USC travels to Tempe to face Sun Devils
After snapping their three-game losing streak in a win over the San Diego State Aztecs, the Women of Troy, now ranked third in the Pac-12, are headed to Tempe, Ariz. to take on the Arizona State Sun Devils. The match will be the last of USC’s conference and regular season schedule.
USC’s second-leading goalscorer, sophomore attacker Izzy McMahon, tries to get past an Arizona State defender. Ling Luo | Daily Trojan
The Pac-12 conference game against the Sun Devils carries substantial weight. The Trojans currently sit at 5-4 within the Pac-12. With a loss to the Sun Devils and a win by the Oregon Ducks over the first-ranked Colorado Buffaloes, the Women of Troy would sit at a tie with the Ducks at 5-5 within the division. The Trojans are 1-1 against the Ducks thus far in 2018.
Earlier this season, the Trojans overpowered the Sun Devils 14-3 at McAlister Field. Despite heavy showers, the Women of Troy’s first ever conference game within the Pac-12 ended up being their first-ever win as members of the conference.
The Sun Devils currently stand at 6-10 for the season and are ranked No. 6 in the Pac-12. Their season has fluctuated repeatedly; despite their record, they do have a few impressive wins under their belt for the season.
The Trojans have been preparing for Arizona State all week after last week’s triumph over San Diego State in their final home game of the season.
The 17-7 win improved USC to 7-0 all-time against the Aztecs and 35-10 all-time at McAlister Field. The win was also the Trojans’ first win over SDSU since USC left the MPSF conference.
“This win against the Aztecs was an awesome way to end the home schedule and sums up the last four years with the team,” USC senior goalie Gussie Johns said after logging her 12th career game with double-digit saves, and her fifth of the season (11 saves).
“This win was really special and a great experience,” Johns said.
Leading up to the match this week, the Women of Troy practiced hard and fixed errors from the previous matches with hopes of a win over SDSU. Their hard work and effort reflected on the field when it came to game time, winning the match with a 10-point lead.
Sophomore midfielder Kerrigan Miller caused two turnovers for her 68th-career CT, and in the process moved into third in the program’s history. Miller was pleased with the win against the Aztecs.
“Feels great that we got this win for the seniors and it’s a great feeling to win our last home game,” Miller said.
The Women of Troy have been a successful group throughout the season, but they still need strong performances from their graduating seniors — each of whom played a vital role in their big win over San Diego State on Senior Day.
All-American senior defender Lydia Sutton scored her first goal of the season last week to go along with an assist. However, her impact was felt the most on defense, where she recorded five ground balls and caused four turnovers against the Aztecs.
The team should also expect big performances from its leading scorers: Miller, who is coming off a 2-goal and two-assist performance and sophomore attacker Izzy McMahon who scored 4 goals to go along with one assist against the Aztecs.
A win this weekend would make the Trojans a lock to hold the third seed in the conference. With their conference standing on the line, the Women of Troy look to dominate this weekend to secure their spot as the third-ranked team heading into the Pac-12 Tournament.