April 6, 2017
Game Week Preview
No. 9/10 USC (9-3, 3-0 MPSF) at San Diego State (8-4, 2-2 MPSF)
Saturday, April 8 | 6 p.m. PT | Aztec Lacrosse Field
Live Stats | Watch
Aztec Storylines
* San Diego State returns to action for a single game this weekend when it plays host to No. 9/10 USC in a Mountain Pacific Sports Federation clash on Saturday, April 8, at Aztec Lacrosse Field. Opening draw is set for 6 p.m. PT. In addition to live stats, a link to streaming video will be available on GoAztecs.com.
* SDSU coming off a split in its last two games, knocking off Brown by a 13-8 count in its final non-conference encounter of the regular season at home on March 31, before suffering a 17-12 upset loss at Fresno State on April 3.
* Against Brown, the Aztecs received a superb all-round performance by senior Ijeoma Ikpe, who netted five points on three goals and two assists to go with four ground balls, one draw control and one caused turnover, while fellow classmate Alex Watson recorded a hat trick of her own. In addition, senior goalkeeper Katrina Reeves made a season-best 14 saves, which ranks fourth on the school's single-game charts, while tying for game-high honors with five ground balls.
* SDSU never trailed in the contest, holding the Bears scoreless for the final 4:03 to wrap up its month-long homestand with a 6-1 record while matching its best 11-game start in program history at 8-3.
* Three days later, the Aztecs played their first road game in five weeks, but were unable to maintain a 5-2 lead at Fresno State, as the Bulldogs rallied for their first-ever victory in six meetings with the Scarlet and Black. Senior Kayla Deitz led SDSU with a career-high four goals, while classmates Watson and Kristen Hickey registered three markers apiece. In addition, Ikpe contributed five caused turnovers, four draw controls and three ground balls, while sophomore Jill Haight finished with two assists and three ground balls.
* Through 12 games, Hickey has been the Aztecs' leading scorer with 25 tallies, highlighted by a four-goal spree in the season opener against Denver. In addition, Deitz and Watson have compiled 23 markers apiece, while fellow senior Vickie Porter has notched 17 strikes in eight starts. Elsewhere, sophomore Natalie Peel (14) and freshman Taylor Sullivan (13) have compiled double-digit goal totals as well.
* Entering the weekend, Hickey tops the MPSF with 14 free position goals and is tied for third in the conference with 72 shots. She also occupies the fourth spot in the league with 30 ground balls, while her 16 caused turnovers is tied for seventh.
* In front of the net, Reeves ranks fourth among the conference's starting goalkeepers with a .478 save percentage and a 10.86 goals against average, while Merritt owns a .549 save percentage and a 9.77 goals against average in five appearances this year, including starts against Columbia and Fresno State. Last season, the Aztec duo split keeper duties as well, allowing the second-fewest goals in program history (190).
* Sullivan leads the Aztecs' talented freshman class this year with 13 goals on 30 shots, both of which rank sixth on the team. The Annapolis, Md., product is also 5-for-9 on the season in free position attempts and has collected 11 ground balls to go with six caused turnovers. Meanwhile, fellow classmate Morgan Taylor has found the back of the net five times this season and leads all SDSU rookies with 14 ground balls, including a season-high four at Oregon on Feb. 11. Not to be outdone, Ryli Quinn has cracked the starting lineup in seven games, racking up a team-high 22 draw controls.
* Elsewhere, Haight set a career-high with seven draw controls in the Aztecs' 12-11 win over New Hampshire on March 15, which is tied for fifth on the school's single-game charts. In addition, Reeves tied her personal best with six ground balls against Saint Joseph's on March 10, matching senior Casey Taggart, who accomplished the feat in the previous game vs. Boston University on March 5. The six ground balls by the two players is tied for second in program history.
* As a team, San Diego State tops the MPSF with an average of 21.58 ground balls and 12.83 caused turnovers per game and ranks third with 31.25 shots per contest. Entering the weekend, the Scarlet and Black also occupies the fourth position with 12.75 goals per outing. In addition, the Aztecs are 50-for-106 (.472) on the year in free position shots and are 162-190 in clears (.853).
* SDSU has collected six MPSF Player of the Week honors already this season, which is tied for second-most in the conference with Colorado. Hickey (offense/defense) and Sullivan (rookie) have been recognized in the same week on two occasions, earning their honors on Feb. 6 and March 27, respectively. In addition, Reeves (defense) garnered her accolade on Feb. 27, while Taggart (defense) was selected on March 6.
