Women’s lacrosse blows out Dartmouth

The women’s lacrosse team defeated Dartmouth at McAlister Field on Wednesday by a score of 17-4.

The Women of Troy are now 8-0 on the season and have climbed to No. 8 in the country. Their blistering start has also set a school record for consecutive games won. The blowout win encapsulated the season so far, as the team exploded offensively while also playing stout defense.

This was actually a fairly close contest at halftime. The Big Green managed to hang with USC and only trailed 9-4 at the break. The Women of Troy blanked Dartmouth in the latter 30 minutes en route to yet another convincing win.

Junior attacker Michaela Michael improved her season goal tally to 32, as she continues to average an impressive 4 goals per game. Michael fired 10 shots in the game and also logged three assists. USC’s No. 2 continues to solidify her status as one of the nation’s top players, as her movement alone can distract defenses and free up opportunities for teammates.

Senior attacker Caroline deLyra also found the back of the net four times. The senior deLyra has proven to be a real threat in front of goal, but her playmaking ability is remarkable. An incredibly fluid player with and without the ball, deLyra has 20 assists through just eight games.

At the defensive end, sophomore netminder Gussie Johns had another strong outing. Johns has a strong line of defense in front of her, led by senior Courtney Tarleton. Tarleton scooped up a pair of ground balls and forced three turnovers against the Big Green.

Tarleton and fellow defender Nina Kelty kept talented Dartmouth middle Jaclyn Leto fairly quiet. The talented Leto scored 3 goals but Taryn Deck was the only other Dartmouth player who managed to beat Johns.

The team now prepares to face Oregon this weekend at home. Though the women’s lacrosse plays in the MPSF as opposed to in the Pac-12, there is still a special feel to a true conference game. The Ducks and Trojans have had some compelling battles in several sports in the 2015-2016 season alone. It will be yet another test for the top-10 Women of Troy, but this team is yet to drop a game this season.

The team will then travel to Fresno State to close out the month. It has been quite a month — and quite a season — for this team so far. USC is improving on seemingly flawless performances, crushing every team in its path at the moment.

For a program in just its fourth year of existence, this is remarkable. Head coach Lindsey Munday was prepared for Leto and Dartmouth on Wednesday, and she continues to keep her team on track as the season progresses.

The game against Oregon is set for this Sunday at McAlister Field at noon. It is their first MPSF home game and will be broadcast on the Pac-12 Network.