Lacrosse Advances in Pac-12 Tournament

STANFORD, Calif. – For the first time in program history, Sun Devil Lacrosse earned a victory at the Pac-12 Conference Lacrosse Tournament.
 
Arizona State (10-5, 5-4) defeated California, 17-9, at Stanford Stadium to advance to the semifinal round. The Sun Devils will now take on No. 1 seed and tournament host Stanford tomorrow at 4 pm MST on Pac-12 Network.
 
Head Coach Tim McCormack's team controlled play from the start, jumping out to a 9-3 halftime lead and cruising their way to another victory over the Golden Bears. The defensive unit was sharp from the first whistle, shutting down the Golden Bears attack with the help of goalkeeper Berkeley Bonneau. A balanced offensive attack caused Cal's defense trouble all game, with ten different Sun Devils scoring a point. ASU has now defeated Cal four straight times, including all three matchups this season.
 
"Today was a great day for the team," Coach McCormack remarked. "We were able to play Sun Devil Lacrosse for the majority of the game today. We are looking forward to another opportunity to be together tomorrow!"
 
Berkeley Bonneau delivered another outstanding performance, finishing with 14 saves and impacting the game in many ways. She was part of a defensive effort which allowed only three first-half goals, setting the tone for the rest of the contest. Defenders Bella Gaspar, Sydney Payne, Mallory Martel, and Gigi Gaspar were locked in on their assignments, preventing Cal from getting into a flow. The unit will be tested tomorrow against No. 1 seed Stanford, who averages 16.6 goals/game.
 
Carley Adams led the way offensively thanks to her dynamic playmaking and relentless effort. She finished with seven points, scoring four goals while also dishing out three assists. Katie Brodsky's unselfishness was on display all evening, as she dished out four assists, while also adding two goals for a total of six points. Emily Glagolev was the third Sun Devil to eclipse the five-point mark tonight, recording three goals and two assists. Maddy Hunter and Emily Munro also contributed with multi-goal outings.
 
As has been the case most of the season, Arizona State won the draw control battle. Maura Cissel had another strong outing in the circle, earning six draws on her own. In total, ASU had a 16-12 advantage in the category, a big difference in the outcome of the game. Six different Sun Devils earned a draw control in a complete team effort.
 
TURNING POINT
A conservative and slower-paced California team kept the game close at the beginning of the first half. Once the Sun Devils turned up the pressure, it was over, as their quick-strike offense proved to be too much. Two first half sequences set the two teams apart, giving Arizona State a comfortable lead.
 
After initially taking a 3-1 lead, a Cal goal cut Arizona State's lead to 3-2 midway through the first half. That is when the first of two goal outburst occurred for the Sun Devils. Katie Brodsky scored with 18:18 left in the first half, with Maddy Hunter immediately following 34 seconds later with a goal at the 17:44 mark to push the lead to 5-2. Both teams went on an extended scoreless stretch that the Sun Devils broke with another set of back-to-back goals. First up, Kerri Clayton scored with 7:56 left followed by a Carley Adams' goal 18 seconds later at the 7:38 mark. This gave Arizona State it's largest lead to that point, one it would not relinquish.
 
The Golden Bears got as close as four in the second half, but four consecutive Sun Devil goals iced the game away. The goals came over a dominant 1:39 second span in which Arizona State showed their potential when clicking on all cylinders. Key saves by Berkeley Bonneau down the stretch prevented Cal from getting any closer, with the Golden Bears score only twice over the final 15 minutes.
 
QUOTABLES
"Berkeley had an outstanding performance," Coach McCormack remarked. "The entire defense did a great job of communicating and playing tough. That unit was a crucial part of this victory."
 
"As I've said before, when we play Sun Devil Lacrosse for a full 60, we are truly unstoppable," Berkeley Bonneau reflected. "The d unit plays their heart out and puts our opponent's attackers in positions to shoot shots that I can save. Without them in front of me I would be able to do nothing."
 
"The support this team has for one another runs deep and allows us to play at our top level," Bonneau added. "Additionally, our attackers ride so hard and eliminate time off the shock clock which helps the defensive sets to be shorter! Our success from today is going to fuel us going into the game tomorrow and I am eager to get back out there already."
 
NOTABLES

• ASU has scored 16+ goals in 26 of the 34 games under Coach McCormack. Prior to his arrival, the program reached the mark just four times in 36 games.
• Berkeley Bonneau was fantastic in net for the Sun Devils, coming through with 14 saves, four ground balls, and a caused turnover.
  
  • She now has 33 career double-digit save efforts on her resume.
  • For the sixth time this season and 18th time in her career, Berkeley Bonneau allowed single-digit goals. She picked up her ninth win this season, moving to 14-8 over the past two season.
• Carley Adams added four more goals and seven more points to her single-season records, proving why she was a First Team Pac-12 All-Conference selection.
  
  • Her 70 points and 55 points this season are the most in the Pac-12.
  • This was her ninth time she has scored 4+ goals, including five of her last eight games.
  • After scoring 13 goals in her first 33 games as a Sun Devil, Adams has accounted for 73 goals in her last 23 games.
• Katie Brodsky's breakout 2021 campaign continues, as she finished with two goals and four assists.
  
  • The six points set a new career-high, as she now has 15 over her past three games.
  • She now has nine career performances with four or more points, with eight coming this season.
  • The four assists matched a career-high and she now has multiple points in 14 of 15 games.
  • After compiling 16 points in 11 games during her first two seasons, Brodsky has now scored 29 goals and dished out 22 assists (51 points) in 15 games this year.
• Emily Glagolev continues her offensive tear, as she finished with five points for the second straight game.
  
  • She recorded her seventh hat trick of the season and 13th of her career.
  • Glagolev now has multiple assists in 31 career games.
  • This is her eighth 5+ point outburst of the season, a reason why she was named to the Pac-12 All-Conference First Team.
• Coach McCormack has Sun Devil Lacrosse making their first ever semifinal appearance in program history after earning their first Pac-12 Tournament win in three tries.
• Arizona State moves to 5-4 all-time and 4-0 under Coach McCormack against California, sweeping the season series.
  
  • It is the first time that the Sun Devils have defeated a conference foe three times in one season.

UP NEXT 
Arizona State will now take on No. 1 Seed Stanford, who is the host the 2021 Pac-12 Women's Lacrosse Tournament. The semifinal matchup is set for tomorrow, May 6 at 4 PM MST at Stanford Stadium. The two sides have had a pair of tightly-contested battles this season, setting up an exciting showdown on Pac-12 Network. Stanford was ranked No. 12 in the latest national poll, making them the highest-ranked conference foe the Sun Devils have ever faced. More information on the schedule and attendance policies can be found at the following link.
 
HOW TO FOLLOW
All four games will be featured live on Pac-12 Networks and the Pac-12 Now App. Here is more information on how to watch. 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.