The Terps stay on the West Coast for another road game.
No. 7 Maryland women’s lacrosse (8-3) looked destined to continue its woes away from College Park, trailing by three goals for the third consecutive road game. However, the Terps flipped a switch and controlled the final 24 minutes of play.
Behind second-half braces from Kori Edmondson, Emma Abbazia and Lauren LaPointe, Maryland scored nine unanswered goals and cruised to an 18-14 victory over Arizona State. The Terps held the Sun Devils scoreless for 22 minutes in the process.
Maryland now enters the back half of its four-game road trip, seeking to gain some momentum heading into the final stretch of its season. The Terps travel to Los Angeles for the program’s first meeting with new Big Ten foe No. 18 USC.
Saturday’s contest will start at 4 p.m. and will stream on Big Ten Plus.
No. 19 USC Trojans (8-4, 1-3 Big Ten)
When USC founded its women’s lacrosse program in 2013, it chose head coach Lindsey Munday to take the reins, a move that has proved wise. Munday — a successful player in her own regard — has guided the Trojans to six NCAA Tournament appearances in her 13 years at the helm. USC also secured two Pac-12 championships before leaving the conference.
Despite starting out last season with a win over then-No. 15 Army, the Trojans fell in its next three ranked clashes to then-No. 6 Michigan, then-No. 15 Johns Hopkins and then-No. 18 Stanford. The Trojans finished second in their final year in the Pac-12 conference with a 6-1 record, only behind Stanford. USC’s season ended in the Pac-12 Tournament semifinals with its 10th straight winning record, 12-5.
After falling in its season opener to then-No. 20 Stanford, the Trojans proceeded to win its next seven contests, including a ranked victory over then-No. 21 Colorado. However, USC has faltered in its first season in the Big Ten, tied for seventh place with a 1-3 record — its lone win coming against then-No. 19 Ohio State.
Players to know
Maddie Dora, senior attacker, No. 6 — With the departure of four of the Trojans’ top five scorers from last season, Dora has seen her offensive role increase, and thrived. Dora — who recorded just 17 goals a year ago — has posted 48 goals this season, the seventh-most in the nation.
Anna Regan, sophomore midfielder, No. 99 — Regan’s presence in the circle has been crucial over the last two years. The Maryland native has become USC’s leader in the faceoff unit, starting in all but one game in her freshman campaign. This season, Regan has taken her game to a new level, recording the 16th-most draw controls per game (8).
Isabelle Vitale, redshirt senior attacker, No. 1 — Vitale is the heart and soul of the Trojans’ offense, serving as the team’s lead facilitator throughout her time. A Pac-12 All-Conference first-teamer last year, she has picked up where she left off. Vitale is on pace to record a career-high in points, with 36 assists — the eighth-best in the country — and 25 goals.
Strength
Scoring offense. USC’s high-powered attack has fueled the team’s success this season. Behind Dora and Vitale’s elite connection, the Trojans hold one of the top offenses in the Big Ten. USC scores 13.6 goals per game, the fourth-highest mark in the conference. The Trojans averaged 20 goals in their final three nonconference contests.
Weakness
Sloppiness. While USC’s offense has been efficient, its sloppiness has hindered its ability to generate more threatening possessions. The Trojans turn the ball over 14.8 times per game, ranking fifth in the Big Ten. Foul control has plagued USC all season long as well, conceding 33 free-position goals on 79 opportunities.
Three things to watch
1. Big Ten implications. With a 3-1 conference record, Maryland is tied for second place in the Big Ten. Defeating USC would help the Terps solidify their grasp on a top-three finish — Penn State, Michigan and Rutgers all trail by one game — and put pressure on Johns Hopkins, who also has a 3-1 conference record.
2. Loaded week. Maryland is in the midst of its most jam-packed week of the season. The Terps had just two days rest in between their games against No. 14 Penn and Arizona State. Saturday’s contest will be Maryland’s third game of the week and its second game in three days, a taxing effort for the players with travel involved.
3. Slow starts. The Terps have been prone to dig themselves into deficits recently. Against No. 3 Northwestern, Maryland trailed by seven goals after the first quarter. On Monday, the Terps faced a three-goal halftime deficit before falling behind by four goals later. Maryland can’t afford slow starts if it hopes to contend in postseason play.