Live Stats for both matches will be provided through Stat Broadcast, while Sunday's match will be streamed through the Stanford Live Stream here.
QUICK KICKS...
• This past weekend, the Sun Devils opened Pac-12 play with an impressive, 2-1, win over Oregon State. In the outing, Jemma Purfield and Christina Edwards netted goals, while Nikki Panas anchored a defense that held the Beavers to 14 shots and one goal on the evening.
• In order to be the best, you have got to play the best, and Arizona State has done just that. The Sun Devils have accepted a huge challenge in the 2017 season. Entering the week, the Sun Devils' 2017 opponents have combined to post an incredible .661 win percentage, a mark that ranks eighth-nationally.
• Academic success has become a staple in the Sun Devil soccer culture. Since 2007 the Sun Devil soccer program leads the conference in the number of first-team awards (26) and the number of first- and second-team awards (42).
• Arizona State has proven this season they are willing to go the extra mile. In four of their nine matches played this season, the Sun Devils have found themselves playing in extra time, including one game going a full 110 minutes. In total, the Sun Devils have played 42-minuets of overtime soccer in 2017, almost a full extra half of game time on the year already.
• Freshman keeper Nikki Panas has emerged as a difference maker in goal for the Sun Devils this season. Panas has combined for two clean sheets in her nine games played for ASU. The Edmonton, Alberta, native has combined for 34 saves, anchoring a defense that checks in at No. 2 in the Pac-12 with 4.1 saves per game.
• The Sun Devils enter the weekend road slate with a road warrior mentality. ASU has amassed a 2-1-0 record in games away from Sun Devil Soccer Stadium, including a perfect 1-0-0 mark in true road tests this season.
PAC-12 REMAINS CLASS OF COLLEGIATE SOCCER...
Five Pac-12 teams held thier spot in this week's rankings as the league enters its second week of Conference play. No. 1 UCLA and No. 2 Stanford hold their places at the top of the United Soccer Coaches national Poll for the fourth straight week. USC jumped to No. 7 after tying No. 24 Utah, 0-0, last week. California edged closer to the top 10, climbing two spots to No. 11 after defeating Washington, 1-0, and extending its win streak to six matches. Pac-12 schools appear in the top five in the nation in 12 team statistical categories, which is the most of any Conference.
WHO'S THE NEW GIRL..
Through eight games of the 2017 season 23 different players have logged minutes for the Sun Devils. Of those 23 players, 10 are new to the roster in 2017, including Angela Boyle, Nikki Panas, Jemma Purfield and Olive Jones who are among the team leaders in minutes played this season. Of the 13 goals scored this season, seven have come from players who are new to the ASU roster in 2017.
PURFIELD TABBED TO MAC HERMANN WATCH LIST...
Junior Jemma Purfield has been tabbed as one of 30 NCAA Division I players named to the 2017 MAC Hermann Trophy Watch Lists, announced by the United Soccer Coaches (formerly the NSCAA) and the Missouri Athletic Club during the preseason. The MAC Hermann Trophy is the most prestigious individual award in college soccer and is presented annually to the most outstanding male and female players of the year. This year's winners will be announced Friday, Jan. 5, 2018 at the Missouri Athletic Club in St. Louis. Purfield, a Beverly, England, native, played the last two seasons under head coach Graham Winkworth at South Alabama where she led the Jaguars in goals (11) during the 2016 season en route to being named the Sun Belt Defensive Player of the Year, as well as overall Player of the Year honors.
ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE A WAY OF LIFE FOR SUN DEVIL SOCCER...
Thirteen Arizona State University women's soccer student-athletes were recognized by the Pac-12 for their work in the classroom as the conference announced its annual All-Academic teams following the 2016 season. Headlining ASU's 13 honorees was senior defender Madison Stark (4.00 GPA – Journalism and Mass Communication), who earned first-team recognition for the second consecutive season. Junior forward Jessica Raybe (3.86 – Exercise and Wellness) and sophomore forward Natalie Stephens (3.89 GPA – Supply Chain Management) earned second-team recognition. It was the second straight season that Raybe has earned second-team honors. Since 2007 the Sun Devil soccer program leads the conference in the number of first-team awards (26) and the number of first- and second-team awards (42).
IRON SHARPENS IRON...
The Sun Devils have accepted a huge challenge in the 2017 season. Entering the second week of conference play, the Sun Devils' 2017 opponents have combined to post an impressive .661 win percentage, a mark that ranks eighth-nationally. Looking ahead, however, the Sun Devils' remaining schedule has combined to post an incredible .756 win percentage, the second best remaining schedule in the country entering the week.
IN IT TO WIN IT...
While the Sun Devils enter the second week of conference play hovering around the .500 mark on the season, ASU has shown a ton of fight through the first part of the year. ASU enters the weekend with a decisive, 13-10, goals scored advantage over opponents through their first nine games of the season. The Sun Devils also lead opponents in shots, 143-101 (57-47 in shots on goal) and have earned 41 corner kick attempts thus far. All of this has added up to the Sun Devils being competitive in every game of their grueling schedule. Entering the weekend, ASU has scored in seven of their nine matches, and have not lost a contest by more than one goal all season long.