No. 9 TCU soccer maintained its spot atop the Big 12 conference standings with a 2-1 win on the road over Arizona State this past Sunday. For the 10th time this season, the Horned Frogs came away with a win in a one-goal
game, showing composure under pressure and an ability to find a way to win on the road. The Horned Frogs moved to 8-1-1 in conference play and 14-2-1 overall with the win.
TCU created the first two chances of the game with a shot on goal from Kamdyn Fuller in the third minute and a shot on goal from Sydney Becerra in the fourth minute, both of which were saved by the Arizona State goalkeeper. Arizona State took a corner kick in the sixth and seventh minutes, both of which were defended well by TCU. Star forward Seven Castain had a couple of chances with shots in the 10th and 12th minutes that both missed the net.
Becerra recorded a shot in the 16th minute before Emma Yolinsky had a great chance with a shot on goal that was saved by the Sun Devil goalkeeper. Morgan Brown finally opened the scoring in the 38th minute with an excellent header off of a broken play with Kaela Martinez picking up the assist. Marli Galdamez came close to doubling the lead in the 38th minute with a shot that missed high and neither team recorded another shot in the first half. The Frogs controlled the first half, not allowing a shot on goal and recording 11 total shots.
TCU started the second half aggressively with shots from Becerra and Fuller, both in the 48th minute. Arizona State was called for a yellow card in the 52nd minute leading to a shot from Castain that was deflected out of bounds and a corner kick for the Horned Frogs. The Sun Devils moved the ball out of their end for a few seconds before TCU created another two chances with a shot on goal from Becerra in the 55th minute and a shot on goal from Castain in the 56th minute.
Then, in the 60th minute, Cameron Patton launched a cross into the box that deflected off of an Arizona State defender into the goal. Patton was credited with the goal and TCU took a 2-0 lead early in the second half. Arizona State responded with a goal in the 67th minute to cut the lead in half. ASU recorded another shot on goal in the 76th minute that was handled well by Olivia Geller for the Frogs. Hannah Harms then attempted a shot in the 79th minute for the Frogs that missed right.
Harms and Martinez then both attempted shots in the 81st minute that missed the net. Yolinski created a dangerous chance in the 83rd minute with a shot on goal that was saved by the ASU goalkeeper. Arizona State looked for an equalizer in the 83rd minute with a shot on goal that was saved by Geller for TCU. The Horned Frog defense did well to limit Arizona State the rest of the way as the Sun Devils did not record another shot the rest of the game.
The Frogs have a chance to clinch their second straight Big 12 regular season title in the last game of the regular season against Houston in Fort Worth on Thursday, Oct. 30 at 7 p.m.
