Women's Soccer | November 17, 2018

THIS WEEK - The No. 6 USC women's soccer team continues NCAA Tournament play with a third round matchup against No. 5 Florida State in Tallahassee. The winner will host either Penn State or Wake Forest in the NCAA Quarterfinals.
 
GAME 22 -  No. 6 USC (17-2-2) at No. 5 Florida State (17-4-2) - Nov. 18, 10 a.m. PT/1 p.m. ET (Tallahassee, Fla.)
 
HOW TO FOLLOW - Sunday's game will be streamed on the WatchESPN app. Links to the broadcast and live stats will be available on the USC soccer schedule page at USCTrojans.com. Fans can also follow @USC_Wsoccer on Twitter for in-game updates all season long.
 
SOCIAL MEDIA - Keep up with everything USC soccer this year by following the Trojans on all of their social media platforms. You can follow @USCWsoccer on Instagram and @USC_Wsoccer on Twitter, and like USC Women's Soccer on Facebook.
 
THE TOURNAMENT SO FAR -

• USC opened NCAA Tournament play with with the most dominant postseason win in program history, beating Long Beach State 6-0 at home. It was the largest margin of victory and the most goals the Trojans have scored in USC history. The Trojans had six different players score in the game and has five players with at least a goal and an assist.
• The Trojans followed that up with a 2-0 win over No. 19 LSU on Friday, cruising to the victory courtesy of goals by Savannah DeMelo and Tara McKeown, along with another dominant defensive performance.

 
POSTSEASON DRAW - The Trojans drew a No. 4 seed in the NCAA Tournament after finishing the year 15-2-2. USC was ranked No. 6 in the final regular season Coaches Poll and eighth in RPI. The Trojans are one of five Pac-12 teams in the NCAA Tournament this year.
 
POSTSEASON HISTORY -

• The Trojans are making their fifth straight NCAA Tournament appearance and the 17th overall appearance for the program. USC has never missed the postseason under Head Coach Keidane McAlpine.
• USC has won two National Championships in its history, grabbing the 2007 and 2016 titles. The Trojans were the first Pac-12 program to win a title in 2007 and the 2016 championship under McAlpine made USC the first Pac-12 program to win multiple titles.
• The Trojans are making their fifth appearance in the third round of the tournament on Sunday.

 
MATCHUP WITH FSU - USC and Florida State have played six times in their history, with FSU holding a 3-2-1 lead all-time. The teams met earlier this season, playing to a scoreless draw in Tallahassee. The 2007 matchup with the teams was the most notable as the Trojans and Seminoles played in the National Title Game that year, with USC coming out with the championship thanks to a 2-0 victory.
 
PAC-12 AWARDS - Seven Trojans were honored with the release of the Pac-12 postseason awards this week, highlighted by Kaylie Collins being named Pac-12 Goalkeeper of the Year and Penelope Hocking being named Pac-12 Freshman of the Year. Collins, Ally Prisock, Leah Pruitt and Savannah DeMelo all earned All Pac-12 first team, Hocking and Julia Bingham earned second team honors and Tara McKeown was named to the third team. Hocking was also on the All-Freshman squad.
 
SEASON NOTABLES

• The Trojans are outscoring opponents 56-10 this season, the second best goal differential in the Pac-12. They are outshooting opponents 417-178 this year.
• USC's 15 shutouts are the 2nd most in a season in program history. Only the 2016 Trojans had more shutouts with 17.
• USC has only trailed for a total of 18 minutes (18:35) in a game this year (vs. San Diego) and at the end of the Stanford and UCLA games.
• The Trojans had a scoreless streak of 432 minutes snapped against Stanford, a 441 minute scoreless streak earlier in the year snapped against San Diego and a season-best 498 minute scoreless streak snapped against UCLA.
• USC is 4-2-1 against ranked opponents.
• 17 so far wins are the third most in program history. Only the 2007 (20 wins) and 2016 (19 wins) national title teams had more.

