SAN DIEGO – San Diego State lacrosse is gearing up for its second home game of the season, hosting No. 22 USC at Aztec Field on Saturday afternoon. Opening draw is set for 1 p.m.
The two former conference foes have met 14 times since 2013, with the 21st-ranked Trojans winning the most recent matchup in 2024 by a score of 21-9. The last time San Diego State earned a series win was in 2021 in a 14-13 overtime thriller in Los Angeles.
Currently ranked 22nd in this week’s IWLCA Coaches Poll, USC is 4-1 on the season. On a four-game winning streak, the Trojans have knocked off California, Colorado, UC Davis and Arizona State, most recently taking down the Sun Devils 16-14 on Feb. 24. Their only loss of the season came to No. 8 Stanford, 18-6 in the season opener.
Leading the Trojans are seniors Catherine Lord (D), Maddie Dora (A) and Isabelle Vitale (A), who were each named to the preseason Big Ten Players to Watch list. Lord was also included in the Tweaaraton Watch List earlier this month. Additionally, the Trojans have garnered two Big Ten weekly awards thus far in the season, with Dora earning Offensive Player of the Week and sophomore Annie Shield taking home Defensive Player after the team’s sweep of California and then-21st-ranked Colorado in the week of Feb. 11.
The Aztecs currently hold a 4-1 record. After getting off to a hot start with four straight road wins over Detroit Mercy, Eastern Michigan, Winthrop and Wofford, San Diego State welcomed Denver, who was receiving votes in the IWLCA rankings, for its 2025 home opener. The Aztecs suffered their first loss of the season, falling 19-9 to the Pioneers.
Sophomore Frankie Garcia continues to lead the Scarlet and Black offense, recording 23 points through the first five games, including 16 goals and seven assists. She was the leading goal scorer against Detroit Mercy (6) and Denver (3), earning Big 12 Attack Player of the Week on Feb. 11.
On the defensive end, Reilly Hunter leads the Aztecs with eight caused turnovers and five ground balls. The junior earned her first conference recognition of the season after wins over Winthrop and Wofford, taking home Big 12 Defensive Player of the Week.
Kate Christos has been a difference-maker on both sides of the field, leading San Diego State’s midfielders with 10 goals, four assists, 19 draw controls, 10 ground balls and six caused turnovers. The junior earned back-to-back Big 12 Midfielder of the Week honors on Feb. 11 and Feb. 18.
Among the new faces making an immediate impact for the Aztecs are true freshman Keira Doyle-Odenbach and redshirt freshman Bella Tan. Doyle-Odenbach has three goals, three assists, 15 draw controls, eight ground balls and six caused turnovers through the first five games. Tan ties Garcia as the team’s leading scorer with 16 goals. She also has five ground balls and two caused turnovers. Both Doyle-Odenbach and Tan have earned conference Freshman of the Week honors this season.
Following Saturday’s game, the Aztecs will head to Eugene, Ore. to take on the Oregon Ducks on Thursday at noon PT before returning to San Diego to host East Carolina on March 10 at 7 p.m. at Snapdragon Stadium.
Tickets to the Snapdragon game can be purchased here.
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