2021 Sun Devil Lacrosse Season Preview

2021 Sun Devil Lacrosse Schedule Released | Lacrosse Facilities Undergo Major Upgrades

Sun Devil Lacrosse gets ready to open the 2021 season on Sunday at 1 pm MST when they take on San Diego State at Sun Devil Soccer/Lacrosse Stadium. To get you ready for the second year of the Tim McCormack era, here is a closer look at the roster and schedule: 
 
GOALKEEPERS
Berkeley Bonneau returns to Sun Devil Lacrosse, having started 43 games in her illustrious career. Bonneau will once again be the featured goalkeeper, boasting an impressive resume in her first three seasons in net. She has won 16 games and accumulated 421 saves, while also adding 148 ground balls and 23 caused turnovers. Her activity and style of play cause opposing offenses fits, as she acts almost as an additional defender for the Sun Devils. Bonneau has 26 career double-digit save performances and was named the Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Week in March of last season.
 
Coach McCormack has built plenty of depth behind Bonneau, including sophomore Lindsey Spies. She gained valuable experience in goal last season, seeing action in three games while logging 64 minutes. Spies made seven saves and showed flashes of her quickness and instincts which earned her the playing time behind Bonneau. 
 
Campbell Poe was one of five Sun Devils to announce their return to Tempe in June, much to the delight of Sun Devil Lacrosse fans. Poe has two years of playing experience and sets an example with her hard work on and off the field. She made the 2020 Pac-12 Academic Honor Roll thanks to a 4.18 GPA last Spring. 
 
Freshman Flynn Murphy is added to the mix this season, arriving from Matthews, North Carolina. Murphy has been taking advantage of being a part of a veteran group that pushes and learns from each other. She has impressed in practices and gives a challenging look to attackers and midfielders in practice.
 
DEFENDERS
The defender unit is arguably one of the most improved on the team since the start of the Coach McCormack era. With the system installed and an identity established, the group is excited about what they are capable of.
 
Juniors Mallory Martel and Olivia Kroah provide a veteran presence, having played in a combined 47 games over the past two seasons. They set the tone on the defense side of the ball, an area where the Sun Devils vastly improved in last season. Martel has started 18 games, collected 26 ground balls, and caused 19 turnovers. Kroah started all eight games last season, coming on strong after a fantastic offseason. She finished with 13 ground balls and was a steady force on the back end.
 
Hanna Schuler, Sydney Payne, and Mackenzie Hovsepian have now been with the program for several years and are key parts of a competitive environment. They know the expectations and the culture at Arizona State and have accelerated the improvement of their teammates. Sophomore Lindy Webb has a year under her belt and looks to battle for more playing time this season. 
 
Four freshmen join the group, including Bella Gaspar and Gigi Gaspar from British Columbia, Canada. The duo has made a transition to defender and have made extreme progress, now factoring into the rotation. Their ability to quickly pick up the scheme is what has allowed them to flourish, giving the coaching staff even more depth at the position. 
 
The Gaspars are joined by fellow talented first year players Kaitlyn Skamas and Grace Lilla, who have also made a strong first impression in Tempe. The blend of youth and experience, a variety of skill sets, and another year in the system gives this defensive unit a chance to accomplish their goals.

MIDFIELDERS
The 2021 squad features a deep and versatile midfield led by Maddy Hunter, who provides leadership and inspiration to her teammates. She has fully recovered an injury that cut her freshman year short and has looked better than ever the past two seasons. She has played in 31 career games, starting all seven games she played in last season. Hunter not only provides offense with 20 career goals and 25 career assists, she impacts the game in many ways. She has accumulated 55 ground balls, earned 68 draw controls, and caused 30 turnovers during her three years in Tempe.
 
