No. 21 USC Lacrosse Hosts California and Stanford In a Pivotal Conference Weekend

LOS ANGELES- The 21st-ranked USC lacrosse program (9-3, 4-1 Pac-12) brings its road trip back home, as it battles the same opponents as did last week in two home bouts. The Women of Troy face California (3-8, 1-4 Pac-12) at 3 p.m. Friday (Apr. 7) and seek revenge on Stanford (6-5, 4-1 Pac-12) at noon on a senior day Easter Sunday (Apr. 9), with both games happening at McAlister Field.

Game #13 • Friday, Mar. 31 • 3 p.m. PT
No. 21 USC (9-3, 4-1 Pac-12) vs California (3-8, 1-4 Pac-12)
Soni McAlister Field • Los Angeles
SERIES HISTORY: USC Leads 15-1 • STREAK: W15
LAST MEETING: W, 11-6 (March 31, 2023 • California Memorial Stadium)
LIVE STREAM: USC Live Stream 3
OPPONENT WEB: calbears.com

Game #14 • Sunday, Apr. 2 • 1 p.m. PT
No. 21 USC (9-3, 4-1 Pac-12) vs Stanford (6-5, 4-1 Pac-12)
Soni McAlister Field • Los Angeles
SERIES HISTORY: Stanford leads 10-8 • STREAK: L4
LAST MEETING: L, 15-12 (April 2, 2023 • Laird Q. Cagan Stadium)
LIVE STREAM: Pac-12 Networks
OPPONENT WEB: gostanford.com

CROSSExamination

USC currently owns its longest win streak versus California, as the Trojans have won 15 straight, and are 15-1 overall against the Golden Bears.
In the preseason poll, Stanford was selected to finish first in the conference, while USC was selected to finish second.
The Trojans are 38-8 in conference home games (20-5, Pac-12; 18-3, MPSF).
The Trojans are 35-11 in Pac-12 games, finishing the 2022 season 8-2 in conference play. That record tied them for first place in the Pac-12, as they held a share of the Pac-12 regular season title.
USC is 105-18 all-time versus unranked opponents.
The Trojans' 2023 captains are graduate student midfielder Katie Ramsay, senior midfielder Sloane Murphy, senior defender Danielle Carson, and junior attacker Shelby Tilton.
Olivia Dooley is the reigning Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year. The league's Defensive Player of the Year has come from USC two times since the award began being issued. Jackie Gilbert was chosen in 2019.
USC's defense has been a force this season, as last week it ranked 7th in the NCAA for caused turnovers per game, T-9th for groundballs and goalie Kait Devir was 5th in the NCAA for goals against average.
Catherine Lord claimed her third conference player weekly award on Mar. 28, and currently, the Women of Troy own seven of the 16 weekly awards this season.
The Trojans went 1-1 in their road trip to the Bay, as USC bested California 11-6, and lost to Stanford 15-12.

After a fresh visit to the Bay, USC will bring the Bay to L.A., with the first game being against the Golden Bears. In the latest outing against California, the Trojans spearheaded a defensive attack that stopped the Bears in their tracks in the second half. After posting four goals in the first half, California found the net only two more times, and that was after 35 minutes and 28 seconds of scoreless action. On the other side, USC welcomes in one of its most challenging tasks, as it does battle with conference foe Stanford on Easter Sunday. The Cardinal, in their latest bout, bested the Trojans in a 15-12 nailbiter. While that game was important, this one will be for all the marbles, as the winner leaves one step ahead of the other in the Pac-12 standings.

For the Women of Troy to turn back that corner, they will need support from all sides of the field, including the middle circle. In the first meeting, the Cardinal outdrew USC 25-6, and to be on the winning side of the coin, the Trojans will have to amend that hiccup. USC will look towards graduate student Katie Ramsay to help supply the support as she stands front and center in the circle. Ramsay, so far this year, has claimed 41 draw controls, and Sunday will feel a little different for her as she will be celebrating senior day. Ramsay and five other seniors (Emma Wightman, Sloane Murphy, Danielle Carson, Olivia Dooley, and Ella Heaney) will be looking to cement their legacies with one last home match against a significant thorn in the Trojans side.

For more information on the USC women's lacrosse team, a complete schedule, and results, please visit USCTrojans.com. Fans of the Women of Troy can follow the team on Instagram and on Twitter @USCTrojansLax.

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Players Mentioned

Danielle Carson

Kait Devir

Olivia Dooley

Ella Heaney

Catherine Lord

Sloane Murphy

Katie Ramsay

Shelby Tilton

Emma Wightman