2022 season at 3-0-2. The Sun Devils' streak has set them up well heading into their new conference.
"There's been a ton of energy in the squad," freshman forward Kierra Blundell said. "If we were going to come off with a tie, I think we would have gotten down on ourselves a bit. So to get that win when Cam scored last week, that was huge for us."
Despite the impressive undefeated nonconference stretch, the Sun Devils' strength of schedule has been far from the toughest they've faced. ASU has dominated opponents like Wagner 6-0, LSU 5-2 and Penn 3-0.
ASU is preparing to face off against preseason Big 12 favorite BYU on Sept. 12 in the first leg of the team's three-game road trip. The Sun Devils will then face Houston and UCF.
"As our first game in the Big 12 to face a team like that (and) win, it'll make a big statement, and then it'll carry on to the rest of the games," Blundell said.
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ASU has already received votes to be nationally ranked, but a win over BYU, ranked third in the preseason polls, could boost the team's resume. The Cougars don't boast a pretty record at just 2-3-2, but have faced ranked opponents in five out of their seven matches.
"They've played a lot of great opponents," ASU head coach Graham Winkworth said. "They're a great team themselves and even though their record might not look as flashy as it has done in the past, they played very different teams than we played."
ASU can learn a lot from BYU's previous contests if they believe themselves to be on the level of the Cougars' previous opponents. As always, the challenge for the Sun Devils begins on the defensive end of the pitch.
"I think that they are very good on the counterattack and taking on one-on-ones," senior defender Lauren Kirberg said. "I think all of our defenders here are good one-on-one defenders and we can handle that."
On the other side of the ball, the team will rely on junior midfielder Enasia Colon, Valladares and Blundell to lead the offensive attack. ASU outscored its opponents 19-4 with five multi-goal games and four shutouts in nonconference play and is looking to build on that dominance in the Big 12.
"Me, Cam and Enasia, I love playing with both of them," Blundell said. "Whenever one goes in, the other one goes out and we kind of just know where each other are … but we put it there, and we trusted the other person."
Blundell's emergence has been a key factor in the Sun Devil's hot start and her presence on the pitch against BYU will be pivotal to ASU's chances of victory. She added that counterattacking will be an important part of their game plan and they must "take chances" once they get the ball in the attacking third.
BYU's style of play will put the Sun Devils to the test. Winkworth said that the Cougars' confidence means they don't change their identity regardless of which 11 players they square off against.
"They don't really change the way they play … (They're) going to be a 4-4-2 diamond," Winkworth said. "We can't be overwhelmed … we've got to make it a difficult atmosphere for them, rather than us."
Edited by Jack Barron, Abigail Beck and Madeline Schmitke.
Reach the reporter at pvallur2@asu.edu
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Pratham is a sophomore studying sports journalism with a minor in business. This is his second semester with The State Press.Â
