USC women’s lacrosse is gearing up to play a stacked Michigan team in a non-conference game Saturday at home.
Coming off a tough win against unranked Hofstra last weekend, No. 16 USC needs to bring its A-game to edge out the No. 9 Wolverines. Saturday’s game will be a tough win for the Trojans, but not an impossible one.
Both USC and Michigan have depth on attack. Seven different Wolverines combined for 10 goals in Michigan’s last game against Jacksonville, while six Trojans combined for nine goals against Hofstra.
To find the cage, the Trojans have to cherish their possessions. USC needs to play with patience, look for open cuts, give space for one-on-one drives and steer clear of clogging the 8-meter.
USC head coach Lindsey Munday said she wants her team to slow down the offense more than it did against Hofstra.
“It’s really about working the possession and waiting for a really great opportunity,” Munday said. “For us offensively, it’s really working the possessions a little bit longer.”
To control the pace of the game, USC has to come up with the draw. The Trojans struggled coming up with draw controls and ground balls on the circle last game. To beat Michigan, sophomore midfielder and draw taker Katie Ramsey needs to draw straight up and use her height to the Trojans’ advantage. Standing at 6 feet tall, Ramsey must find air and box out 5-foot-4 Michigan junior midfielder and draw taker Maggie Kane, who had six draw control wins in the Wolverines’ matchup with Jacksonville.
The Wolverines may also send 5-foot-4 senior midfielder Molly Garrett to the center of the circle. Garrett had four grabs against Jacksonville, as well as a whopping 65 draw pickups last season. She also made the Tewaaraton Award women’s watch list for the second year in a row.
If Ramsey can’t find rhythm on the draw, junior midfielder Kelsey Huff and senior midfielders Kaeli Huff and Kerrigan Miller could be sent to center.
In the front field, USC can’t afford to shoot 25% like it did in the season opener.
“We have to execute, especially offensively,” Munday said. “Our shooting [against Hofstra] was 9-for-36, which is not great.”
On defense, the Trojans were disciplined against Hofstra, moving their feet but leading with their sticks. USC’s defensive line stepped up, allowing for only five free position shots the whole game. The Trojans’ penalty percentage needs to stay that way if they want to have a chance against the Wolverines.
No. 16 USC could further disturb the rankings with a win over Michigan. The first weekly IWLCA Division I Coaches Poll comes out Feb. 17, and it is sure to look much different from its preseason rankings. There have already been several upsets this season — No. 4 Syracuse lost in the final minute of play to No. 12 Stonybrook, No. 5 Boston College dropped one on the road to an unranked UMASS Amherst and Michigan slowly but surely squeezed by No. 7 Notre Dame.
The Trojans will have the chance to pull an upset of their own against Michigan. The game tips off at noon Saturday at McAlister Field.