No. 17 USC Lacrosse Secures Share of Pac-12 Regular-Season Title with Win Over Sun Devils

TEMPE, Ariz. – The 17th-ranked USC lacrosse team (12-3, 8-2 Pac-12) claimed a 15-13 win over No. 23 Arizona State (9-7, 7-3) at Sun Devil Lacrosse Stadium on Friday, April 22, to secure a share of the Pac-12 regular-season crown and a bye through the quarterfinal round of the upcoming Pac-12 Tournament.
 
KEY PLAYERS

• Redshirt Fr. attacker Isabelle Vitale put up seven points with a career-high five assists (one shy of tying the school record) and two goals. She also added a pair of ground balls.
• So. attacker Shelby Tilton had three goals for her seventh hat trick and had two assists to tie her career high of five points.
• So. attacker Claudia Shevitz scored three goals for her fourth-career hat trick, picked up two ground balls, caused one turnover, and secured one of USC's 16 draw controls.
• So. midfielder Madison Waters scored three goals for her second hat trick of the season (fifth career) and added two ground balls and two draw controls.
• Sr. midfielder Katie Ramsay collected three draw controls, picked up two ground balls, and scored one goal.
• Fr. midfielder Catherine Lord corralled six draw controls.
• Sr. defender Kaleigh Brennan picked up four ground balls and caused one turnover. Jr. defender Danielle Carson and freshman defender Lila Murrayeach had three ground balls and a caused turnover. Sr. defender Lizzy Wagner grabbed two ground balls and caused one turnover.
• In goal, Jr. goalie Kait Devir had four saves and picked up one ground ball in her 12th-career win.
• For Arizona State, Carley Adams scored four goals and picked up three ground balls. Bella Ingrao led all players with eight draw controls. In goal, Katie Vahle produced 14 saves and had six ground balls.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• USC outshot Arizona State, 37-29, and had three players collect hat tricks in the win. The teams drew to a dead heat, 16-16, in the center circle, and USC had the 26-21 edge in ground balls.
• Tilton scored the game's first goal just 50 seconds in, but back-to-back goals from Adams knotted the score at two-all with 6:24 to play. USC responded and rolled through a 4-1 burst to come out of the first quarter with a 6-3 lead.
• After six scoreless minutes to open the second quarter, the Sun Devils made a move and scored, then went on a 4-1 run to pull even at the half with a seven-all tie.
• The Trojans took no prisoners in the third frame as Ella Heaney, Shevitz, and Vitale all scored goals to help USC emerge, 5-1, in the third with a 12-8 lead heading into the fourth quarter.
• Tilton, Shevtiz, and Waters scored goals in the fourth to help USC go up by five, 15-10, with 6:56 to play. But Arizona State got goals from Emily Glagolev, Taylor Pinzone, and one more from Adams to close within two, 15-13. USC held on and ran the clock out to secure the desert victory.

UP NEXT

• USC returns home for a non-conference game with UC Davis (5-6) on Saturday, April 30, at 1 p.m. PT. McAlister Field will play host to Senior Day when the Trojans and Aggies meet for the seventh time. USC leads the all-time series, 6-0.

GAME NOTES

• USC improved 8-1 all-time against Arizona State and to 4-0 when the teams meet in Tempe, Ariz.
• The Women of Troy moved to 83-23 in games played when they are ranked.
• USC improved to 72-2 all-time in games when it scores 15 goals or more.

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.