No. 13 USC Set For Bay Days with No. 19 Stanford, Cal

LOS ANGELES – The 13th-ranked USC lacrosse team (5-3, 3-0 Pac-12) takes a three-game winning streak to the Bay Area for its first-ever Pac-12 road games. The Women of Troy take on California (4-5, 0-3) in Berkeley, Calif., on Friday night (March 23 at 5 p.m. PT) and then face No. 19 Stanford (5-3, 2-1) on The Farm on Sunday afternoon (March 25 at 1 p.m.). Both games will be shown live on the Pac-12+ stream platforms produced by each home school.

USC has won 21 consecutive league games including victories accumulated as a member of the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation. The Trojans have also won five straight games in the Bay Area since 2016, which includes games played in the MPSF championship tournament.

The Trojans' only two trips into Strawberry Canyon have resulted in a 20-15 win over the Bears in 2014 and a 15-2 victory in 2016. In the last three meetings, USC has outscored Cal, 54-11. The Trojans are 2-2 on The Farm, but earned three-goal wins over the Cardinal in 2017 (15-12) and in the 2016 MPSF championship game (8-5). USC owns four-game winning streaks over both teams it faces this weekend.

Senior All-American defender Lydia Sutton (21gb, 13ct) and All-Region senior goalie Gussie Johns (8.47 gaa, .500) lead the Trojans' defense. Midfielder Kerrigan Miller's (16g, 4a, 21dc, 22ct, 11gb) all-around game leads the attack. Johns, Miller, and Sutton are each on the Tewaaraton Award Watch List.

After graduating over 200 goals from 2017, USC leans on Kaeli Huff (13g, 2a), and Gabbi Klein (4a, 3gb, 2ct), on the attack. Jackie Gilbert runs the center circle (30dc). Among newcomers, Kelsey Huff (12g, 2a), Izzy McMahon (12g, 6a), and Maeve McMahon (10g, 7a, 23dc) have made immediate impacts. Sixth-year head coach Lindsey Munday owns a 74-33 overall record.

GAME #9 • Friday, March 23 • 5 p.m. PT
No. 13 USC (5-3, 3-0) at California (4-5, 0-3)
California Memorial Stadium • Berkeley, Calif.
Series History: USC leads, 4-1 (.800) • Streak: W4
Last Meeting: W, 21-4 (Apr. 2, 2017 • McAlister Field)
Web Stream: Pac-12+ • Pac-12.com/live
Opponent Web: CalBears.com

GAME #10 • Sunday, March 25 • 1 p.m. PT
No. 13 USC (5-3, 3-0) at No. 19 Stanford (5-3, 2-1)
Laird Q. Cagan Stadium • Stanford, Calif.
Series History: USC leads, 5-3 (.625) • Streak: W4
Last Meeting: W, 15-12 (Apr. 21, 2017 • Stanford, Calif.)
Web Stream: Pac-12+ • Pac-12.com/live
Opponent Web: GoStanford.com

CROSSExamination

USC is ranked No. 13 in the IWLCA coaches poll. The Trojans will face their sixth ranked opponent in the last nine games when they play No. 19 Stanford on Sunday (March 25).
The Trojans are 15-22 all-time against IWLCA ranked opponents.
USC was picked to finish first in its inaugural Pac-12 season.
So. M Kerrigan Miller and Sr. D Lydia Sutton were each named Pac-12 Offensive and Defensive Players of the Week this week.
Seventh-year head coach Lindsey Munday's next win will be her 75th-career victory. She is currently 74-33 overall.
USC leads the Pac-12 in goals-against average (8.25 gaa) and caused turnovers (11.88 ctpg); and is second in save percentage (.504).
The Trojans have won five straight games in the Bay Area dating back to 2016.

SCOUTING CALIFORNIA: The Golden Bears (4-5, 0-3 Pac-12) have lost each of their three conference games including the last two by double-digit margins. All three games were played on the road, where Cal is 2-4 overall. The Bears are led by four double-digit goal scorers. Kirsten Swanson leads all players with 18 goals and five assists. Eliza Christman (15g, 3a), Caroline Corzel (11g, 4a), and Marisa Kuberra (10g) follow Swanson. Elizabeth Koehler (33dc) and Meredith Haggerty (32dc) run the center circle and lead the team with 20 and 18 ground balls respectively. In goal, Jenny Wilkens has a .423 save percentage with 11.02 saves per game. USC is 4-1 all-time against the Bears and has won the last four consecutive meetings with double-digit victories in each of the last three.

