By Tressa Girodo
Arizona Daily Wildcat
September 8, 1997

Soccer falters in second half, remains winless against ASU

Ian Mayer Arizona Daily Wildcat Arizona freshman midfielder Lisa Haralambie (20) is pulled down by ASU midfielder Kerrie Kulak (18) in Friday's home opener. The Wildcats are still winless against ASU in the team's three year existance.

The stage was set.

The Wildcats went into Friday night's home opener unbeaten, full of confidence and ready to finally gain the team's first victory against in-state rival Arizona State.

Then reality hit, and the Arizona women's soccer team fell once again to ASU, this time by a score of 2-1. The Wildcats are now 0-3 against ASU lifetime.

The Wildcats played well in the first half and led the Sun Devils at one point 1-0.

Sophomore mid-fielder Sara Field scored her second goal of the season off of a cross from freshman forward Kate Nighswander-Will. Sophomore mid-fielder Krista Bogden brought the ball up the field and kicked it out to Nighswander-Will, who then crossed the ball into a crowd in the eighteen-yard box.

The ball popped out of the crowd and Field was there to capitalize, putting the ball past ASU freshman goalkeeper Erin Reinke, nineteen minutes into the game.

The Sun Devils only had spurts of offense in the first half and things looked good for the Wildcats, but the second half was entirely different. The Sun Devils came out firing, outshooting the Wildcats 12-4.

"In the second half we didn't give any pressure," UA head coach Lisa Fraser said.

ASU's first goal came 26 minutes into the second half, as freshman defender Jaclyn Clark scored her first goal of the season off of a cross from sophomore forward Sarah Blaska.

Ian Mayer Arizona Daily Wildcat ASU midfielder Antoinette Marjanovic (9) beats out UA freshman forward Elena Galvan (19) for a header. ASU defeated Arizona 2-1 in Friday night's home opener at Murphy Stadium.

"Our breakdowns came from not talking during the transition," Arizona freshman goal keeper Inger Airheart said. "We just didn't get organized quick enough."

Although the Wildcats led after the first 20 minutes, Fraser knew the team wasn't in complete control.

"At halftime we altered the defense because we needed to drop more to defend the long balls," Fraser said. "We were not marking well during the first half."

Unfortunately it was a defensive mix-up inside the box that allowed ASU freshman forward Karine Inoue to put the Sun Devils up 2-1, with seven minutes left in the match and the score tied at one

"In the second half we came out ready to play, after adjusting the attacking third (offense)," ASU assistant coach Jennifer Haigh said.

With Friday night's loss the Wildcats fall to 2-1 overall and 0-1 in the Pacific 10 Conference, while Arizona State improves to 3-0 overall and 1-0 in the Pac-10.

The loss to rival ASU may seem disappointing, but UA coaches are optimistic.

"This is only one game of the season. I am not disappointed, we played a great game," Fraser said.