No. 17 Lacrosse prepares for home matchup


Sophomore midfielder Madison Waters gets up to speed during USC’s match against Fresno State last season. Waters had three shots on goal against San Diego State last month. The Trojans have started the season 3-0 for the fourth time in program history. (Beth Mosch | Daily Trojan file photo)

USC returns to Los Angeles Tuesday to face off against No. 10 Princeton for its second home game of the season after two big road victories. Last week, the Trojans debuted in the IWLCA Division I Poll at No. 23. This week, they advanced to No. 17. 

As USC returns to play after over a week off, Assistant Coach Lauren Gunning notes how difficult it can be to gain momentum after a bye week in the middle of the season. 

However, Gunning said this time off has also allowed the team to focus on themselves and “work out some of the little kinks and things that we might not normally have the opportunity to do in season.” 

With victories against No. 20 Jacksonville and Mercer on the road, the Trojans progressed to a 3-0 start for the fourth time in program history. 

USC defeated Jacksonville 13-12 in a game that came down to the wire. With under three minutes left in the game, sophomore attacker Shelby Tilton scored the game-winning goal, securing the victory for the team and a hat trick for herself. 

Two days later, the Trojans outplaced Mercer 15-7 in Georgia. Redshirt junior Kait Devir put up 14 saves for the weekend. The league recognized these performances by naming Tilton and Devir Pac-12 Offensive and Defensive Players of The Week, respectively. 

“We know we’re a great team,” said veteran junior defensive player Danielle Carson in an interview with the Daily Trojan. “But it definitely helped, beating a ranked team, giving us confidence that we can compete against anyone and we’re just as good as everyone else.”

Carson and the team have been working hard on and off the field this week and are excited to finally get back into game play. 

“We’re coming out positive, confident and we really think we can beat them,” she said. 

Princeton has recorded several notable victories this season. The Tigers were ranked No. 15 in the IWLCA preseason poll but quickly advanced to No. 11 after a 17-11 victory in their season opener against then No. 10 UVA. 

The following week, Princeton defeated No. 20 Temple 14-10, moving the Tigers to No. 10. They also secured their first in-league victory against Cornell this past weekend. Princeton is favored to top the Ivy League and boast two players on the Tewaaraton Award watch list: senior defensive player Marge Donovan and senior attacker Kyla Sears. 

Gunning said that when facing talented opponents such as the Tigers, the key is for the Trojans to focus on themselves. 

“We spent the last two weeks focusing on us and our systems and buying into the things that we do and we do really well,” she said. “I think as long as we stick to us and our game plan and trust the people on the field with us, we’re gonna be in a great position.”

The game against Princeton will be USC’s final game before conference play begins versus Colorado Friday. Gunnings said that each of these games is an opportunity to grow and tune up before Pac-12 play.  

The Trojans look to secure their fourth straight win this season against No. 10 Princeton at Soni McAlister Field Tuesday at 3 p.m.