Since stepping on campus in the Fall of 2018, Kaylon Buckner has been a significant piece of the Sun Devil midfield. She has started 23 of a possible 26 games over two seasons, collecting 39 points (27 goals, 12 assists) as a consistent offensive option. Buckner contributes in many ways, having earned 56 draw controls, collected 32 ground balls, and caused 18 turnovers in her career. She has a Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Week honor on her resume, receiving the distinction after dominating in her first two collegiate games.
 
The midfield is stacked with talented players like Kylie Kroeger and Paige McGlothlin, who each have recorded 15+ goal seasons in their career. Kroeger has 36 games of starting experience and has recorded 42 points, while adding 62 draw controls, 51 ground balls, and 22 caused turnovers. McGlothlin has 20 or more goals, ground balls, and draw controls through her first two seasons.
 
Another experienced midfielder Maria Villanti returns to Sun Devil Lacrosse having played in 44 career games. She has been a consistent and steady force, providing a defensive presence and offensive spark. Villanti has stuffed the stat sheet in her career, scoring 21 goals, gathering 44 ground balls, and causing 27 turnovers.
 
Seniors Lia Willis and Maura Cissel each bring a unique skill set to the table, making them valuable members of the unit. Willis is dangerous in the open field, creating opportunities for herself and her teammates with her fearlessness and speed. Willis has improved in each season since arriving in Tempe, setting a career high in points while finishing second on the team with 26 ground balls. She also caused 13 turnovers and earned nine draw controls during a breakout junior campaign. Cissel set a school record for draw controls in a game, earning 11 in the 24-6 win over Detroit.
 
 
Avery Hamill was one of five Sun Devils to announce their return to Tempe in June, much to the delight of Sun Devil Lacrosse fans. The Ontario native has played in 17 games in her career, scoring nine goals.
 
Juniors Olivia Hood and Morgan McCaffrey bring a toughness and energy that is essential to the group. Hood has played in 23 games and offers a physical presence, causing opposing midfielders fits with her relentless pursuit. McCaffrey battled all the way back from an injury during her freshman season, earning playing time by the end of last season.

Tess Keiser enjoyed an impressive first year in Tempe, leading all freshman in assists. Keiser played in seven of eight games, coming on strong as the year went on. She put together three multi-point performances and finished with eight points.
 
Brynn Holohan and Zoe Mazur were part of an impressive midfield signing class a season ago and made strong first impressions. Holohan saw action in two games in 2020, scoring her first-career goal in the 24-6 win over Detroit.
 
Seniors Haley Gorke and Brittany Chamberlain each have game experience and have scored goals as well.
 
The lone freshman of the group is Cate Duhig, who is also pushing for playing time. Duhig was a 2019 IHSWLA First Team All-State selection after an outstanding junior season at York High School in which she scored 63 goals in only 18 games.
 
ATTACKERS
Opposing defenses are going to have trouble stopping the Sun Devil attack, which is well-balanced and diverse. Returning to the Sun Devils are stars Kerri Clayton and Emily Glagolev as well as a deep and versatile supporting cast.
 
Clayton has been one of the most dangerous offensive weapons in the country since becoming a Sun Devil, having scored 106 goals and accumulated 146 points during her illustrious career. She has started 43 games in the Maroon & Gold, twice being named the Pac-12 Offensive Player of the Week. Clayton was on an incredible pace before last season was cut short, putting up 29 goals and 12 assists in only eight games. She is a competitor that loves to show off her all-around game, having collected 37 ground balls, earned 17 draw controls, and caused 17 turnovers. Clayton has 13 5+-point performances to her name including a Pac-12 record-tying 12 point outing in an overtime win over Oregon in 2019.  
 
Emily Glagolev separated herself as one of the top passers in the nation a season ago, executing Coach McCormack and Coach Graziano's new offense at a high level. So far in her three-year career, Glagolev has piled up 129 points thanks to 57 goals and 72 assists. The two-time Pac-12 leader in assists has the ability to pick apart a defense with her vision and high I.Q. She is also a threat to score goals, as proved by her three-goal, nine-point performance against San Diego State back in 2019 which earned her Pac-12 Offensive Player of the Week honors. Like Clayton, Glagolev was on a torrid pace before the stoppage. She had already accumulated 37 points (13 goals, 24 assists) in only eight games. Clayton and Glagolev form one of the best returning attacking duos in the country.
 
