Lacrosse Hits the Road for Matchup with Denver
Defense Shines in Lacrosse's Win over Fresno State | Worth the Wait: Lacrosse Cruises Past San Diego State
TEMPE, Ariz. – Sun Devil Lacrosse hits the road for the first time in the 2021 season, travelling to take on No. 19 Denver on Sunday, March 7 at 10 am.
Arizona State moved to 2-0 to start the campaign thanks to an impressive victory over Fresno State last Saturday. Head Coach Tim McCormack's squad is not just winning their games, they are dominating, having outscored their opponents by a combined score of 45-16.
"Very pleased with the balanced effort," Coach McCormack mentioned after the victory. "It was great to see those type of contributions from so many different players. We played tough as a group all game."
The Maroon & Gold return to action on Sunday at 10 am MST when they take on Denver at Peter Barton Lacrosse Stadium. This is the first of a four-game road trip for the Sun Devils in which they will start conference play and take on three teams currently in the Top-25.
This is the first meeting between the two sides and only the second non-conference matchup against at Top-25 team in Sun Devil Lacrosse program history.
"We are excited to get back on the road this weekend, it's been a long time since our last road trip," Coach McCormack remarked. "Our approach will remain the same as always: we will focus on us, playing Sun Devil Lacrosse and having fun."
KNOW YOUR FOE
Denver faced off with Colorado in their season opener last Sunday, with the Buffaloes scoring the final six goals of the game to win 14-7. The Pioneers have one of the premiere lacrosse programs in the country, consistently participating in the NCAA Tournament.
Head Coach Liza Kelly is in her 15th season in charge, boasting a 180-72 all-time record. In their last full season under Kelly, Denver went 16-4 and finished as the runner-up in the Big East. The Pioneers were picked 1st in the BIG EAST women's lacrosse preseason coaches' poll.
The Pioneers had a conference-leading six student-athletes named Preseason All-BIG EAST, led by BIG EAST Preseason Offensive Player of the Year Quintin Hoch-Bullen and BIG EAST Preseason Defensive Player of the Year Molly Little.
*Denver Athletic events are closed to the public due to COVID-19 policies.
LAST TIME OUT
The Sun Devil Lacrosse team put together their second consecutive impressive performance, defeating Fresno State 22-6 on Saturday afternoon at Sun Devil Soccer/Lacrosse Stadium.
A well-balanced attack and a tenacious defensive effort helped Arizona State move to 2-0 on the season. The Sun Devils jumped out to an early lead and never looked back, taking care of business to finish up the two-game home stand.
"It was great to see us maintain our intensity for 60 minutes," Coach McCormack remarked. "That comes from great preparation, leadership and overall team ownership in this process."
TURNING POINT
After 14 Sun Devils registered a point in the season opener, 15 did so in the win over Fresno State. Four players recorded hat tricks, including senior midfielder Maria Villanti. Her second goal of the game came with 15:08 left in the first half and put her team up 10, triggering a running clock. It was the first time in program history that the Sun Devils had taken a 10-0 advantage. The lead would grow as large as 12 goals in the first half, giving Arizona State control and some cushion over the final 30 minutes. Thanks to the large lead, Coach McCormack was able to get several players valuable experience, as a total of 37 players saw action.
HOW TO FOLLOW
Sun Devil Lacrosse's battle with the No. 19 Denver Pioneers will be broadcasted through a paid live stream at the following link ($). Live stats for the game are open to the public and available here.
Follow our Twitter and Instagram accounts (@SunDevilWLax) and like our Facebook page (www.facebook.com/sundevilwlax/) for in-game updates. Visit our website, TheSunDevils.com, for the latest news and information on the program.