USC Lacrosse Falls to Colorado in Pac-12 Semifinal

STANFORD, Calif. – The second-seeded USC lacrosse team (9-7) was dealt a 9-8 loss and eliminated from the Pac-12 Tournament by third-seeded Colorado (8-6) at Stanford Stadium on Thursday, May 6. 
 
KEY PLAYERS

• So. attacker Ella Heaney had two points (1g, 1a) and picked up one ground ball.
• Fr. midfielder Madison Waters also had two points (1g, 1a) to go with two ground balls and a caused turnover.
• Gr. attacker Maddie McDaniel racked up five draw controls and picked up a ground ball.
• In goal, Riley Hertford posted six saves and picked up six ground balls.
• For Colorado, Sadie Grozier had the hat trick with three goals and two ground balls. Chloe Willard had three points (2g, 1a) including the go-ahead goal in the second half. Julia Lisella had 10 saves in the win.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• The Trojans had eight goal-scorers but each player scored only once. USC outshot Colorado, 25-18, with an 18-15 edge in shots on goal. Each team took eight shots from free position. CU went 4-for-8 while the Trojans scored just one from the line; the only goal by Sr. midfielder Kelsey Huff before she was disqualified from the game with her second yellow card.
• With Huff on the field for only 11 minutes, USC pressed forward to claim a 6-3 lead over the Buffaloes at halftime by scoring four unanswered goals.
• The Buffaloes scored the first goal of the second half, but USC answered back when Heaney went to goal unassisted for a 7-4 Trojan lead.
• Colorado held USC scoreless for the next 20 minutes while the Buffaloes rumbled through a 5-0 scoring run to seize a 9-7 lead. In desperation, the Trojans forced turnovers and trimmed the lead to one goal on a rocket from Jr. midfielder Erin Bakes, but time expired on the Women of Troy as Colorado sealed the one-goal win. 

UP NEXT

• USC will await the disposition of the NCAA selection committee in hopes of receiving an at-large berth into the national tournament. The selection show will air live on ESPNU on Sunday (May 9) at 9 p.m. ET (6 p.m. PT).

GAME NOTES

• USC fell to 8-5 all-time against Colorado and lost back-to-back games to the Buffs for the first time in series history.
• The one-goal finish was the sixth time in the last seven games that the Trojans have either won or lost by a two-goal or fewer margin. It was also the second time the Buffaloes erased a halftime deficit to defeat the Trojans this spring.
• The Trojans fell to 3-2 all-time in Pac-12 Tournament games.
• USC goes to 11-4 all-time in the Bay Area and lost to an opponent besides Stanford for the first 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.