SCOUTING NO. 19 STANFORD: The Cardinal's (5-3, 2-1 Pac-12) only home loss was a 15-9 decision to No. 2-ranked Stony Brook on Feb. 19. Stanford is coming off two wins over Oregon (19-8) and Cal (21-5) and leads the league in several statistical categories including goals (15.88 gpg), assists (7.25 apg), draw controls (16.12 dcpg), and shot percentage (.458). Kelsey Murray leads the Stanford attack with 40 points (23g, 17a) and is followed closely by Ali Baiocco (22g, 4a). Julia Massaro (34dc) and Genesis Lucero (32dc) lead the way in the circle, with Maggie Nick third with 19 draw controls. Nick also has 19 goals. In goal, Allie DaCar has a .455 save percentage with 10.87 saves per game. USC is 5-3 all-time against the Cardinal and is on a four-game winning streak with three wins in 2016 and one in 2017.

TRACK THE TROJANS: For a behind-the-scenes look, fans of USC lacrosse can follow the Trojans on Twitter and Instagram at @USCTrojansLax. USC is scheduled to appear in three Pac-12 Networks broadcasts this spring. Home games against Colorado (Mar. 16), California (Mar. 30), and Stanford (Apr. 1) will be on the networks' national and regional channels. Games at the inaugural Pac-12 championship tournament will also be televised on the Networks. The Trojans faced Virginia Tech (Feb. 10) and Notre Dame (Feb. 23) on ACC Network Extra and was on FloSports for their game at Northwestern (Feb. 25). USC's non-broadcast league games are shown on the Pac-12+ platform.

LAST TIME OUT: After going five seasons without playing an overtime game on McAlister Field, the Trojans racked up their third-such game this season and came away with back-to-back wins over 15th-ranked Colorado (8-7) and Oregon (9-8). In both finishes, late-game mistakes allowed the Buffaloes and Ducks to tie the score with under 10 seconds left in regulation. After winning the draw against Colorado, Kerrigan Miller found a cutting Marve McMahon and tossed the ball through the eight-meter arc. McMahon's stick caught enough of the ball to tip it over the CU goalie's stick for the win. Kaeli Huff scored four goals to bring the Trojans back from a 3-0 deficit, and Miller set a new program record with seven caused turnovers in a tremendous defensive effort for the win over Colorado. The Trojans jumped out to a 3-0 lead over Oregon, but the Ducks were sound in the second half to hold USC to a one-goal period. It was enough until Oregon tied the game down the stretch. USC's defense turned the tables and earned the takeaway after the Ducks won the overtime draw. Miller, the heroine again, earned a free-position attempt to score the game-winning goal over Oregon.

ONES TO WATCH: Senior goalie Gussie Johns and senior defender Lydia Sutton were each named to the initial Tewaaraton Award Watch List announced on March 1. Sophomore midfielder Kerrigan Miller was later added to the national watch list on March 22 in the first round of additions. The award honors the top men's and women's lacrosse player in the country. Previously, Courtney Tarleton and Michaela Michael were named nominees. This year, the list of 25 national nominees will be named on April 26. The five men's and women's finalists will be announced on May 10 with the ceremonial presentation to the winner set for May 31 in Washington, D.C.

PAC IT UP: USC won the 2016 and 2017 MPSF (Mountain Pacific Sports Federation) championships but plays under the banner of the Pac-12 Conference in 2018. Women's lacrosse became the 13th women's sport sponsored by the Pac-12 when it was added for 2018. With the addition of Arizona State, the Pac-12 reached the minimum of six teams to receive an automatic qualifier bid into the NCAA championship. The first-ever Pac-12 Lacrosse Championship will be held April 26-29 at Prentup Field at University of Colorado. USC has won 21 consecutive conference games dating back to the end of 2015. The Trojans were undefeated in the MPSF in 2016 (9-0) and 2017 (8-0).

PAC-12 POW-WOW: Trojans have won four Pac-12 Player of the Week awards this season. Senior goalie Gussie Johns was named for the Defensive Player of the Week award on Feb. 12 and Feb. 26. Following a 2-0 weekend with overtime wins over Colorado and Oregon, the Trojans swept the awards as sophomore midfielder Kerrigan Miller took home the Offensive Player of the Week award and senior defender Lydia Sutton was named the Defensive Player of the Week.

POLL POSITION: The Trojans opened the season ranked No. 8 in the IWLCA Coaches' preseason poll. USC has spent 35 consecutive weeks ranked in the IWLCA poll dating back to a No. 19 ranking in the 2016 preseason poll. USC spent a school-record 26 straight weeks in the top 10 from March 21, 2016 through Feb. 19, 2018. The Trojans are 9-12 against teams ranked in the top 10 of the poll and 2-9 against teams ranked among the top five.

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Players Mentioned

Jackie Gilbert

Kaeli Huff

Kelsey Huff

Gussie Johns

Gabbi Klein

Izzy McMahon

Maeve McMahon

Michaela Michael

Kerrigan Miller

Lydia Sutton