April 20, 2014
SAN DIEGO - The San Diego State women's lacrosse team came up short on Sunday afternoon, as the Aztecs lost to Mountain Pacific Sports Federation (MPSF) foe Oregon, 13-6, in the second of a season-ending three-game homestand at Aztec Lacrosse Field.
SDSU (6-9, 3-5 MPSF) trailed by just two at halftime, 6-4, before the Ducks opened the second half with a 3-0 run to extend their lead to 9-4 with 12:43 remaining. Consecutive goals by senior Meris Walsh pulled the Aztecs within three, 9-6, with 10:12 left to play, but Oregon (10-5, 6-1) closed the game on a 4-0 run to win its third-straight.
Sophomore Felice Artuso led San Diego State with two goals, an assist, three groundballs and six draw controls, while senior Meris Walsh recorded three goals for her seventh hat trick of the season. Defensively, freshman goalkeeper Katrina Reeves finished with three caused turnovers, two groundballs and two saves, junior Lauren Maack tallied two caused turnovers and a groundball and junior Grace Korandovich had three draw controls.
Oregon scored the first four goals of the game to take the early lead, before Artuso responded with a free-position and unassisted goal, before junior Christina Ricciardulli's score cut the deficit to 4-3 with 13:35 left in the first half. Walsh's first goal of the game made it a one-point game again, 5-4, with 5:32 to go before intermission, but it was the closest the Aztecs would get the rest of the way.
A score by Oregon junior Devon Frazer to close the half followed by three-consecutive goals by freshman Bella Pyne to open the second half, put the Ducks in front by five. It was only the sixth time this season San Diego State was held to less than 10 goals, as SDSU is 6-2 this season when it records double-digits goals. Bella Pyne had a team-high four goals for Oregon, while junior Olivia Pyne added three goals.
The Aztecs finished with a 14-7 advantage in draw controls and the two teams were even in groundballs, 15-15. The Ducks had a 20-14 edge in shots, as San Diego State was outshot for just the eighth time this season.
"Oregon was the better team today," head coach Kylee White said. "They wanted it more and it's disappointing considering the strides we've made in recent weeks with our consistency and effort. We have one final chance on Wednesday to make it to the conference tournament."
SDSU returns to action on Wednesday evening, April 23, as it concludes the regular season against Fresno State beginning at 6 p.m. PT at Aztec Lacrosse Field.