By Jourdan Rodrigue, Digital Communications Intern
There is a common misconception that “yin” and “yang” are opposing forces; that they battle each other and thus conceive balance.
In actuality, they are complementary forces that dually are the physical manifestation of balance. They are light and dark, sun and moon, and laughter and anger.
They are also Cali Farquharson and Devin Marshall.
The two forwards on the Sun Devil soccer team are indeed complementary forces that have combined to bring balance to the Sun Devils’ offense.
Marshall is the “yin” of the two. She has bright blonde hair and a muscled frame. Her voice is loud and to-the-point. She’s pure power and aggression when she plays.
“I’d rather go through someone than around them,” Marshall said. Her style is marked by fierce, straightforward play and protectiveness of her teammates that stems from looking after her younger siblings while growing up.
The senior was recently named CollegeSoccer360.com’s National Player of the Week and the Pac-12’s Offensive Player of the Week after tying her single-game career high with two goals in ASU’s wins over Illinois (Sept. 6) and Kansas (Sept. 8). She currently ranks sixth in the Pac-12 in both goals (.71) and points (1.71) per game.
“I like to score off headers,” said Marshall, who is eighth on ASU’s all-time list with 21 career goals. “I like to be aggressive and play with no fear. I want to score by any means necessary.”
Farquharson is the younger “yang” to Marshall’s “yin”.  She has a soft voice, dark hair and a long, lithe frame that allows her to be deceptively fast and slippery when she plays.
“Even when she gets hit by someone she still ends up with the ball somehow,” said Marshall of Farquharson.
“I had to be the best at footwork when I was younger,” said Farquharson. “I like to be creative and get around players.”
Farquharson led the team in goals (10) and points (24) as a freshman in 2012. This season she set the school record for most consecutive games with a goal (8), a streak that started last season. She enters this week’s action fourth in the nation in goals per game (1.29 – first in the Pac-12) and fifth in points per game (2.71 – first in the Pac-12). Currently with 19 career goals, Farquharson already ranks 10th on ASU’s all-time list for most career goals.
The two forwards have combined for 14 of ASU’s 18 goals this season. It’s obvious that they’re complementary, the physical manifestation of “teamwork”, but they’re also complimentary—of each other.
“Cali must be the best forward I’ve ever played with,” said Marshall. “[In the Illinois game], I saw her and didn’t even think to take the shot myself. I thought ‘get the ball to Cali.’”  (It was Marshall’s assist that allowed Farquharson to make the game-winning goal in ASU’s 4-3 double-overtime win).
“Devin is a badass,” added Farquharson. “She’s absolutely indispensable to our team. We need her; I look to her when I need to get some motivation, to get pumped up.”
So “yin” and “yang” will continue to create something special this season; a balance of power and skill that has helped the team achieve a 5-2 record so far this season.
The Sun Devils host Boise State on Friday at 4:30 p.m. at Sun Devil Soccer Stadium.