 
WEEKLY HONORS

• Kaylie Collins - Pac-12 Goalkeeper of the Week (Aug. 27-Sept. 2) - 2 shutouts, 200 scoreless mins, 6 saves (T 0-0 at #4 Florida State, W 3-0 at #22 Florida)
• Ally Prisock - Top Drawer Soccer Team of the Week (Aug. 27-Sept. 2) - central defender for 200 scoreless minutes and 2 shutouts (T 0-0 at #4 Florida State, W 3-0 at #22 Florida)
• Savannah DeMelo - Top Drawer Soccer Team of the Week (Aug. 20-26) - 2 goals, 3 assists (W 6-1 vs. Cal Poly, W 5-0 at Pepperdine)
• Ally Prisock - Top Drawer Soccer  Team of the Week, honorable mention (Oct. 1-7) - central defender in a shutout of Arizona, also scored first career goal with the game-winner against the Wildcats (W 2-0 vs. Arizona, W 3-1 vs. ASU)
• Leah Pruitt - Pac-12 Offensive Player of the Week/TDS Team of the Week (Oct. 8-14) - 1 goal, 1 assist (game-winner) (W 3-2 at No. 19 WSU)
• Penelope Hocking - Pac-12 Offensive Player of the Week/TDS Team of the Week (Oct. 15-21) - 5 goals, hat trick vs. Oregon, brace vs. Oregon State (both 5-0 wins)
• Alea Hyatt - TDS Team of the Week (Nov. 5-11) - 1 goals, 2 assists (W, 6-0 vs. LBSU)

PRISOCK FILE

• Ally Prisock has started every game for the Trojans since coming to Troy in 2015, a total of 89 so far, which is the program's carrer starts record. She has a chance to break the career record for games played (91) as well.
• Has played all but 43 minutes as a central defender for the Trojans this season, leading USC to 15 shutouts.
• Scored her first career goal against Arizona (10/4) on a penalty kick.
• Notched her third career assist against San Diego, setting up the game-tying goal.
• Has helped lead the Trojans to what is on pace to be the best four-year defensive stretch in program history (0.428 goals against average).
• Was named to the preseason MAC Hermann Trophy watch list and Top Drawer Soccer's Preseason Best XI second team.
   

PRUITT FILE

• Leah Pruitt has 12 goals and 33 total points. She is the 6th player in program history to score at least 12 goals in a season and the 4th player with at least 33 points.
• 33 total points are tied for 1st in the Pac-12 and 14th in the NCAA.
• 12 goals are tied for 4th in the Pac-12.
• 9 assists are 6th in the Pac-12.
• Pruitt's team-leading 6 game-winning goals are 9th in the NCAA and lead the Pac-12.
• Posted career-high 5 points against Cal Poly, matching a career high with 2 goals in the game. Also had 5 points against Oregon State with two goals and an assist.
• Also had two-goal games on Senior Day against Long Beach State, and against Oregon State on October 18.
• Has six games with at least 3 points.
• Has 21 total assists for her career, tied for 5th with Carol Hatcher on the Trojans' all-time list.

DEMELO FILE

• Savannah DeMelo's 10 assists are 11th in the NCAA and tied for 3rd in the Pac-12.
• Leads the team in assists and is third in goals scored.
• 9 goals surpasses her career high of 6 from last season.
• Had a career-best 5 points against Pepperdine. Two goals against Pepperdine matched a career high.
• Has five games with at least a goal and an assist this year.
• Was named to the preseason MAC Hermann Trophy watch list.

 
HOCKING FILE

• Freshman Penelope Hocking's 13 goals are tied for 1st in the Pac-12 lead and 17th in the country.
• Her 32 points are 23rd in the NCAA and tied for 2nd in the conference.
• She is the 4th player in program history to score at least 13 goals in a season and the second freshman to do so.
• Her 6 assists are 4th on the team.
• Has 11 multi-point games in her first 19 collegiate contests.
• Notched a hat trick against Oregon.
• Scored her first two-goal game against Oregon State.
• Had a goal and assist against San Diego, Washington and UCLA, and had two assists against LBSU.