* The Aztecs have dropped all four meetings against USC, including a 20-6 setback in Los Angeles a year ago. In that contest, Porter scored two goals and posted three draw controls for the Scarlet and Black, while Reeves made eight saves in the first half.
* SDSU will be looking to buck a trend on Saturday when the Women of Troy arrive on Montezuma Mesa. The Aztecs are 0-3 in Saturday games this season, but are a combined 7-0 on Fridays (4-0) and Sundays (3-0) in 2017.
* SDSU has shown its penchant for winning close ones this year, posting a 3-0 mark in games decided by one goal. After defeating Saint Joseph's by a 13-12 count, the Aztecs registered a pair of overtime wins over New Hampshire (12-11) and California (14-13).
* SDSU has started strong this season, outscoring its opposition 79-60 in the first half, compared to a 74-68 spread after intermission. The Aztecs are 7-1 when leading at halftime this year, with their lone blemish occuring in a 14-11 loss to Columbia on March 18. In that contest the Scarlet and Black led 6-5 at the break.
* San Diego State was picked to finish sixth in the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation in 2017, as the league released its annual preseason coaches' poll on Jan. 24. The Aztecs received 28 points in the balloting, which was completed by the conference's nine head coaches. SDSU landed in the sixth position, eight points behind fifth-place UC Davis (36 pts.) and five points ahead of seventh-place California (23 pts). Reigning MPSF champion and NCAA quarterfinalist USC was predicted to defend its league title from a year ago, garnering 64 points and eight first-place votes, while league finalist and NCAA Tournament participant Stanford was pegged for the runner-up slot after netting 56 points and one first-place vote. Colorado, which took third in the conference race last season, was projected for the same finish in 2017 after earning 51 points, while Oregon wound up fourth in the poll with 38 points.
* The program's only coach after lacrosse became the 19th intercollegiate sport at San Diego State in 2012, Kylee White is now in her sixth season at the helm of the Aztecs. She has transformed SDSU's fledgling program to a strong competitor in the MPSF, highlighted by consecutive conference tournament appearances in 2014 and 2015. In November 2016, White was inducted into the London (Ontario) Sports Hall of Fame after becoming the only women's lacrosse player to represent Canada in each of the last three decades. In 1995, she played on the inaugural U-19 Canadian National Team and later served as an assistant for the squad in 2007. White also played for Team Canada at four IFWLA World Cups (2001, 2005, 2009, 2013), helping the 2013 team to a silver medal. A four-year letterwinner at Ohio State, White was a four-time Buckeye scholar-athlete honoree and a Big Ten all-academic performer on three occasions. She co-captained the 2002 squad to an 11-5 record and a runner-up finish in the American Lacrosse Conference, helping Ohio State claim its first NCAA berth. White caused 28 turnovers in 2001 and still ranks among the OSU all-time leaders in caused turnovers and ground balls.
Opponent Notebook
USC
The Women of Troy (9-3, 3-0 MPSF) will be making the quick trip to Montezuma Mesa after playing at Oregon on Friday afternoon. USC has won three straight, including a 21-4 triumph over California in its last outing at home on April 2. The Women of Troy are led by senior Michaela Michael, the two-time reigning MPSF Player of the Year and IWLCA All-American, who leads the conference with 40 goals so far this season, which ranks 13th in the nation. The USC attacker also finds herself among the league leaders in points (2nd; 52), draw controls (2nd; 76), shots (6th; 65) and assists (10th; 12). In addition, the Women of Troy have received 22 goals apiece from senior Cynthia Del Core and freshman Kerrigan Miller, while senior Gabby McMahon has recorded 20 tallies of her own. Entering the weekend, Del Core ranks second in the MPSF with 15 assists, while Miller is tied for second with 19 caused turnovers. In front of the cage, junior goalkeeper Gussie Johns is currently second in the country with a conference-leading 7.19 goals against average and owns a .485 save percentage, which ranks second among MPSF regulars. She also tops the league with 50 ground balls for an average of 4.17 per game, which ranks third in the nation. As a team, USC leads the country in scoring defense (6.83) and scoring margin (8.42), while its conference-best scoring offense (15.25) ranks fifth. The Women of Troy also occupy the eighth spot in the nation with an MPSF-low 14.58 turnovers per contest. Head coach Lindsey Munday, who guided to USC to a NCAA quarterfinal appearance last year, is in her fifth season at the helm of the Women of Troy program.