SAN DIEGO – The Aztec lacrosse team fell to No. 21 USC 21-9 Saturday afternoon in their final game of the 2024 season. Sara Toner led the team with four goals.
The Aztecs (2-14, 1-6) started off strong, keeping the game close in the first 10 minutes, with the Women of Troy (12-4, 6-1) leading by only three after the first quarter. USC's offense took off in the second half as they outscored the Aztecs 12-4. The Women of Troy out-shot the Aztecs 43-19 and 18-11 in shots on goal. SDSU was 4-8 in free-position shots while USC was 5-11.
Toner led the team with four goals on seven shots, including 2 free-position goals. Jenna McDermott and Frankie Garcia each had two goals, and Nikki Seven had one. Brooklyne Waddell had the lone assist for the Aztecs. Jackie Heinerichs led the team with two ground balls and two caused turnovers. Victoria Rankin and Kate Christos led the Aztecs with four draw controls each. Goalkeeper Avery Dyer had 16 saves and 21 goals allowed on 22 shots faced.
Isabelle Vitale led the Women of Troy with eight points from six goals and two assists, followed by Ella Heaney who had five points from three goals and two assists. USC had eight other players with at least one goal, and three other players with assists. Catherine Lord and Maggie Ramsay led the Women of Troy with four draw controls each, and Sloane Murphy and Alexis Niblock led with three caused turnovers each. Goalkeeper Kait Devir had five saves and seven goals allowed on 15 shots faced.
"Not the send-off that we wanted for our seniors. It's been a tough season, but this group of seniors have done an exceptional job of keeping the rest of the team positive and showing up each day getting better. The holes that were left from the 10 graduating seniors last year were not easily filled, and I think our team did an amazing job of not focusing on the past but focusing on the process of getting better and coming back day by day, working towards something that will benefit us for the future. Great game for Avery, with 16 saves. Sara has set herself up as a force to be reckoned with, she just does incredible things on offense and plays so fearless. We're so lucky to have her coming back next year to lead this team to the Big-12 Tournament." explained Head Coach Kylee White. On the SDSU records set this season, White said "To be able to hit some of those marks in such a tough season, that's pretty incredible. You have to find the silver linings. We talk so much about how it's only a loss if you take nothing from it, and I think from those tough games, we were taking pieces and building on it. Then to have those small successes, you have to celebrate those. That's amazing for them."
STAT OF THE GAME
Sara Toner ties her career-high four goals for the third game in a row.
SDSU RECORDS
In a game...
Sara Toner is T-2nd for most shots (13, 4/20).
Caitlin Boughton (3/11) and Avery Dyer (2/17) are T-2nd for most saves (19).
In a season...
Sara Toner is 7th for most goals (39), T-7th for most shots (87), and T-10th for most points (42).
Victoria Rankin is 2nd for most draw controls (64).
Caitlin Boughton is T-8th for most saves (121).
In a career...
Brooklyne Waddell is 3rd for career assists (43, 2021-24).
Caitlin Boughton is 6th, in just one season so far, for career saves (123, 2023-)