ROCK HILL, S.C. – San Diego State lacrosse is on a three-game winning streak to start the 2025 campaign after earning a 19-11 victory over Winthrop on Friday afternoon, fueled by a dominant eight-goal third quarter.
The first half was tight the whole way through. After six ties and four lead changes, the score was knotted up 8-8 after 30 minutes of play. Winthrop got on the board first with two goals from Madison Mayer and Ashlee Gensits. Sophomore Frankie Garcia put the first one in the net for the Aztecs, scoring at the 9:04 mark with an assist by Kate Christos.
The Scarlet and Black got hot in the third quarter, rattling off eight goals to outscore the Eagles 8-2 and pull ahead 16-10.
“It was a tale of two halves for us,” said Head Coach Kylee White. “We were not playing true Aztec lacrosse in the first half. We played too safe, which clearly does not work for us. The team really got fired up in the third quarter, and they bought into coming out in the second half and playing more our style. It was really exciting to see that we could make adjustments and gain momentum. Winning is hard and the team understands that finding consistency in your play makes it easier. I’m very excited by all of the individual performances today. Every person that was out there impacted the game and allowed us to turn things around.”
Bella Tan led the Aztec offense, putting up a career-high six goals. The Big 12 Freshman of the Week has 14 goals through the first three games and is just the 11th Aztec to have six or more goals in a single game. Garcia hit the same mark in the season opener against Detroit Mercy, tying the teammates for the sixth most goals in a game at San Diego State.
Garcia was the second leading scorer, putting three in the back of the net. That’s 11 on the season for the Big 12 Attack Player of the Week.
Matty Spaeth, Kate Christos, Keira Doyle-Odenbach and Tatum Neach added two apiece. Sara Toner and Tierney Schaible rounded out the 19-point showing with one goal each. Doyle-Odenbach and Schiable both recorded their first career goals.
Doyle-Odenbach, a freshman out of Orland Park, Ill., was a difference-maker with two goals off two shots, two ground balls, four caused turnovers and five draw controls, both of which were game highs.
Kate Christos, the Big 12 Midfielder of the Week, loaded the stat line as well with two goals, two assists, two ground balls and four draw controls.
San Diego State’s defense overwhelmed Winthrop late in the game. The Aztecs caused 14 total turnovers, eight of which occurred in the second half.
25 Aztecs got in on the action, including freshman goalkeeper Grace Moore and redshirt freshman midfielder Macie Buell, who both made their Aztec debut. Moore was in the net for the entirety of the second half, recording four saves and three goals allowed.
Caitlin Boughton started in the goal and had three saves with eight goals allowed.
The Aztecs will be back in action on Sunday, taking on Wofford at 9 a.m. PT. The game can be streamed on ESPN+.