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No. 15 USC Lacrosse Heads North For Bay Area Battles

by usctrojans.com
Mar 15, 2022

LOS ANGELES - The 15th-ranked USC lacrosse team (5-1, 2-0 Pac-12) heads to the Bay Area for a pair of pivotal road contests at California (0-7, 0-1) and at defending Pac-12 champion Stanford (3-4, 1-0) this weekend. The Women of Troy opened league play with dominant wins over then 23rd-ranked Colorado and Oregon at home last week and look to improve on an 11-4 all-time Bay Area record. Last spring's trip north was cut short due to COVID-19 protocols when the Trojans defeated Cal but never faced Stanford. Without having gone to the Bay Area in 2020, USC has its sights set on matching 2019's results when the Trojans came away with two wins. 
 
USC leads the Pac-12 in 10 statistical categories including scoring offense (15.17 gpg), goals-against average (9.33 gaa), caused turnovers (11.83 ctpg), and ground balls (19.67 gbpg). Last week's Pac-12 Offensive Player of the Week midfielder Kelsey Huff (24g) leads the league in scoring but is surrounded by other offensive weapons. Isabelle Vitale (15g), Ella Heaney (11g), and Shelby Tilton (13g) have each scored double-digit goals this season. Claudia Shevitz (9g) leads the Pac-12 in draw controls (6.50 dcpg). Defensively, the Trojans lean on graduate Lizzy Wagner—a team captain—and senior Kaleigh Brennan (17gb). A pair of stellar junior defenders help anchor the line. Olivia Dooley leads the Pac-12 in caused turnovers (1.83 ctpg). Danielle Carson has eight ground balls and six caused turnovers. In goal, junior Kait Devir has produced 44 saves in her five wins.

GAME #7 • Friday, March 18 • 5 p.m. PT
No. 15 USC (5-1, 2-0) at California (0-7, 0-1)
FTX Field/California Memorial Stadium • Berkeley, Calif.
SERIES HISTORY: USC leads, 12-1 (.923) • STREAK: W11
LAST MEETING: W 12-11OT (April 16, 2021 • McAlister Field)
TV/LIVE STREAM: Cal Live Stream
OPPONENT WEB: CalBears.com

GAME #8 • Sunday, March 20 • 2 p.m. PT
No. 15 USC (5-1, 2-0) at Stanford (3-4, 1-0)
Laird Q. Cagan Stadium • Stanford, Calif.
SERIES HISTORY: USC leads, 8-7 (.533) • STREAK: L1
LAST MEETING: L 16-15 (April 18, 2021• McAlister Field)
TV/LIVE STREAM: Pac-12 Bay Area (Troy Clardy)
OPPONENT WEB: GoStanford.com

CROSSExamination

  • USC is ranked 15th in the ILWomen/IWLCA Top 25 poll this week. The Trojans are 76-21 (.784) when they are ranked in the poll.
  • The Women of Troy are 11-4 all-time in games played in the Bay Area (5-0 in Berkeley, 2-0 in Moraga, and 4-4 in Stanford).
  • In USC's 15 games with Stanford, eight have been decided by a single goal, including the last five meetings (2018-21).
  • Each of USC's five road wins over Cal have been by no fewer than five goals. Last spring, USC defeated the Bears at home by a single goal in overtime.
  • The Trojans have swept their Pac-12 Bay Area road trip just once (2019). They split in 2018, did not play in 2020, and did not face Stanford in 2021.
  • Kelsey Huff is the reigning Pac-12 Midfielder of the Year. The league's Midfielder of the Year has come from USC all three times it has been selected. Kerrigan Miller was chosen in 2018 and 2019.
  • So. midfielder Madison Waters was the Pac-12's Freshman of the Year in 2021.
  • 10th-year head coach Lindsey Munday is 115-50 all-time (.697) and was the Pac-12's Coach of the Year in 2019 after leading USC to the league title.
  • USC's 2022 captains are Gr. midfielder Kelsey Huff, Sr. midfielder Katie Ramsay, and Gr. defender Lizzy Wagner.

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