Another Sun Devil coming off an incredible season is Carley Adams, who scored at least one point in all eight games in 2020. Despite the shortened season, she set career-highs in goals and assists, finishing with 24 points while starting all eight games. She not only provides offense, but also has 19 career ground balls and 19 career draw controls. 
 
The breakout stars of the position a year ago were Katie Brodsky and Anna Winkeler, who not only worked well together, but were a great fit for the offense. After not scoring a point in her freshman season, Brodsky showed off her improvement by compiling 16 points (11 goals, 5 assists) as a sophomore. Winkeler was one of the Pac-12's most impressive first year players last season, leading all freshman on the team in goals and points. Prior to an injury that cut her season short, Winkeler had produced 11 goals and three assists in only six games. 
 
Seniors Taylor Carson and Kate Dougherty have each reached double figures in goals for a season and have registered 30+ career goals. Carson can score in bunches, having recorded six performances with three or more points. She has 37 goals and 46 points in 41 career games. Dougherty also bring a scoring punch, having compiled 34 goals in 36 games in her three-year career. 
 
After transferring in from Oregon, Emily Munro adjusted quickly to the new scheme and environment. She looks to hit the ground running with a year now under her belt this season, having scored nine goals in 2019 for the Ducks. 
 
Graci Fulkerson, Emma Carlson, and Caryn Takeuchi are a big reason why the is considered the deepest attacking unit in program history. Coach McCormack and Graziano have three additional options, all of whom have recorded points at the collegiate level. 
 
Sophomore Kate Gauntlett looks to build off her freshman campaign in which she made her collegiate debut, dishing out an assist in the 20-5 win over Fresno State. She has a year of experience with the system and in the program, which has benefitted her this offseason.
 
Sun Devil Lacrosse signed three attackers that were a part of a loaded signing class. Mina Scott, Rosie Davis, and Riley Forman have all become factors in the rotation and give Arizona State bright prospects at a upperclassmen-heavy position.
 
2021 SCHEDULE BREAKDOWN
Arizona State will play their first game in 350 days when they begin their campaign on Sunday, February 21st with a non-conference home game against San Diego State. The season opener will represent the debut of the brand-new grass field, which was part of the facility upgrade project at Sun Devil Soccer/Lacrosse Stadium. 
 
The Sun Devils will have back-to-back home games to start the season as they host Fresno state on Saturday, February 27th. Sun Devil Lacrosse home games will not be open to the public due to Pac-12 and University COVID-19 protocols.

Coach McCormack's team will hit the road for the first time to open up March, embarking on a four-game road trip. First up, they travel to Colorado for a matchup with national powerhouse Denver. The Pioneers are a consensus Top-15 Preseason team, ranking as high as No. 11 in the early polls. Fans will not be permitted at the March 7th showdown due to local COVID-19 protocols.

Arizona State stays on the road and kicks-off conference play with another ranked matchup, taking on Stanford on Friday, March 12. The Sun Devils will stay in the Bay Area to visit California on Sunday, March 14 at 12 pm MST for the first of two contests with the Golden Bears. The four-game road trip finishes up on March 19 when ASU takes on USC in Los Angeles at 3 pm MST. The Trojans are the reigning conference champions and a consensus Preseason Top-20 team.

The Sun Devils resume non-conference play and open up a homestand when they take on UC Davis on Sunday, March 21. The Maroon & Gold will get familiar with Oregon and Colorado, as they play four consecutive games against the two teams before enjoying a bye week. First up, Oregon travels to Sun Devil Soccer/Lacrosse Stadium on Friday, March 26. On Sunday, March 28 at 1 PM MST, ASU hosts a strong Colorado team that earned a spot in most preseason Top-25 polls. 

