The sun shining through clear skies, a mild breeze and a Southern California classic low-70s afternoon sharply contrasted the pressure of USC lacrosse’s senior day matchup and last home game of the season. 

After losing six straight games to start conference play, USC (7-9, 0-7 Big Ten) needed to win its final two games of the season to stay in contention for the Big Ten Tournament, starting with Saturday afternoon’s faceoff with Ohio State (8-6, 3-4). 

Though the Trojans were unsuccessful — losing to the Buckeyes 11-10 — they refused to go down without a fight, storming back from a late deficit with three goals in under three minutes to send the game into two overtime periods. 

“They fought to come back, and I’m really proud of that effort,” Head Coach Lindsey Munday said in a postgame interview with the Daily Trojan. “It’s just a testament to our kids for getting to that place.”

Along with dropping to 0-7 in Big Ten play on the season, USC took its first-ever loss against Ohio State after entering the game 3-0 all-time. The Trojans’ senior day record took a hit as well, as their only previous loss out of 12 senior day games had been a one-goal difference against Stanford in 2021.

However, USC’s performance was more than just a plus-one in the loss column. Though the Buckeyes held the lead for a majority of the game, the Trojans continuously applied pressure, outshooting Ohio State 26-19, including an 18-16 difference in shots on goal. USC also had a higher number of ground balls and committed fewer turnovers. 

Despite grabbing a quick 2-0 lead in the first four minutes of the game, the Trojans lost their momentum with four straight goals by Ohio State to finish out the first period and found themselves at a 3-point deficit going into halftime. 

USC responded in the third period with three straight goals, tying the game on a goal by junior attacker Reese Robinson; however, the Buckeyes struck back with a three-goal run of their own, once again putting the Trojans down by three with just four minutes left in the fourth period. 

As time ticked down, goals by junior midfielder Anna Regan and Robinson added two points to the scoreboard, bringing USC within one. Then, with 14 seconds left, a smooth shot by sophomore attacker Kaylee Fravert made Rawlinson Stadium explode with cheers from excited fans and a vocal bench reminiscent of the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum during a Trojan victory.

In the scoreless first overtime period, a crucial ground ball pickup by Trojan sophomore defender Sophie Gangemi led to a last-second shot by redshirt junior midfielder Hannah Barron, but it soared over the goal to force a second overtime period. There, Ohio State junior midfielder Kampbell Stone fired the game-winning shot, ending the Trojans’ hopes of a senior day victory.

Despite the loss, Gangemi had a stat-packed game, producing a career-high seven ground balls and six turnovers — tying for the third highest and second highest total, respectively, in a single game in Trojan history. 

Robinson and Fravert led the team in scoring with two goals apiece, and junior attacker Emma Bunting scored one goal and had the highest number of assists, with three in the game. Both goalies — junior Annie Shields and sophomore Ellie Thomas — had subpar save rates, averaging .313, compared to their .500 rate in the team’s previous game against Central Michigan.

Senior midfielder Casey Roberts, a former Buckeye, said narrowly beating her former squad 9-8 last season in Columbus was one of her favorite memories with USC. In her final game at Rawlinson, Roberts scored the first goal of the day, her 16th in two seasons as a Trojan.

“This place is so special and creates the best friendships,” Roberts said in a postgame interview with the Daily Trojan. “There’s honestly nothing like it. I know these are my best friends for the rest of my life and my future bridesmaids.”

With the postseason out of reach, USC will go on the road to Oregon (6-9, 0-7) for its final game of the season on Saturday at noon.