- Slug: Sports-Soccer Player Stranded, 1,580 words.
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By Harrison Campbell
Special for Cronkite News
PHOENIX – When Pac-12 women’s soccer starts play in the spring, Arizona State could be without veteran midfielder Lara Barbieri. The ASU senior is from Monte Mor, São Paulo, Brazil, where she’s currently stranded, unable to return to the United States because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Barbieri has been in Brazil since March, when she flew home after spring break and ASU pivoted to remote learning. For nearly 10 months, she has been waiting and hoping U.S. travel restrictions will be lifted, and she can return to Tempe, her second home. She has even contemplated returning to the U.S. through Mexico, but for the moment all she can do is wait and hope.
There was a period of time where many thought a 2021 women’s college soccer season wouldn’t happen after it was postponed last fall. That changed when the NCAA announced in September that the season would begin Feb. 3. For now, Barbieri is like everyone else – crossing her fingers and scanning for updates.
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