Home field advantage carries a lot of weight. It is no coincidence that teams generally prefer to play at their home fields before their home crowds.
On Friday, the Sun Devils s might want to try clicking their maroon cleats and wishing they were anywhere but home.
That is because Arizona State will square off against a No. 14 Cal women’s soccer squad that boasts a perfect road record. The teams will kick off at 1:00 p.m. on Friday at Sun Devil Soccer Field in Tempe, Ariz.
The Bears (11-3, 4-1 in Pac-12) enter the game riding a 6-0 road streak. Last weekend, the squad took down Colorado in a hard-fought overtime victory before toppling Utah in dominant fashion.
In the first few weeks of the season, the squad fluctuated in the national standings, creeping in and out of the top 25. However, in recent weeks Cal seems to have shaken off the cobwebs and launched a five-game winning streak.
“You never want to lose your first conference game,” midfielder Taylor Comeau said. “But we came together and decided it wasn’t the end of the world. We are a very strong team and we have showed that the last few games.”
Cal’s consistency is particularly impressive considering the intensity of the Pac-12. The conference is considered to be one of the most competitive in the country. The only two teams ahead of Cal in the standings are No. 2 Stanford and No. 3 UCLA.
While the conference’s prestige is a testament to the scale of Cal’s recent achievements, it also serves as a reminder that no opponent should be underestimated.
“In conference, every game is important,” Comeau said. “It doesn’t matter who you are playing, especially at this point in the season. Winning this game is crucial for us.”
Colorado, currently in last place in the Pac-12, forced Cal to come back from a two-point deficit and win in overtime last weekend.
Arizona State (6-7-1, 2-3 Pac-12) stands well ahead of Colorado in the middle of the conference standings and could easily challenge the Bears in similar fashion. In fact, the teams may be more evenly matched than the numbers imply.
“They are not going to back down or roll over easily,” said Comeau. “We can’t assume we are going to win because we are ranked higher in conference right now.”
Numbers can’t convey such threats as Arizona State’s junior striker Devin Marshall. Marshall shares the lead for Sun Devil goals at six this year, despite missing three recent games to injury.
Cal will look to counter this offensive threat with freshman forward Ifeoma Onumonu. Onumonu leads the Bears with eight goals and was named the Pac-12 Player of the Week after notching three goals and an assist in last weekend’s games.
Her offensive prowess will likely come into play against the Sun Devils, as the Bears look to extend their unblemished road record.
With her at the wheel, the Bears look to drive through Tempe with their road dominance intact.
Taylor Brink covers women’s soccer. Contact her at [email protected]
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