ASU returns the trip to Eugene and Boulder the following weekend, initially taking on Oregon on Friday, April 2 at 6 pm. Next, the Sun Devils take on Colorado again on Sunday April 4 at 12 pm MST. The squad will then get a much-deserved break with a weekend off in April.

Picking back up with the tough Pac-12 Conference schedule, Arizona State returns home for three consecutive games. On Friday April 16, Preseason Top-25 Stanford comes to Tempe. Two days later ASU takes on California on Sunday, April 18 at 1 pm. The program will celebrate a decorated class of student-athletes on Senior Day, which will take place when the Sun Devils host USC on Friday, April 23 at 1 pm. 

Coach McCormack's club will wrap up the season with their second game against San Diego State, this time traveling to San Diego to take on the Aztecs on Sunday, April 25.

"With this year's schedule we will be playing the best teams on the west coast, which will give us an incredible opportunity to compete and grow as a team," Coach McCormack observed. 

The six Pac-12 programs will play a double round-robin format for 10 league matches, with each team playing once at home. Additional non-conference games were scheduled by teams leading up to the conference season. The 2021 Pac-12 Tournament is scheduled for May 5-8 and will be hosted by Stanford. The NCAA Championships run May 15-30 and will be hosted at various regional sites.

All Sun Devil Lacrosse home and road games will not be open to the public due to Pac-12 and University COVID-19 policy. The dates, times, and opponents are subject to change, but Arizona State intends to safely play all scheduled games. Television and Live Streaming details will be announced in the coming weeks.

"We are ready to be fluid, react, and make adjustments to the schedule as we've seen teams in all sports forced to do during this unique time," Coach McCormack added.
 
All women's lacrosse competitions will be conducted in accordance with the Pac-12 COVID-19 Medical Advisory Committee health and safety recommendations and guidelines, available at Pac-12.com/health.
 
2020 SEASON IN REVIEW

• Five wins during the 2020 season – tied for the most in the country by a first-year coaching staff
• Recorded the first 3-0 start at home in program history
• Registered big victories over Marquette, Fresno State, and California in front of great home crowd
• Wins over UC Davis and Detroit on the road (two road wins matched 2019 total in six fewer games)
• School-record 24 goals and 18-goal margin of victory against Detroit
• Scored 16 or more goals in 6 of 8 games (only happened four times combined in the two seasons prior)
• 20 or more goals in two games (only happened once in program history prior to this season)
• Faced the first Top-5 opponent in program history (at No. 3 Northwestern)
• Scoring Offense: 16.38 (1st in Pac-12/12th Nationally)
• Assists Per Game: 9.50 (1st in Pac-12/3rd Nationally)
• Shot Percentage: 53.9% (1st in Pac-12/4th Nationally)
• Free Position Percentage: 55.0% (1st in Pac-12/10th Nationally)
• Kerri Clayton – 29 goals (1st Pac-12/10th Nationally)
• Kerri Clayton 41 points (1st Pac-12/14th Nationally)
• Emily Glagolev – 24 assists (1st Pac-12/3rd Nationally)
• Emily Glagolev – 37 points (2nd Pac-12/19th Nationally)
• Berkeley Bonneau – 72 saves (1st Pac-12/24th Nationally)
• Berkeley Bonneau – 4.38 ground balls/game (1st Pac-12/5th Nationally)
• 3 Pac-12 Player of the Week honors (including a sweep of the final weekly awards of the season) – Berkeley Bonneau (Defensive POTW), Kerri Clayton (Offensive POTW), Emily Glagolev (Offensive POTW)

HOW TO FOLLOW
Follow our Twitter and Instagram accounts (@SunDevilWLax) and like our Facebook page (www.facebook.com/sundevilwlax/). Visit our website, TheSunDevils.com, for the latest updates and information on the program.