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No. 17 USC Lacrosse Beats Back No. 23 Buffaloes to Open Pac-12 Play

by usctrojans.com
Mar 11, 2022

LOS ANGELES – The 17th-ranked USC lacrosse team (4-1, 1-0 Pac-12) posted an 11-7 win over 23rd-ranked Colorado (5-1, 0-1) to open Pac-12 play at McAlister Field on Friday, March 11. The win makes the Women of Troy 5-0 all-time in Pac-12 openers and 10-0 in all league openers including five in the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation (MPSF).
 
KEY PLAYERS

  • Gr. midfielder Kelsey Huff became just the third USC player to score seven goals in a game (Caroline deLyra, Michaela Michael) as she set the new career mark with her fourth hat-trick game of the season (27th of her career). Huff moved into second all-time in school history for career hat tricks (ahead of deLyra) and registered just the fourth seven-goal game in program history; the first since Michael had seven at San Diego State on April 8, 2017. Huff scored three from free position and had two caused turnovers and two ground balls.
  • Gr. defender Lizzy Wagner led the defense with four caused turnovers and had four ground balls.
  • In goal, Jr. Kait Devir put up a career-high 12 saves for her fourth win and picked up a ground ball.
  • Sr. defender Kaleigh Brennan picked up a team-best five ground balls and had a caused turnover. Jr. defender Olivia Dooley had four ground balls and caused three turnovers.
  • Fr. defender Catherine Lord had a game-and-career high six draw controls with a ground ball and a caused turnover.
  • For Colorado, Sam McGee led with three goals. In cage, Grace Donnelly posted 15 saves and had five ground balls.  

HOW IT HAPPENED

  • USC shut the Buffaloes out in the first quarter (4-0) and out-shot Colorado by a 36-21 count in the game. The Trojans also won the ground ball battle by a 24-16 edge and went 14-8 in the center circle.
  • Huff racked up her hat trick in the first quarter with three goals in the first seven minutes of action. Vitale had the fourth USC goal for a 4-0 Trojan lead through one frame.
  • Colorado scored its first goal at 9:55 in the second, but USC responded with three straight from Madison Waters, Huff, and Ella Heaney. McGee scored back-to-back goals before Vitale made it an 8-3 USC lead heading into halftime.
  • Huff scored her fifth goal of the day as the second half began and it took more than 10 minutes before Colorado scored to make it 9-4 USC heading into the fourth.
  • Huff scored two more to get the Trojans out to an 11-5 lead with 7:22 to play. Colorado's Katie Giordano pulled the Buffaloes within five and then McGee recorded her hat trick with one minute left to play to make the final score, 11-7. 

UP NEXT

  • USC remains home to host Oregon (1-4, 0-1 Pac-12) on Sunday afternoon (March 13) at 1 p.m. PT. The game will be shown live on the Pac-12 Networks. The Ducks fell to Arizona State in their league opener by an 11-9 count. 

GAME NOTES

  • USC improved to 9-5 all-time against Colorado with a 6-1 mark in home games.
  • The Trojans improved to 54-14 all-time at McAlister Field with a 58-17 record in all home games.
  • USC pushed its record against ranked opponents to 25-34. The Trojans go to 75-21 in games in which they are ranked.  
  • Colorado represented the third IWLCA ranked opponent in the Trojans' last four games.
  • USC improved to 5-0 in Pac-12 openers (since 2018) and to 10-0 in league openers all-time.

For more information on the USC women's lacrosse team, a complete schedule, and results, please visit USCTrojans.com. Fans of the Women of Troy can follow the team on Instagram and on Twitter @USCTrojansLax.
 

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