No. 21 USC Lacrosse's Defense Traps the Golden Bears Offense in a Massive 18-4 Victory

Friday, April 7

Los Angeles, Calif.

3:00 PM

USC

10-3, 5-1Pac-12

California

3-9, 1-5Pac-12

California

USC

Photo by: Drake Lee

No. 21 USC Lacrosse's Defense Traps the Golden Bears Offense in a Massive 18-4 Victory

April 07, 2023 | Women's Lacrosse

Box Score Highlights

The Women of Troy held the Golden Bears scoreless for 42 minutes and 57 seconds, as the starters only allowed one goal to California

LOS ANGELES, Calif. - The 21st-ranked USC held no prisoners except for California in the defensive zone, as it posted a season-high 14-goal differential in the 18-4 win.

KEY PLAYERS:

The offense had a breakout day today, as it tied the season-high for goals in a single game. Senior Ella Heaney was a huge portion of that, as she posted four goals on the day. Heaney's hat trick gives her four on the season and puts her tied for sixth all-time in hat tricks, as she claimed her 15th career hat trick. Sophomore Maddie Dora also posted a hat trick, as she put together three goals. This is her fifth career hat trick and third on the season.
Redshirt sophomore Isabelle Vitale and junior Maggie Brown both led in the assist column, as these two both dished out two assists. Vitale finished the game with four points total (two goals & two assists), and Brown finished with three (one goal & two assists). Vitale also posted the second most caused turnovers with two.
Two players earned their second career goals this game, as sophomores Mia Ferraro and Catherine Lord found the net in the fourth. Lord is usually known for her defense, as she currently holds the Pac-12 season lead for Defensive Player of the Week Awards, but she showed she could get it done on the offensive side as well.
The Trojans were led on the defense side by graduate transfer Emma Wightman, as she posted a game-high three caused turnovers and picked up two groundballs. Lord and graduate student Katie Ramsay picked up the most groundballs with three. Vitale and senior Danielle Carson also had multiple groundballs, with two.

HOW IT HAPPENED:

From the get-go, this game was owned by the Trojans, who came into it ready to avenge the last game's loss. California was at the mercy of USC, as it started the game with two goals within the first two minutes. The Golden Bears would answer with one of the two at 10:59 from their leading scorer, but from then on, it was all USC. It would claim four more goals to make the deficit the largest of the year in the first quarter, as Heaney grabbed hold of a hat trick with three of the four.
While the offense continued to make strides to make the lead insurmountable, the defense completely dominated the Golden Bears. California would score its first goal of the game at 10:59 in the first but would be held scoreless till the backups entered the fray in the fourth. USC held the Golden Bears to the longest scoreless drought of the season, as they would not score for 42 minutes and 57 seconds. A considerable part of that would be the Trojans' ability to force turnovers, as they had ten caused turnovers at half, as Wightman posted three at half, and redshirt sophomore Isabelle Vitale was right there with her with two. USC would also limit California to just three shots on goal by halftime.
While the defense did its thing, the offense kept things moving, as ten players earned a point in the game, and all ten tallied at least one goal.
USC improved significantly in the draw control category, winning 13 to California's 12. In the previous outing against the Golden Bears (Mar. 31), California outdrew the Trojans 14-7.
USC surrendered only one goal while the starters were in play, but California claimed three goals to end its scoreless drought when they started to sub in the backups.

UP NEXT:
The Trojans celebrate a day full of events as USC will host a senior day celebration on Easter Sunday against Stanford. The Trojans will seek revenge as they take on the Cardinal at noon on McAlister Field.

GAME NOTES:

USC currently owns its longest win streak versus California, as the Trojans have won 16 straight and are 16-1 overall against the Golden Bears.
The Trojans are 39-8 in conference home games (20-5, Pac-12; 18-3, MPSF).
USC is undefeated at home (7-0) and has an average margin of victory of 9.4. The Trojans currently have a plus-66 for goal differential at home and a minus-two goal differential on the road.
The Trojans are 36-11 all-time in Pac-12 games.