Cal vs Arizona State
Saturday, Sep. 22 | 1:00 PM PT | Edwards Stadium | Berkeley, Calif. 
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BERKELEY – Pac-12 play is finally here! The Cal women's soccer team kicks off conference this Saturday, hosting Arizona State at 1 p.m. PT at Edwards Stadium. The Golden Bears (4-3-1, 0-0-0 Pac-12) ended the non-conference campaign on a two-game unbeaten streak, playing UC Davis to a double-overtime draw their last time out. The Sun Devils (5-2-0, 0-0-0 Pac-12) head to Berkeley having won their last three matches, including a 1-0 win over Weber State on September 16 to close out non-conference play.

"We look forward every year to getting into conference play because we will be tested at the very highest level," said Bears' head coach Neil McGuire, the program's all-time wins leader. "Arizona State is a very good team. They are very well-coached and disciplined. They'll be a team we will have to be at our best against given all their talents."

The series between the Bears and Sun Devils has been tightly contested as of late, with the teams playing to a 1-1 double-overtime draw last season in Berkeley. Abi Kim gave Cal the lead in the 48^th minute, though the visitors responded in the 70^th minute as the teams played to a tie.

The 2018 campaign has seen Kim and classmate Kayla Fong lead the Bears' offense during the non-conference with three goals apiece. Senior Miranda Nild has two game-winners so far this season while junior Mia Corbin has three assists on the year, which ranks among the top-10 in the conference.

Contributions across the board have been a theme for the Bears this season, with nine different players finding the scoresheet. Paige Metayer, became the latest Bear to find the back of the net, scoring her first collegiate goal against UC Davis off an assist from Nild. Metayer is one of 10 newcomers for the Bears, who graduated six starters from last season's squad.

"We knew going into the season we had a lot to learn," said McGuire.  "Our young players have learned a great deal through the non-conference. Our hope is that those experiences will help us be more prepared for Pac-12 play."

Opening conference at home for the just the second time in the last six seasons, the Bears will look to continue their strong performances on home turf. Cal is 3-1-1 this season at home, with the lone loss coming in overtime against UC Santa Barbara.

FOLLOW THE ACTION
Live stats for Saturday's match against the Sun Devils will be available on CalBears.com, with in-game updates also available on the Bears' Twitter (@CalWSoc) and Instagram (@CalWSoc) accounts. 

LAST TIME OUT
The Golden Bears closed the non-conference campaign with a double-overtime draw against UC at Edwards Stadium. Cal opened the scoring in the 27th minute, as freshman Paige Metayer scored the first goal of her collegiate career. However, the Aggies leveled the score in the 60th minute as Emma Hasco scored off a free kick from 25 yards out. Neither team was able to find the back of the net again, as the Bears recorded their first draw of the 2018 season.

Coming off a come-from behind win on the road at Oklahoma their last time out, the Bears got on the scoreboard first when Nild beat her defender to the endline and crossed the ball into Metayer at the top of the six-yard-box. The 5'10" freshman from Irvine headed the ball back across the grain, beating Aggies' goalkeeper Alexis Smith to the far post. Metayer's header was one of few scoring chances for either team in the first half, with Cal and UC Davis combining for just five shots in the opening 45 minutes.

The second half saw the Bears open with a flurry of offensive activity, with both Nild and Fong getting good looks in on goal. However, the momentum swung towards the visitors in the 60^th minute when the Aggies were awarded a free kick 25 yards from goal. Hasco, a midfielder transfer from Penn State, lined up the free kick and drilled on past Cal goalkeeper Amanda Zodikoff, leveling the score at 1-1.

SCOUTING THE SUN DEVILS
Arizona State closed the non-conference slate on a three-game winning streak, winning all three matches via shutout. Coming off a 1-0 blanking of Weber State their last time out, the Sun Devils enter the weekend with a shutout streak of 311 minutes, last conceding in a 1-0 loss at Baylor on September 7. At 5-2-0, Arizona State has already matched its win total from the 2017 campaign.

Freshman Nicole Douglas has led Arizona State's offensive so far this season, scoring five goals on the year, including the game-winner her last time out against Weber State. The freshman from England is currently tied for third in the conference in scoring and has but 12 of her 19 shots this season on target. Senior Jemma Purfield, another English international, leads the team with a pair of assists.

Goalkeepers Sydney Davis and Nikki Panas have traded games in goal, each posting two shutouts on the year. Arizona State's defense has been among the stingiest in the conference so far this season, conceding just four goals on the year.
Head coach Graham Winkworth is in his second season in Tempe, coming off a successful four-year run at South Alabama. The Sun Devils finished 10^th in the Pac-12 table in 2017 and went 5-11-3 overall on the season.

NEXT UP
After Saturday's match with the Sun Devils, the Bears will remain in Berkeley for a pair of matches against Top-10 opponents. Cal hosts No. 3 USC at Noon PT on Thursday, September 27 before taking on 8^th-ranked UCLA at 3 p.m. PT on Sunday, September 30. Cal played both Los Angeles-based teams on the road last season, falling 1-0 to both schools in hard-fought affairs. Both matches will be broadcast live on Pac-12 Networks and are double-headers with the Cal men's soccer team.

2018 TICKETS
Tickets are available for sale for the 2018 Cal women's soccer season. Admission is $10 for adults,$5 for seniors, and $5 for youth. Cal students and staff receive free admission with a valid ID and entry is free for ages 13 and below Monday through Thursday. For more information on tickets or group rates, call the Gold Standard Sales and Service line at (800) GO BEARS (462-3277) or visit the CalBears.com ticket page.

STAY POSTED
Keep up-to-date on the Golden Bears throughout the year by following the team on Twitter (@CalWSoc), Instagram (@CalWSoc), and Facebook (Facebook.com/CalWSoc).