Rocky Balboa chased a chicken around a pen for agility training. He looked ridiculous falling over something running aimlessly. This is a good metaphor for the way Arizona played against Arizona State on Thursday night in a 2-1 win.

This season Arizona has been able to show their talent on the field. Their attack against the California and Washington schools has been organized and fast, but during the Thursday nights game against ASU, Arizona was unable to do so. 

The Sun Devils packed the midfield and dropped their defense deep. The Wildcats didn’t keep shape very well, and were frequently out of position. Arizona was forced to play to feet, because the mayhem and congestion that was Arizona State left little room for the Wildcats to make runs. They were also falling, much like Rocky, because of how physical ASU played. The referee let a lot of contact go, much to the disliking of the rowdy crowd. 

Arizona looked like it did earlier in the season against FGCU and Texas Tech with high pressure, and much more possession than their opponent. UA, much like against Texas Tech and FGCU, couldn’t get off threatening shots. The ‘Cats managed to outshoot ASU 15-8, but didn’t for ASU goalkeeper Nikki Panas to make tough saves. UA did have multiple dangerous corners, but the ball fell into the space Arizona wasn’t in.

Arizona finishes the regular season with a record of 10-4-4. They also set a school record with seven Pac-12 wins. The Wildcats find out who they play next on Monday, Nov. 6.

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