COLLINS FILE

• Kaylie Collins has started every game (21) in goal for the Trojans so far, this season.
• Her 10 solo-shutouts are 23rd in the NCAA and 1st in the Pac-12.
• Her 0.49 goals against average is 2nd in the Pac-12 and 11th in the NCAA.
• .855 save percentage is tops in the Pac-12.
• Has 17 career solo-shutouts, which is 4th on the program's career list.

 
INDIVIDUAL QUICK HITS

• Tara McKeown is tied for 7th in the Pac-12 with a career-high 7 assists this season and is 4th on the team with 6 goals.
• Ashleigh Plumptre's game-winner against Cal was her 4th career goal. 3 of her 6 career goals have been game-winners.
• Plumptre was named to the CoSIDA Academic All-District second team with a 3.76 GPA.
• Transfer Natalie Jacobs scored a goal in her Trojan debut against UC Irvine on her birthday (Aug. 16).
• Jacobs was named to Top Drawer Soccer's Preseason Best XI third team.
• Alea Hyatt posted a career high four points with a goal and two assists against LBSU in the Trojans' tournament opening win.

 
TEAM QUICK HITS

• USC's 15 shutouts are the most in the Pac-12.
• The Trojans' 0.46 goals against average is tied for first in the Pac-12.
• USC's 169 total points are tied for 1st in the Pac-12, 57 assists are also tops in the conference and 56 goals scored are second.
• The Trojans have won games by multiple goals 12 times this year.

 
2018 ROSTER AT-A-GLANCE - USC brings back a pair of All Pac-12 first-teamers in senior Ally Prisock and sophomore Savannah DeMelo, along with All Pac-12 second team honoree Leah Pruitt. DeMelo was also named to the Pac-12 All-Freshman Team along with fellow returners Tara McKeown and Kaylie Collins. The Trojans added the second-ranked recruiting class in the nation this offseason and bring in four highly-experienced transfers as well in Natalie Jacobs (Notre Dame), Megan McCashland (Notre Dame), Alea Hyatt (North Carolina) and Jessie Holmes (Florida).
 
ROSTER BREAKDOWN

• Returners: 16 / Newcomers: 11 (4 Transfers, 7 Freshmen) / Players lost: 11
• By class - GRAD: 2 / SR: 3 / JR: 5 (1 RS) / SO: 9 (3 RS) / FR: 8 (1 RS)
• By position - GK: 4 / DEF: 10 / MF: 9 / FWD: 7 (3 players listed at multiple positions)
• By home state - CA: 19 / WA: 2 / NV, MA, CO, NE, GA: 1 / England: 1

 
U-20 WORLD CUP - Four Trojans played for their U-20 National Teams at the U-20 World Cup this summer, with Savannah DeMelo, Tara McKeown and Penelope Hocking representing the U.S., and Ashley Soto playing for Mexico. DeMelo scored four times in three starts for the U.S., including a hat trick against Paraguay. McKeown got one start against Paraguay and Hocking appeared as a sub against Paraguay and Spain. Soto started all three games on the backline for Mexico.
 
LAST YEAR - The Trojans are coming off a 15-3-2 season in which they made it to the second round of the NCAA Tournament before falling to Baylor in penalty kicks. USC finished tied for second in the Pac-12 after losing only to UCLA and Stanford, and drawing with Utah, during conference play. The Trojans hosted Eastern Washington in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament, advancing with a 2-1 win.
 
TROJANS IN THE PROS - Trojan alums currently playing in the NWSL include Morgan Andrews (Seattle Reign), Sammy Jo Prudhomme (Houston Dash), Mandy Freeman, Katie Johnson (Sky Blue FC), Elizabeth Eddy (NC Courage), Samantha Johnson and Amy Rodriguez (Utah Royals FC). Several other Trojans are playing overseas professionally; Savannah Levin with Ko in Sweden, Alex Quincey with Medkila in Norway and Nicole Molen with MTK Hungary. Ashley Nick just recently became the first American (male or female) to sign with Juventus in Italy.